Reed
Reeds are used in many wind instruments to generate the sound. They form the vibrating part of the instrument mouthpiece . Usually they consist of pile or reed , but also of other natural or synthetic materials.
The sound generation with the help of a reed is the characteristic of the reed instruments , which together with the flutes (air reed instruments ) form the genus of the woodwind instruments .
Reeds are one of the sound-producing tongues . The single reed (single reed, "reed") is a striking tongue , the double reed (double reed, "pipe") is a counter-hammer .
As free reeds , like the harmonica instruments , reeds are not used.
Forms and type of sound generation
- Simple reed
For the simplest (and oldest) form of the single reed, a plant pipe is shortened above the natural knot ( internodium ) and a lamella is cut into the wall of the section below (see Figure Launedda ). This creates an idioglottic reed. This means that the vibrating tongue and the opening it strikes are made from the same piece of pipe. Idioglotte reeds are found on many traditional single- reed instruments (and many bagpipes ).
Modern single reed instruments usually have a heteroglottic reed, that is, a flat reed that is attached to a mouthpiece and can be separated from it again. It is attached to an opening in such a way that it protrudes slightly over its edge and closes it with the exception of a crack.
- Double reed
The most original form of the double reed is a stalk that is pressed flat at the upper end or a pipe that is pressed flat. The two halves of the pipe are separated from one another at the upper end by lateral cuts and form two opposing fins. This integrated form is still found in some traditional double reed instruments today .
In most double-reed instruments, the reed is made by removing more and more of the material from a longer pipe strip, symmetrically towards the center. The two halves are separated by a cut in the middle and the thicker ends are tied on opposite sides on a tube or clamped in a sleeve.
The upper, thinly tapering and slightly curved ends leave a narrow gap free when at rest. The air flows through this gap into the pipe when blowing. The negative pressure of the flow causes the tongues to strike against each other and thus close the gap. The spring action of the tongues opens the gap again. The alternation of opening and closing causes the air in the body of the instrument to vibrate and the tone sounds.
- Swing behavior and style of play
When the single reed is blown , the air stream flows through the opening. The gap is closed by the negative pressure generated by the flow and the air flow is interrupted. As a result, the tongue swings back to its original position, and the air can again sweep through the opening. This change sets the air column in the instrument vibrating and the sound is created. Double reeds and single reeds are much more complex in their vibration behavior than simple reeds . They are preferably excited to vibrate in higher modes (natural frequencies), that is, depending on the given framework conditions for the vibration, the reed is excited to vibrate differently. In simple terms, the reed vibrates lengthways or widthways with one or more nodes, similar to the vibration behavior of a violin top or an eardrum.
In traditional single and double reed instruments, the lips enclose the reed below the freely swinging reed tongues. The oral cavity thus forms an air reservoir from which the air flows evenly into the instrument. Similarly, the wind capsules form a chamber in which the blade swings freely. Larger wind capsules, e.g. B. from pumpkin calabashes like the pungi , approach the bagpipes in their functionality.
In the traditional way of playing the instruments are not overblown . In the Middle East and Asia, they are often played in circular breathing .
Modern instruments, on the other hand, are blown "lip-directed". The vibrating parts of the reeds are touched by the lips. By changing the pressure and position of the lips, the tone can be modulated and overblown.
material
The single or double reeds of orchestral instruments and the saxophone (as well as historical instruments from Europe) have been made from pile reeds that grow in southern France , Spain and Argentina since the 17th century .
Simple reeds ( single reeds ) are commercially available in different thicknesses, which are given mainly for clarinets and saxophones on a scale from one to five, and from different countries and reed-growing areas, with each wind player having his own preferences. The thickness specifications vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, so that a reed from one manufacturer is not necessarily just as thick and does not have the same playing characteristics as that from another manufacturer with the same thickness specifications.
The double reed is often either made at higher demands on the quality of the musician or be obtained as raw and processed itself. This allows the double reed to be optimally adapted to the existing instrument.
The material density and the course of the thickness over the length and width of the reed are decisive for the sound and playability of reeds . Thinner reeds (reeds 1–1.5), also referred to by musicians as "soft" or "light", are more comfortable to play and can produce quiet tones more easily , but sometimes have a poorer sound quality and overblow more easily (often unintentionally). In ensemble playing, thinner reeds often allow simpler intonation and the instruments tend to merge into one overall sound. Thicker reeds (reeds 2–2.5), also called “hard” by musicians, are sometimes difficult to intonate, but allow a greater volume and, especially when playing solo, more expressive playing. Especially in ensemble playing, thicker reeds require a high degree of sound control from the individual musicians. The material reacts to moisture, so with double reeds it is usually necessary to water the reed immediately before playing. Usually only the area at the open end of the tongue is immersed in water. With single reeds, on the other hand, a brief moistening of the tip of the leaf is often sufficient.
The function of the reeds changes with use. Humidity, air pressure and temperature also play a role. First of all, it is important to install a new reed or pipe, i.e. to adapt it to the desired vibration behavior through use so that it works well. Because the material ages and can break, reeds cannot be used indefinitely. The average shelf life can vary between a few weeks and several months, depending on the frequency and type of gaming. When used in instruments with a wind capsule (bagpipe, Rauschpfeife , Krummhorn ) reeds can work reliably for several years.
For the reeds of traditional instruments, locally available materials are used: in addition to reeds and bamboo , reed grass, palm leaves, wood shavings, straw , quills and even whalebone. Today, plastic is also used (e.g. polystyrene from yoghurt pots). For all reed instruments there are also permanent reeds made of various plastics and composite materials such as fiberglass , polymer-bamboo mixture, polypropylene, carbon, hemp-plastic mixture.
Reed instruments
Single reed:
Single reeds are used on the mouthpieces of clarinets and saxophones . In addition, in many cultures there are traditional single-reed instruments with idioglottic or heteroglottic blades. The Launeddas from Sardinia and the Sipsi from the Near East are among the oldest instruments with a single reed .
Double reed:
Double reeds are used on the orchestral instruments oboe and bassoon , but also on numerous traditional instruments, such as B. Suona , Zurna , Pi Chanai , Pi Or and in the chanter of many bagpipe shapes .
The prehistory of the reed instruments can be traced back to antiquity. The ancient aulos was played with both single and double reeds.
See also
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b Markus Gorski: Reed instruments. In: lehrklaenge.de. Retrieved October 24, 2009 .
- ↑ Hans-Jürgen Schaal: Zurna, Shenai, Argol - The magical sound of the reed (2006). Retrieved October 24, 2009 .
- ↑ Nicolae Sfetcu: The Music Sound 7 May 2014, p. 1921 (accessed on 13 November 2014).
- ^ Paul Marie Guillaume Joseph de Wit, Hermann Karl Anton Matzke: Zeitschrift für Instrumentenbau 1913.