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Properties of the Sound of Flue Organ Pipes

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Springer Handbook of Systematic Musicology

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Abstract

This chapter is an overview of the characteristic sound properties of flue organ pipes. The characteristic properties of the stationary spectrum and attack transient have been surveyed and assigned to properties of the physical systems (air column as acoustic resonator, air jet as hydrodynamic oscillator, and pipe wall as mechanical resonator) involved in the sound generation process. The measurements presented underline the primary role of the acoustic resonator in the stationary sound and of the edge tone in the attack.

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Abbreviations

FT:

Fourier transform

FWHM:

full width at half maximum

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Acknowledgements

The contents of this chapter have in large parts been published before [8.40]. The research surveyed in this paper was supported by several foundations in Hungary (Soros Foundation, Foundation of the Hungarian Credit Bank and István Széchenyi Foundation) and in Germany (Deutscher Akademischer Ausländerdienst (DAAD), Katholischer Akademischer Ausländerdienst (KAAD)). The research could not have progressed without the generous help of organ builders and experts, including the participants of the short courses. The authors are especially grateful for the friendly support of K. Mühleisen (Organ Builder Company Mühleisen, Leonberg, Germany) and F. Frasch (Technical College for Building of Musical Instruments, Ludwigsburg, Germany)

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Acoustics, Fraunhofer Institute of Building Physics (IBP), Nobelstr. 12, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany

    Judit Angster

  2. Steinbeis Transfer Center Applied Acoustics, Weilstetter Weg 36, 70567, Stuttgart, Germany

    András Miklós

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  1. Judit Angster
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  2. András Miklós
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Correspondence to Judit Angster .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Systematic Musicology, University of Hamburg, Neue Rabenstr. 13, 20354, Hamburg, Germany

    Rolf Bader

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Angster, J., Miklós, A. (2018). Properties of the Sound of Flue Organ Pipes. In: Bader, R. (eds) Springer Handbook of Systematic Musicology. Springer Handbooks. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-55004-5_8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-55004-5_8

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