〈 Previous Article ¦ List of all Papers ¦ List of all Authors ¦ Next Article 〉

Improving a G-high clarinet using measurement data and electronic circuit analysis program

Schueller, Fritz and Poldy, Carl 

Electromechanical and electroacoustical analogies are widely used in mechanics and acoustics. Highly developed theories for electric networks, including sources, inductive, capacitive and resistive elements, as well as resonating circuits, electrical lines, etc. can thus be directly used to simulate the behaviour of musical instruments. There exist special Circuit Analysis Programs, such as Micro Cap [1], that are useful to simulate complex electrical networks. Applying the above mentioned analogies, these tools can be used in different ways to simulate characteristics of wind instruments, such as input impedance, transient behaviour, spectra, etc. The authors have developed special so called “macros” that allow a convenient application of the software tool for mechanical and acoustical systems. A method was developed to simulate a complete clarinet body (without reed and mouthpiece). This method was then used successfully to develop a new G-high clarinet, a special Viennese instrument, called Picksuesses Hoelzl and used in Schrammelmusik. How this was done, also with the help of BIAS [2] will be described in detail in the article. The purpose of this paper is to show the possibilities that exist, using software-based models of wind instruments, especially clarinets. It is not meant to be a recipe for instrument manufacturers. Intensive training would be needed to use the described method in practice.