Mechanical response measurements of real and artificial brass players lips.
Mechanical frequency responses of human and artificial lips in brass instrument playing have been measured using a high-speed digital video technique, in an attempt to classify the true nature of the "lip-reed." Four semiprofessional human players were used, and three notes played on a trombone were studied. All measurements revealed a strong mechanical resonance with "outward striking" behavior; the played note always sounded above this frequency. Several measurements also showed a weaker second resonance, above the played frequency, with "inward striking" behavior. The Q values of the dominant resonances in human lips were lower than those typical of artificial lips.
Newton
Michael J
MJ
School of Physics, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3JZ United Kingdom. m.newton@ed.ac.uk
Campbell
Murray
M
Gilbert
Jöel
J
D000162:Acoustics; D001187:Artificial Organs; D006801:Humans; D008046:Lip / Q000502:physiology*; D009146:Music; D009790:Occupations