Title: Flute measurements in a Physics of Music lab
Abstract: Physics of Music students often benefit from laboratory exercises that make use of real musical instruments, in addition to the more traditional labs that are designed to illustrate physical principles as simply as possible. These "real instrument" labs help bridge the gap between idealized cases and the musical instruments the students are familiar with. Modern woodwinds are particularly challenging in this regard due to the complex set of keys, levers, and mechanical linkages that tend to obscure the underlying acoustics of these instruments. Among the woodwinds, the flute is relatively simple, both mechanically and acoustically, and thus provides an excellent subject for a real world woodwind study. Laboratory exercises are described in which the flute's tone hole locations and diameters are measured. The data are analyzed in terms of the acoustics of open cylindrical tubes, revealing the logical order behind the spacing and use of the holes to play the lowest chromatic octave, as well as the higher registers of the flute. The measurement techniques and analysis are presented along with the pedagogical role of the experiment.