Flute Temperature; A=440Hz at what temperature??!!

[EmmTutt]

Hi!

I'm trying to find some information on the temperature that a flute will play an A=440 in tune at. As far as I can tell ISO:16 specifies A=440 Hz at 20ºC, but surely when playing the flute would be warmer than this due to the players breath......

I read about a thermal equilibrium the flute reaches, I'm presuming somewhere in between the 20ºC ambient temperature and 37ºC breath temperature. Are flutes designed and manufactured to play an A=440 Hz at this thermal equilibrium temperature? If so does anyone know what it would be??!!

Thanks in advance for any help!!!

E

[Classitar]

Interesting question! What % change in tone will one degree cause?
Have studies like that been done?

[pied_piper]

There is an old article about A440 vs temperature in the Musical Quarterly (1918) IV(4): 587-592.

Try this link from Google Books:

http://books.google.com/books?id=d145AA ... CBcQ6AEwAQ

[Classitar]

Thanks Pied_Piper
I wonder why they would pick 59 degrees as a benchmark

Exerpt:
"Musicians and instrument manufacturers who insist that A =435 is the correct low pitch fail to take into consideration the fact that the French Government Commission in the official draft stipulated that the pitch should be A =435 vibrations set in a temperature of 15 degrees Centigrade (59 degrees Fahrenheit), but it was not their intention to provide a fork or any other mechanism tuned to this pitch in this temperature.

All they did was to specify the number of vibrations and the number of degrees of temperature. It naturally follows that instruments tuned to A =435 at a temperature of 59 degrees Fahrenheit will raise in pitch to A = 440, or very close to it, when used under normal temperature conditions (68 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit). This is the reason that the pitch of A =440 is very often mistaken for A = 435 and is fully explained further along in this article."

[pied_piper]

I wonder why they would pick 59 degrees as a benchmark

Inefficient heating systems and lack of insulation in their homes?

[wkzh]

Ooh ooh how about humidity? I guess in the you Northen Hemisphere people it's no problem, but down here (up here, whatever, depends on your orientation) at the Equator the humidity/temperature from just walking from one room to another can pose a problem. Not to mention the tarnish

[etc-etc]

Look up the relevant data here: www.sengpielaudio.com/calculator-airpressure.htm

[JButky]

Hi!

I'm trying to find some information on the temperature that a flute will play an A=440 in tune at. As far as I can tell ISO:16 specifies A=440 Hz at 20ºC, but surely when playing the flute would be warmer than this due to the players breath......

I read about a thermal equilibrium the flute reaches, I'm presuming somewhere in between the 20ºC ambient temperature and 37ºC breath temperature. Are flutes designed and manufactured to play an A=440 Hz at this thermal equilibrium temperature? If so does anyone know what it would be??!!

Thanks in advance for any help!!!

E

Temperature has very little to do with flute design. Scaling is determined by numerous factors so that the flute will play in tune with itself relative to temperature.

If you play in the cold, a properly constructed scale with a decent player will play in tune but be flatter than at a higher temperature. At the higher temperature, the flute will also be in tune with itself but be slightly sharper due to the temperature.

Temperatures are utilized as standards as part of another pitch standard. For example. Organ tuners require a stable temperature maintained for 24 hours at 70 Degrees, (Pretty much the 20 deg celsius standard). If the organ were tuned with the heat off and the temp was lower and tuned the organ to 440 at that temperature, it would be sharp when the heat came on and was being used. So A 440 at 50 degrees is a different A440 at 85 degrees.

Playing in different temperatures affect more than the production of the sound. Transmission through the whatever air temperature to someones ear will affect the pitch as well. So don't expect a 440 scaled instrument (notice I said scaled and not tuned) to be able to play easily at that pitch in the cold. If you are playing outside in the cold, you would probably be better off to set the reference tuning a or whatever lower for everyone and just deal with it.

Equilibrium temperature. There really isn't such a thing making an effect in this scenario. Flutes do not heat up from breath of playing all that much. They heat up due to the standing wave interacting with the flute's tubing at what is know the boundary layer. That standing wave creates friction and your flute tube warms up, which is also why in the cold the end of the flute rarely warms up.