Pitchpipe
Encyclopedia
A pitch pipe is a small device used to provide a pitch reference for musicians without absolute pitch
. Although it may be described as a musical instrument
, it is not typically used to play music
as such.
The earliest pitch pipes were instruments rather like a recorder
, but rather than finger holes, they had a plunger like a slide whistle
's (also known as a swanee whistle). The pipe was generally made of wood with a square bore, and the plunger was leather-coated. On this plunger are marked the notes of either the chromatic scale
or the diatonic scale
, and by setting it to the correct position, the indicated note will be produced when the instrument is blown.
Pitch pipes of this sort were most often used in the 18th and 19th centuries in churches which had no organ
to give the opening note of a hymn. They are now quite rare, and hardly ever used for what they were intended, but may still be used as an alternative to a tuning fork
. They are also useful for establishing what pitch standard
was being used at a particular place and time.
. These are discs with the holes for the reeds around the perimeter and with marked openings for each note, into which the user blows. Inside the pipe, the air flows through a hole in a plate past the selected rectangular metal reed (usually brass). The airflow is modulated by the oscillating reed, then it resonates in an outer sounding chamber. In recent years, electronic pushbutton
devices simulating chromatic pitch pipes have become available which are small enough to fit on key chains.
pitch pipes are favored by a cappella
singers and timpanists. Chromatic pipes most often provide thirteen pitches, each a half step
above the previous. By providing all of the notes of a single octave, a singer can start in any key called for in Western music. Different pipes are available for men and women due to the differences in vocal range: male singers most often use F-F pipes, while female singers favor C-C pipes. However, it is particularly notable that the Men's pipe in F is pitched higher than the Women's C pipe. Pipes in other keys are available, but are much more rare.
The singers' normal use of the pipe is to play the initial key note or tonic
of the piece to be sung. Less frequently the pipe will be used to play the first sung note of the song, especially where the song begins in unison
or with a solo
.
In Ethnomusicology
, recording a short beep with pitch pipe in ethnographic recordings can be used in playback to determine the playback speed of the Gramophone record
or Phonograph cylinder
.
with use, so they gradually change pitch. Because of this, replacement reed plates are sold. Carried in a pocket, a pipe will occasionally pick up small bits of lint which works its way into the narrow space around a reed. This usually requires disassembly of the pipe in order to clean the lint off the reed. To avoid this eventuality many users will use a small holster
to carry the pipe.
sells a software implementation for cellular phones as "zworkbench". Several electronic makers such as "Korg" combine a metronome function with the pitchpipe function.
Absolute pitch
Absolute pitch , widely referred to as perfect pitch, is the ability of a person to identify or re-create a given musical note without the benefit of an external reference.-Definition:...
. Although it may be described as a musical instrument
Musical instrument
A musical instrument is a device created or adapted for the purpose of making musical sounds. In principle, any object that produces sound can serve as a musical instrument—it is through purpose that the object becomes a musical instrument. The history of musical instruments dates back to the...
, it is not typically used to play music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
as such.
Origins
Recorder
The recorder is a woodwind musical instrument of the family known as fipple flutes or internal duct flutes—whistle-like instruments which include the tin whistle. The recorder is end-blown and the mouth of the instrument is constricted by a wooden plug, known as a block or fipple...
, but rather than finger holes, they had a plunger like a slide whistle
Slide whistle
A slide whistle is a wind instrument consisting of a fipple like a recorder's and a tube with a piston in it. Thus it has an air reed like some woodwinds, but varies the pitch with a slide. The construction is rather like a bicycle pump...
's (also known as a swanee whistle). The pipe was generally made of wood with a square bore, and the plunger was leather-coated. On this plunger are marked the notes of either the chromatic scale
Chromatic scale
The chromatic scale is a musical scale with twelve pitches, each a semitone apart. On a modern piano or other equal-tempered instrument, all the half steps are the same size...
or the diatonic scale
Diatonic scale
In music theory, a diatonic scale is a seven note, octave-repeating musical scale comprising five whole steps and two half steps for each octave, in which the two half steps are separated from each other by either two or three whole steps...
, and by setting it to the correct position, the indicated note will be produced when the instrument is blown.
Pitch pipes of this sort were most often used in the 18th and 19th centuries in churches which had no organ
Organ (music)
The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with...
to give the opening note of a hymn. They are now quite rare, and hardly ever used for what they were intended, but may still be used as an alternative to a tuning fork
Tuning fork
A tuning fork is an acoustic resonator in the form of a two-pronged fork with the prongs formed from a U-shaped bar of elastic metal . It resonates at a specific constant pitch when set vibrating by striking it against a surface or with an object, and emits a pure musical tone after waiting a...
. They are also useful for establishing what pitch standard
Pitch (music)
Pitch is an auditory perceptual property that allows the ordering of sounds on a frequency-related scale.Pitches are compared as "higher" and "lower" in the sense associated with musical melodies,...
was being used at a particular place and time.
Modern pitch pipes
Although few look like a pipe, the pitch pipe name is still applied to any device used as a pitch reference. The most common type is a circular free reed aerophoneFree reed aerophone
A free reed aerophone is a musical instrument where sound is produced as air flows past a vibrating reed in a frame. Air pressure is typically generated by breath or with a bellows.- Operation :...
. These are discs with the holes for the reeds around the perimeter and with marked openings for each note, into which the user blows. Inside the pipe, the air flows through a hole in a plate past the selected rectangular metal reed (usually brass). The airflow is modulated by the oscillating reed, then it resonates in an outer sounding chamber. In recent years, electronic pushbutton
Pushbutton
Pushbutton is a UK-based digital agency specialising in designing, developing, and delivering interactive television.As one of the industry forerunners creating rich interactive television experiences, Pushbutton have graduated from traditional 'red button' services for Sky, ITV, Disney, National...
devices simulating chromatic pitch pipes have become available which are small enough to fit on key chains.
Usage
Some pitch pipes are intended for tuning string instruments, and only provide reeds for notes appropriate to a particular instrument. ChromaticDiatonic and chromatic
Diatonic and chromatic are terms in music theory that are most often used to characterize scales, and are also applied to intervals, chords, notes, musical styles, and kinds of harmony...
pitch pipes are favored by a cappella
A cappella
A cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...
singers and timpanists. Chromatic pipes most often provide thirteen pitches, each a half step
Semitone
A semitone, also called a half step or a half tone, is the smallest musical interval commonly used in Western tonal music, and it is considered the most dissonant when sounded harmonically....
above the previous. By providing all of the notes of a single octave, a singer can start in any key called for in Western music. Different pipes are available for men and women due to the differences in vocal range: male singers most often use F-F pipes, while female singers favor C-C pipes. However, it is particularly notable that the Men's pipe in F is pitched higher than the Women's C pipe. Pipes in other keys are available, but are much more rare.
The singers' normal use of the pipe is to play the initial key note or tonic
Tonic (music)
In music, the tonic is the first scale degree of the diatonic scale and the tonal center or final resolution tone. The triad formed on the tonic note, the tonic chord, is thus the most significant chord...
of the piece to be sung. Less frequently the pipe will be used to play the first sung note of the song, especially where the song begins in unison
Unison
In music, the word unison can be applied in more than one way. In general terms, it may refer to two notes sounding the same pitch, often but not always at the same time; or to the same musical voice being sounded by several voices or instruments together, either at the same pitch or at a distance...
or with a solo
Solo (music)
In music, a solo is a piece or a section of a piece played or sung by a single performer...
.
In Ethnomusicology
Ethnomusicology
Ethnomusicology is defined as "the study of social and cultural aspects of music and dance in local and global contexts."Coined by the musician Jaap Kunst from the Greek words ἔθνος ethnos and μουσική mousike , it is often considered the anthropology or ethnography of music...
, recording a short beep with pitch pipe in ethnographic recordings can be used in playback to determine the playback speed of the Gramophone record
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
or Phonograph cylinder
Phonograph cylinder
Phonograph cylinders were the earliest commercial medium for recording and reproducing sound. Commonly known simply as "records" in their era of greatest popularity , these cylinder shaped objects had an audio recording engraved on the outside surface which could be reproduced when the cylinder was...
.
Problems
The brass reeds in common pitchpipes are subject to work hardeningWork hardening
Work hardening, also known as strain hardening or cold working, is the strengthening of a metal by plastic deformation. This strengthening occurs because of dislocation movements within the crystal structure of the material. Any material with a reasonably high melting point such as metals and...
with use, so they gradually change pitch. Because of this, replacement reed plates are sold. Carried in a pocket, a pipe will occasionally pick up small bits of lint which works its way into the narrow space around a reed. This usually requires disassembly of the pipe in order to clean the lint off the reed. To avoid this eventuality many users will use a small holster
Holster
A handgun holster is a device used to hold or restrict the undesired movement of a handgun, most commonly in a location where it can be easily withdrawn for immediate use.-Function:...
to carry the pipe.
Brands
Acoustic pipes are made by various makers and sold under various brands. Popular chromatic makers include the "Kratt Master-Key", "Hering", "Menzel", "Pyramid" and "Hohner", mostly made in chrome plated brass. Specialty four-tone models for violin (G < D < A < E) and ukulele (G > C < E < A) and six-tone models for guitar (E < A < D < G < B < E) are made in plastic by "Sprite", "Fujiyama" and "Mahalo". Electronic models are sold as "Pocket Tones" and others, while YamahaYamaha
Yamaha may refer to:* Yamaha Corporation, a Japanese company with a wide range of products and services** Yamaha Motor Company, a Japanese motorized vehicle-producing company...
sells a software implementation for cellular phones as "zworkbench". Several electronic makers such as "Korg" combine a metronome function with the pitchpipe function.
External links
- An "online pitch pipe" (recordings of each of the pitches on a free-reed instrument)
- A zipped downloadable version of the "online pitch pipe" (recordings of each of the pitches on a free-reed instrument) for your cell phone.
Further reading
- Anthony Baines, "The Oxford Companion to Musical Instruments" (1992) Page 267, ISBN 0193113341