Pipes & Wind Instruments

Open and closed pipes

An interactive lesson with 6 steps, about 5 minutes: you predict, drag and solve, with instant feedback on every answer. It runs in your browser and needs JavaScript.

What you’ll learn

• Open end: air moves the most (an antinode). Closed end: air is still (a node).
• Open–open: $f_n = n\dfrac{v}{2L}$, all harmonics.
• Closed–open: $f_n = n\dfrac{v}{4L}$, odd $n$ only.

Steps

1. Standing waves in air
2. Modes of a pipe
3. An open pipe
4. Close one end
5. A flute for middle C
6. The next note up