Flute
Zahm says: "It is manifest that when a tube yields one of
its upper partials the air-column within undergoes spontaneous
subdivision
into [equal] parts, each of which vibrates independently, but in unison
with each of the others. Let us, for instance, cause the long open
pipe,
called the flute of Bernoulli, to emit its fourth partial [i.e., its
fourth
harmonic]. The air-column within must now ... divide into four columns
of equal length, each of which, vibrating separately, would give the
fourth
partial... The centers of the [antinodes] corresponding to the partials
now sounding, are at [the junctions of the four segments of the flute].
If now the first, second and third upper sections of the pipe are
detached
in succession, you would remark no change in the pitch. The lower
section
of the pipe alone yields the same note as was emitted by the whole
pipe,
or by a pipe whose length is twice or thrice that of each section taken
separately." From J. A. Zahm, Sound and Music, second edition
(McClurg,
Chicago, 1900) pp 228-229. Note that a long, thin pipe, blown with a
fair
amount of pressure, is necessary to cause the fourth harmonic to sound
loudly.
The 1889 Koenig catalogue lists this as catalogue number 108,
"Flute in four parts" and prices it at 12 francs. The black pipe is
from
Yale University, and the tan one from Union College in Schenectady, New
York.
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