Reproducing tonguing strategies in single-reed woodwinds using an artificial blowing machine

Articulation on woodwind instruments is achieved inside the player’s mouth, where the tongue interacts with the vibrating reed, while the player adjusts the blowing pressure, the lip force, and the vocal tract configuration. The performed articulation technique defines the characteristics of the attack and release transients and thus the transitions between tones. In this study, an artificial blowing machine with a built-in tonguing system is used to analyze different tonguing strategies in single-reed woodwinds. The tonguing system is controlled via an electronically monitored shaker, offering the possibility to reproduce tongue articulation, while assuring repeatability. To reproduce different playing techniques, parameters obtained from measurements with players are used to set up the pressure in the artificial mouth and the behaviour of the tonguing system. During the experiment, the artificial-mouth pressure, the mouthpiece pressure, the reed displacement, and the shaker acceleration are recorded. The recorded signals are then compared to real-playing clarinet and saxophone measurements. Different trajectories for the artificial tongue are tested as well as different tongue-reed-contact durations. The artificial blowing and tonguing set-up, along with the images obtained with a high-speed camera, provide an in-depth understanding of the processes taking place inside the player's mouth.