Wind Instruments: Ideal Open-pipe Length and Pitch Calculator

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An ideal open cylindrical pipe has effective length v/(2f). This calculator subtracts a total 0.6 bore-diameter end correction at the reference temperature, then holds physical length fixed while changing the approximate sound speed for cold and hot pitch estimates.

Wind Instruments Interactive Calculator

Enter target frequency, bore diameter and three temperatures. Results use a simple open-pipe/end-correction approximation—not a complete instrument-acoustics or fabrication model.

0°

Ideal physical length estimate
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Reference effective length
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Fixed-length hot estimate
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Fixed-length cold estimate
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Equation Used

v=331.3+0.606T; Leff=v/(2f); Lphysical=Leff-0.6d; f(T)=v(T)/(2(Lphysical+0.6d)).
Sound speed is rounded to 0.1 m/s as in the calculator. The total end correction is fixed at 0.6d and no fingering or bore-profile effect is included.
  • The pipe is open at both ends and supports an ideal half-wave fundamental.
  • Sound speed follows the displayed linear dry-air approximation.
  • Total end correction is fixed at 0.6 bore diameter.
  • Physical length does not change with temperature.
  • Humidity, radiation impedance, fingering, bore taper and player interaction are omitted.
Watch the Wind Instruments in motion
Video: Wind Instruments - 3D Animation Services - The Delta Designs by Nguyen Duc Thang (thang010146) on YouTube. Used here to complement the diagram below.
Same mechanism and inputs as the interactive calculator.

Ideal Open-Pipe Temperature Screen

The NASA Glenn sound reference provides wave-speed context. The pipe calculation uses a simple total end correction of 0.6 times the bore diameter.

What This Calculator Represents

An ideal cylindrical open-pipe fundamental at fixed physical length.

Length and Temperature comparison

v=331.3+0.606T
Leff=v/(2f)
L=Leff-0.6d
fT=vT/(2(L+0.6d))

Worked Scenario

At 293.66 Hz, 19 mm bore and 22 C, the tool estimates effective and physical lengths, then recomputes frequency at 12 C and 32 C with length fixed.

Assumptions and Limits

No fingering, taper, wall, humidity, radiation impedance or practical tuning adjustment is modeled.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this a fabrication length?

Only an ideal estimate.

Why 0.6d?

It is the calculator's total end-correction assumption.

Is humidity included?

No.

Is thermal expansion included?

No.

Are finger holes modeled?

No.

Will a real instrument tune exactly?

No guarantee is implied.

References

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