Extended playing techniques as a source of unusual acoustic phenomena to explore with music students

When teaching acoustics, instructors typically consider musical instruments to introduce students to the science of sound. Common examples, such as the flute as an open pipe or the behavior of a string fixed at both ends, are often used to illustrate the acoustics of musical instruments. In addition, when teaching acoustics to advanced musicians, one could take advantage of the precise prior knowledge that students have regarding both conventional and extended playing techniques. When using extended techniques, musicians may incorporate unusual ways of producing sound with their instruments, as is often found in contemporary classical compositions. This unusual sound production might even result in a counterexample to the classical textbook case. For example, the so-called slap-tongue technique on the saxophone or clarinet produces a free (and highly damped) oscillation of the reed, which contrasts with the self-sustained oscillations of the reed if the instrument is blown as usual. Based on insights gathered during an introductory course in musical acoustics at the mdw—University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna, this paper highlights how extended techniques not only challenge our understanding of musical acoustics but also serve as interesting phenomena to explore interactively with students in the lecture room.