Introduction to Wind Instruments - phy181 The physics of wind instruments is based on the concept of standing waves. When the player blows into the mouthpiece, the column of air inside the instrument vibrates, and standing waves are produced. Although the acoustics of wind instruments is complicated, a simple description in terms of open and closed tubes can help in understanding the physical phenomena related to these instruments. For example, a flute can be described as an open-open pipe because a flutist covers the mouthpiece of the flute only partially. Meanwhile, a clarinet can be described as an open-closed pipe because the mouthpiece of the clarinet is almost completely closed by the reed. Throughout the problem, take the speed of sound in air to be 343m/s. Consider a pipe of length 80.0cm open at both ends. What is the lowest frequency f of the sound wave produced when you blow into the pipe?