Question

How does a musician playing on a flute change the pitch of sound produced by it?

Answer 1

Consider an example of four identical bottles filled with different water levels. If the water level is higher, there will be a shorter vibrating air column above the water. On striking each one of them, it would be noticed that the sound produced becomes more shrill as the length of the air column decreases.


Similarly, in musical instruments like the flute and clarinet, the pitch of sound is changed by changing the length of the vibrating air column when different holes in it are closed.