What Are Air Columns

An air column can be defined as the weight or pressure of the air in a certain space.

How do air columns work?

The air inside the pipes of a wind instrument vibrates. The tubing in a wind instrument confines the motion of the air inside it- the air particles must wiggle parallel to the walls of the pipe. The result is longitudinal standing waves in the air column inside the pipe.

What is air column in wind instrument?

The air within the instrument is excited with the mouthpiece pressed against the lips. The air column vibrates at the frequency of the lips, with the vibration producing a longitudinal wave propagating the length of the instrument. The resonance of the air is produced by a standing wave.