๐บ Pipe Resonance Calculator
Open pipe: f = v/(2L). Closed pipe: f = v/(4L). Speed of sound is estimated from temperature.
Enter a pipe's length and the air temperature to calculate the fundamental frequency produced by resonance in an open pipe (open at both ends) or a closed pipe (closed at one end). You can also work backward from a target frequency to find the required pipe length.
How to use
- Select "Length to frequency" or "Frequency to length".
- Select open or closed pipe.
- Enter the pipe length (or frequency) and air temperature.
- The result is calculated automatically.
FAQ
What's the difference between an open and closed pipe?
An open pipe has both ends open (like a recorder), while a closed pipe has one end closed (like blowing across a bottle opening). For the same length, a closed pipe sounds exactly one octave lower than an open pipe.
What's the formula?
An open pipe's fundamental frequency is f = v/(2L), and a closed pipe's is f = v/(4L), where v is the speed of sound (temperature-dependent) and L is the pipe length. Speed of sound is approximated as 331.3 + 0.606รtemperature(ยฐC) [m/s].
Does temperature affect the result?
Yes. The speed of sound increases with temperature, so a pipe of the same length produces a slightly higher frequency at a higher temperature.