Labial pipe

Labial Pipe

A labial pipe is a type of pipe used in organ construction that produces sound by means of a vibrating column of air within the pipe. The term "labial" is derived from the Latin word for "lip," referring to the pipe's lip that helps shape the sound produced.

Construction

A labial pipe is constructed from either metal or wood, with the material chosen often influencing the tone of the pipe. The pipe consists of a foot, body, and mouth. The foot is where the air enters the pipe, the body is the long, resonant column, and the mouth is where the air exits, creating the sound. The upper lip of the mouth, known as the labium, is crucial in shaping the sound produced by the pipe.

Function

When air is forced into the foot of the labial pipe, it travels up the body of the pipe until it reaches the mouth. Here, the air stream is split by the labium, causing the air within the pipe to vibrate and produce sound. The pitch of the sound is determined by the length of the pipe, with longer pipes producing lower pitches and shorter pipes producing higher pitches.

Types of Labial Pipes

There are several types of labial pipes, including:

• Open pipes: These pipes have an open top, which allows the air to escape freely. This results in a bright, clear tone.
• Stopped pipes: These pipes have a closed top, which causes the air to bounce back down the pipe and create a sound that is an octave lower than an open pipe of the same length.
• Half-stopped pipes: These pipes have a partially closed top, which creates a tone that is somewhere between an open and a stopped pipe.

Use in Organ Construction

Labial pipes are the most common type of pipe used in organ construction. They are used to produce a wide range of tones, from the soft, flute-like sounds of the flute stops to the bright, clear sounds of the principal stops.

See Also

• Pipe organ
• Organ stop
• Flue pipe