Qualitative Description of Single-Reed Oscillation

• Apply pressure at the mouthpiece
• Reed is ``biased'' in ``negative-resistance'' region
• High-pressure front travels to open tonehole or bell
  where it reflects with a sign inversion
• A ``canceling wave'' travels back toward mouthpiece
• The canceling wave reflects from the mouthpiece with no inversion
• A negative-pressure ``wake'' is left behind
• The reflected-canceling-wave travels back to the open end where it reflects with inversion
• The negative-pressure throughout bore is canceled by this wave as it travels to the mouthpiece
• Upon reaching mouthpiece, one period is finished
• One period = four trips across bore length