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In a pipe organ, there are many tubes—long and short, thick and narrow. Each tube presumably resonates at a specific frequency based on its length and produces a distinct note. Why do they have to be different thicknesses? I'm aware that amplitude determines the volume—is volume the only reason for the variations? Are the pipe organs open or closed tubes?

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  • $\begingroup$ Are you asking about the thickness of the metal that forms the tube, or the diameter of the air column inside? $\endgroup$
    – user4552
    Commented Apr 18, 2019 at 21:57

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Each tube presumably resonates at a specific frequency based on its length and produces a distinct note. Why do they have to be different thicknesses?

Because they have different timbres.

So you have one bank of pipes that are different notes in one timbre, and another bank that's the same notes in the different timbre, and they would have different widths.

So you might have the "flute section" F# be 1m long, and the "oboe section" F# be one meter long but the pipes have different widths - and shapes, some are square and others round.

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  • $\begingroup$ How about the structure? Are pipe organs open or closed tubes? $\endgroup$
    – Adam.V
    Commented Apr 23, 2019 at 13:35

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