C. Segoufin et al., Experimental study of the influence of the mouth geometry on sound production in a recorder-like instrument: Windway length and chamfers, ACUSTICA, 86(4), 2000, pp. 649-661
The choice of the length and the geometry of recorder windways is an import
ant design aspect as it influences the sound production by modifying the se
nsitivity of the jet to the acoustic field, thus modifying the jet motion.
Shortening the channel seems to allow a better control of the instrument at
low blowing pressures and makes the sound spectrum richer in high harmonic
s, but it also reduces considerably the pressure at which the instrument ov
erblows. Adding chamfers to a long windway greatly stabilizes the system an
d gives the instrumentalist a wider dynamical playing range on a given mode
of the pipe. Adding chamfers to a short windway doesn't help to stabilize
the system.