A pitch pipe, also spelled pitchpipe, is a tool used by a conductor or performer to set the pitch for a performance accurately. A-440 is the most common standard. The pitch pipe is not a musical instrument because it is designed to render individual pitches for tuning, not to create a performance, even though it can make a sound when keys are pressed or when it is blown.
Leaders of a cappella singing groups, which perform without accompaniment, and timpani players are two frequent users of the pitch pipe. Orchestras frequently use 3–4 timpani, and it’s not uncommon for a piece to call for the timpani to be retuned in the middle, with several bars of rest set aside for this purpose. The timpanist retunes the timpani as needed by blowing softly on the pitch pipe.
The conductor or leader of an a cappella group will frequently play the starting pitches for the performers on the pitch pipe, giving each vocal part its first note. If the piece is divided into sections or movements, the pitches may be given before each new section or movement begins. A tuning fork, which was more common in the past but is still used today by a cappella groups, can be used for this purpose, with the other pitches being worked out from the one the fork gave. Timpanists, on the other hand, would have a collection of tuning forks from which to choose.
One pitch pipe design is a disc with the pitches labeled on one surface and a small hole for each pitch – you find the pitch you want and blow into the pitch pipe, similar to how you would blow into a round harmonica. An electronic pitch pipe, which is controlled by pressing buttons marked with the desired pitch, is also available. These two types of pitch pipes are available in two pitch ranges: F to F and C to C.
Pitch pipes for the guitar, violin, banjo, and tenor banjo are also available. At least some of them are restricted to standard string tunings.