Klarinet Archive - Posting 000106.txt from 1994/05

From: "Jay Heiser, Product Manager, Govt Systems" <jayh@-----.COM>
Subj: Material does matter in some woodwinds
Date: Thu, 5 May 1994 09:55:36 -0400

I was thinking about this last night and realized I hadn't
mentioned flutes. I'd bet that everyone reading
this message can discern the diff in sound between a nearly
solid silver flute and one made from some 'mystery alloy'.

Most of the mid-line mfrs make identical models that only
differ in the body material, so this is an easy test to make.
Head joint is the most crucial, so some compromise with a
solid silver head joint and cheaper body joints.

There is nothing like the sound of a gold flute (with a possible
exception of a platinum one). It has a distinct beauty.
(I admit that anyone owning such an instrument is probably
a virtuoso anyway)

Although clarinets & saxes share single-reeds and a superficial
resemblence (both have bells), is it fair to say that the sax
and flute are more nearly akin acoustically? They both do octaves
instead of 12s.

-->From: Matthias Ferdinand <mferd@-----.DE>
-->Jay Heiser wrote:
-->> Many people think that the buffing that occurs in a
-->> a relacquer job detrimentally affects the sound
-->> Yamaha sells gold plated necks that purportedly
-->> have a difft sound
-->> Many people believe that a silver-plated sax
-->> sounds difft than lacquer
-->For saxophones, the material of the body and its surface (lacquered or
-->plated) surely matters. I know this from trying several variations
-->of the same model with Selmers, Yanagisawas, Guardalas and Keilwerths.
-->Maybe it has a stronger effect because the material is much thinner
-->compared to the clarinet. And you can feel the vibrations of the
-->instrument better with some materials.
-->I don't have any experience in this field, but I guess that the
-->material used has influence on the exact form of some details inside
-->the instrument, e.g. the edge of the tone-holes (sharp or round),
-->changing again the sound.
-->
-->Matthias Ferdinand (mferd@-----.de)
======================================
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Beans sprouting, tomatos under plastic tonight