Re: 'Why Brass?'


[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ TubeNet BBS ] [ FAQ ]

Posted by Mike Solms on January 09, 2002 at 15:49:34:

In Reply to: 'Why Brass?' posted by Dan Schultz on January 09, 2002 at 12:41:40:

My guess would be that there is no real incentive to look at alternative materials. The driving forces behind the aforementioned Buffet "Greenline" clarinets are the scarcity and expense of Grenadilla wood and problems with wood instruments cracking and splitting in hot dry climates. The Luis and Clark carbon fiber 'cellos came about also in an attempt to create an instrument that can handle a wider variety of climatic conditions (outdoor string gigs can be real nighmares).

There are human factors involved, too. Luis and Clark 'cellos and Ovation guitars are the product of individuals who are musicians with skills in, and access to, high-tech composite materials. Steve Clark builds boats and Robert Kaman makes helicopter rotor blades. If these guys had been brass players instead of string players we might have carbon fiber french horns.

Brass is available, cheap, and easy to work. The finished product is durable, waterproof, reasonably priced, and can be made with existing tooling. If copper came from trees in endangered rain forests there might be more of an urgency to experiment.


Follow Ups: