Posted by Will on December 19, 2003 at 10:17:50:
In Reply to: Engineered tuba revisited posted by Eric on December 19, 2003 at 04:05:31:
I happen to do materials research, usually composites. What you described is possible but in some ways impractical. "Any composite" will not sound like a tuba. The sound we are used to from any given wind instrument is due largely to the materials and fabricaton methods (as well as the player obviously). The sound of a brass horn can be changed by heating the bell and thus annealing the brass making the sound a little darker. A composite used for a "brass"wind instrument would have to have roughly the same mechanical properties as brass to sound like a tuba. The one factor that would be hardest in a nontraditional instrument such as what you propose would be designing in repairability. The very fact that people routinely cut and splice tubas shows the versatility of the brass tubing and sweated (soldered) joint construction. Another seldom considered factor affecting the sound is the placement of braces. I personally think that is one of the major factors in the playing differences in various tuba designs including modified (cut) but seemingly similar horns. A giant 2 piece plastic horn would have to have struts or webs connecting various parts of it; these would further stiffen an already stiff composite and make for a very bright (i.e not dark) sound. I have thought for some time about making composite bells etc. and will soon do so soon. I will let you know how it turns out.