bell material... how does it effect the sound?

donalson · Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2003 10:27 pm Post subject:

i've read good writeups on this in the past but can't seem to find them any longer?

so what bell matierals in genral crate what sound charicteristics? (SP?)

thanks
mark
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mark aka donalson
Play it with a passion

_dcstep · Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2003 8:46 am Post subject:

I'm sure you'll get a bunch of comments, but did you do a Search entering "bell material" key word line? There's a bunch of discussion already out there.
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Tootsall · Heavyweight Member Joined: 05 May 2002 Posts: 2952

Check on Jim Donaldson's "Schilke Loyalist" website for quite an interesting writeup by Mr. Schilke. It seems that bell material, finish, and coatings and their effect on sound were one of his passions and he did a bit of research into it.

AverageJoe · Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2003 9:04 am Post subject:

Also check out Blackburn trumpets. Both Cliff and Tina Erickson have alot of knowledge about bell material and acoustics.

http://www.blackburntrumpets.com

Have fun!

Paul Poovey

_Happy Canuck · Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2003 11:35 am Post subject:

Mark,

The best source I've found for this type of info is the book "THE TRUMPET CONSTRUCTION & PERFORMANCE" by Charles (Chuck) Macaluso. You'd find info about him on the GR Mouthpieces site.

He did a very focused quantified study about horn materials, I'd suggest most likely the best to date?! In Chapter 2, Trumpet Wall, he researched the 'Velocity of Sound' in various copper alloys. I won't draw any direct conclusions, but it would appear to me that the 'higher the velocity', the 'brighter' the sound?!

His research: (hope the chart shows up OK)

ALLOY V (in/sec x 1000)
Gilding Metal 139
Red Brass 141
Yellow Brass 142
Nickel Silver 154
Cupro-ncikle 162

versus

Platinum 35
Lead 49
Gold 79
Silver 102
Aluminum 200
Beryllium 498,

Hope this helps?

_________________
Bill

Olds Mendez, Recording & Special trumpets
Olds Opera cornet
Schilke MII trumpet
Bach flug

[ This Message was edited by: Happy Canuck on 2003-09-19 14:36 ]

[ This Message was edited by: Happy Canuck on 2003-09-19 14:37 ]

[ This Message was edited by: Happy Canuck on 2003-09-19 14:38 ]

Horn of Praise · Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2003 3:49 pm Post subject:

Hi donalson,

At one time I assumed that all yellow brass bells would be bright, all gold brass bells would be dark, etc., etc., etc. But then I learned that the "rate of taper" of the bell can have a substantial effect on the sound as well. Because of this, a yellow brass bell can also be darker.

Sometimes people wonder "why" a horn with more overtones projects better...it's something they can't put their finger on. Lower tones actually carry/project farther.

When a band, marching down the street, is coming toward you, the flutes are in the front and the low brass is in the back. Why? Because the higher tones of the woodwinds can't project/carry as well. We hear them first (in front) so they won't be drowned out. The trombones can be in the rear and still overpower. It's not volume as much as projection.

When a car passes your house that has a 3,000 watt stereo inside, you don't hear the lyrics. But you do hear and feel the bass, because the low tones project.

A bell with a fast taper (larger throat) will produce a darker tone. A bell with a slow taper (smaller throat) will produce a brighter sound. So, conceivably, two identical horns with yellow brass bells, but vastly different bell tapers, would sound measurably different.

My Eclipse and Getzen both have yellow brass bells. But my Eclipse is dark and the Getzen is VERY bright and "zingy". The more I learn about horns, the more I realize that my original assumptions were myths.

Be well...and play well.

_________________
PAUL NELSON
Eclipse White Lightning
Getzen Eterna 900 Classic
Monette B4LD
http://abel.hive.no/trumpet/artist/friedrich/seminar/caruso.html

[ This Message was edited by: Horn of Praise on 2003-09-19 18:52 ]

_dcstep · Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2003 4:54 pm Post subject:

Another important variable besides bell-material and bell-flare is the gauge of the metal. Obviously, lighter gauge bells will be brighter sounding than the same bell in a heavier gauge.

Ciao,

Dave
_________________
Schilke '60 B1 -- 229 Bach-C/19-350 Blackburn -- Lawler TL Cornet -- Conn V1 Flugel -- Stomvi Master Bb/A/G picc -- GR mpcs
[url=http://www.pitpops.com] The PitPops[/url]
Rocky Mountain Trumpet Fest