Quote:
Let's say you've got a wooden flute from the 1800s, "and you want to replicate that in a polymer, I think it's gonna respond somewhat differently," Kuronen says. "Some would argue that as long as you get the shape of the bore and the finger holes accurately, you know, reproduced, it's gonna respond like that flute ought to. But I think every musician would respond that, 'Well, that flute sounds different whether it's made of boxwood, or ebony, or ivory, or polymer.'"

Plenty of experiments show musicians aren't objective listeners.

I've currently got a number of plastic instruments - recorders, flute and clarinet - and I've been threatening to get one of those plastic trumpets as well. None of them are 3D printed, but I think they show that plastic is a viable material.

I think the folk mentioned in the article are the same ones made a cornett/zink as well. From comments elsewhere it appears they also rely on CNC in addition to 3D printing.

I've always wanted to have a baroque oboe, but it's been beyond my price range (and probably skill level, but still). I suspect that one could be created from a 3D printer, but this guy printed a musette and got mixed results - the main issue being the roughness of the airway.

I don't know if using a DLP (digital light printer/direct light processing) would offer better results, but I've certainly been watching the 3D printer scene with this in mind.

-- David Cuny
My virtual singer development blog

Vocal control, you say. Never heard of it. Is that some kind of ProTools thing?