There are quite a few different materials that metal instruments can be made from. If you buy an instrument made from a more expensive metal, it will cost more money. It can be difficult to tell whether instruments made from more expensive metals are actually better, or whether it’s just a money-making scheme. I wanted to find this out so I looked into the physics of what is different when sound waves propagate through different materials to see whether there is a real difference in sound quality.
The metal an instrument is made of actually shouldn’t actually make a big different to the sound physically. Most people think they can hear subtle differences in tone, but this may be psychological. It could also be to do with the thickness and weight of the metal.
There are many varied opinions on which metal should be used to make different instruments. It’s generally considered the case that the more expensive the metal, the better the quality of sound. But is this really the case, or is it just that we’re told more expensive metals will be better so we think we hear better sound quality from them?
Is there a physical reason for different metals to sound different?
Let’s think about this in terms of the physics of sound production. The sound wave will propagate through a tube made of some metal. It’s the length of the tube that determines the frequency of the sound wave, not what the tube is made from. There is nothing obvious that you could say would change the timbre of the sound.
However, you can try out different instruments and be confident that you can hear a difference in timbre if they are made of different metals. Some of the things that make the most obvious differences are bell shape, the angle of the bends in the instrument and the choice of mouthpiece. These will definitely have a much more significant impact on your sound than the material the instrument is made from.
The physical differences may exist, in things like thickness of the material. As sound waves travel through instruments, they bounce of the walls of the tube. As they travel, some waves go through the metal of the tube rather than bounce off it, leaving the body of the instrument. If the instrument is made of something thicker, there is more chance of the wave staying inside the tube. More expensive metals, such as silver and gold will be thicker as they are softer, so more of the sound waves will propagate.
The other potential thing that could change the sound quality is the resonance of the material. Different metals have different natural frequencies, which means that they will have better resonances on different pitches. If the metal is chosen to resonate better at the frequency of the notes in the register of the instrument, you might find that the instrument has a nicer timbre.
Are more expensive metals used in better quality instruments?
One possibility for why more expensive metals can give a nicer sound quality is the quality of the instrument making. If you’re buying a gold flute, for example, the chances are you’re looking to buy a very high quality instrument anyway. If you’re trying out different instruments in different materials, you might be noticing the materials, but you might also be noticing other things.
When you’re looking to upgrade an instrument, you’ll want to get something that’s a higher quality than the one you have. If you have a silver-plated flute, this will likely be in the cheaper range of flutes. This means it won’t be made to as high a standard as a more expensive flute. If you then try a solid silver flute, as well as being made of a different material, it will also be made by a higher quality instrument maker. You’ll hear a difference in the quality of sound, but it might have nothing to do with the material.
While there may be some truth to more expensive metals sounding better, the only way to be sure is to try the same flute made of different materials. If it’s possible to try the same model of flute made of different materials, without knowing which one is which, you’ll be able to decide if you can actually tell which is the more expensive metal, or if it’s just what someone is telling you.
What is believed to be the difference in timbre between different materials?
Whether there is a real difference or not between metals, many people believe there is. But what do they actually believe is the difference in sound? It’s usually agreed that gold is the best metal sound wise for instruments. Most people think that using silver gives a brighter sound. Silver instruments are thicker, which can dampen some of the resonances, making them a bit more difficult to play, as they require slightly more air.
A gold instrument is believed to have a mellower, or warmer sound. Many people think it darkens up the tone and really makes a difference for classical music, which usually aims for a darker sound. In jazz playing, for example, silver might be more appropriate, because a brighter sound is normally more suited to this style.
In my opinion, there are some small differences between materials, but they don’t necessarily compensate for the price you have to pay for them. Buying an instrument made of gold costs a huge amount of money, and the difference in sound between a really well made silver instrument and a gold instrument is, in my opinion, almost negligible.
It mostly comes down to your personal preference and if that is worth the price difference to you, then you should do it. Make sure you don’t get caught up in what people tell you are the better instruments and end up spending way too much money on something you don’t personally think sounds any better. If possible try to do some blind playing on a few different instruments of different prices. You might not think the most expensive is the best, or it might not suit your playing style.
Summary
To sum this up, there are differences of opinion on whether the material an instrument is made of makes a significant difference to the quality of sound. It definitely isn’t the most important factor, and if the instrument is well made it won’t matter what it’s made of. More expensive materials are usually used on better made instruments, re-enforcing the belief that the sound quality is better. The most important thing is you personal preference.