Robert Bigio Crowns/Stoppers - A Recent Case
bil...@idirect.com
As some of you may recall, the subject of Robert Bigio's crowns and
stoppers recently arose in Sir James Galway's chat group and Sir James
commented very favourably on Robert's work.
I have known about Bigio crowns and stoppers for some years - but Sir
James' remarks prompted me to actually try them. So I recently ordered
a Zirconium crown and stopper from Robert and just received it.
I have two Haynes flutes. However, for the past three years, I have
been using a David Welans head joint. I installed the Zirconium
crown/stopper in the David Welans head joint and, right away, I sensed
an immediate difference with respect to (1) volume and (2)
responsiveness. However, for some reason, I was less certain about (3)
the sound quality.
So I had two people listen to me with (i) the Haynes flute/headjoint
and (ii) the Haynes/David Welans headjoint with the Bigio
crown/stopper. One of my two auditors knows my flute playing (I play
jazz and Latin) very, very well while the other is, shall I
say,..."naive"...However, both had identical responses...and both were
unequivocal in recognizing the superiority of
the instrument with the Bigio crown/stopper - and this was based on a
"blindfold" test. What was also very interesting - as well as very
reassuring - was both were equally unequivocal that my flute sound was
much more "rich" - throughout the range of the instrument - with the
Bigio device.
So there you have it...Bigio's Zirconium crown/stopper (and that is, of
course, in conjunction with my David Welans headjoint) served to work
on every dimension; i.e., better (1) volume, (2) responsiveness and (3)
sound quality.
And so I will add my endorsement to Robert's product and both thank him
and congratulate him on a what is a very helpful device!
For those of you who are interested in following this up, Robert's web
site is as follows:
In addition, David Symington has written an extensive article on this
matter which appeared in Pan (the journal of the British Flute Society)
which you may also want to have a look at. David's web site is as
follows:
http://freespace.virgin.net/d.a.s/
Sincerely,
Bill McBirnie
For CDs (Can):
http://www.indiepool.com/newsite/showcase/index.asp?id=15737
For Samples: http://www.musicianmp3.com/artist/EXTREMEFLUTE/
P.S. I will be ordering two Blackwood crowns and Delrin stoppers
(which are considerably less expensive but apparently have a similar
effect) for my other two flutes - one of which will be for the other
Haynes and one of which will be for what Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull
would call - my "twirler"! :-)
no...@nospam.com
was which and could have (even if unconsciously) altered your playing based
on your expectations. It is actually physically impossible for a
crown/stopper to alter the sound unless there is a difference in the
interior of the bore (such as a smoother inner stopper, or one of different
geometry) or the cork seals better.
The phenomenon of expectation altering perception is well known. I urge you
to read the classic paper by John Coltman. You can find it here:
http://ccrma.stanford.edu/marl/Coltman/Papers.html
Click on 1.06 "Effect of material on flute tone quality"
Happy reading,
Toby
Steve Marshall
<no...@nospam.com> wrote
> Actually your test is not a sufficient double-blind test, as you knew
> which
> was which and could have (even if unconsciously) altered your playing
> based
> on your expectations. It is actually physically impossible for a
> crown/stopper to alter the sound unless there is a difference in the
> interior of the bore (such as a smoother inner stopper, or one of
> different
> geometry) or the cork seals better.
Having a different headjoint makes a difference too. Try comparing the
stopper to a different one with the same headjoint.
The idea of the stoppers is that they do give a good, often a bit better
than cork due to it's uneven nature.
I've seen these type of stopper and not noticed a difference to a decent
cork one. A rubber stopper will work better than a poor cork. No surprise
there.
Steve M
bil...@idirect.com
TOPIC: Robert Bigio Crowns/Stoppers - A Recent Case
http://groups.google.com/group/alt.flute/browse_thread/thread/d1c58f712a0c117c
==============================================================================
== 1 of 1 ==
Date: Tues, Aug 1 2006 5:49 am
From: no...@nospam.com
http://ccrma.stanford.edu/marl/Coltman/Papers.html
Happy reading,
Toby
Bill McBirnie's reply...
Toby:
I agree on the point of the material of the entire instrument (and to
prove that I do, in fact, agree, I am appending an article I wrote
myself on just this matter not so long ago).
However, the difference I am touting here is primarily the consequence
of - not the material with which the instrument is made but rather -
the crown and the stopper themselves. [NOTE: BOTH of my flutes are
silver Haynes.]
Please note that the Bigio stopper is based on a different physical
application entirely which entails much less surface contact between
the stopper and the tube (because of the O ring) as well as a much more
open chamber at the end of the instrument (because the stopper is not
nearly so large and the crown is perforated)...and this is very
different from the conventional cork.
In any event, there is no question in my mind that the Bigio zirconium
crown/stopper makes a difference in terms of volume and
responsiveness...and, yes, sound quality as well...at least in my
experience.
Now admittedly, there were other variables at play here...such as the
headjoint itself...and on that, you point might have been better
taken...But, with regard to the crown/stopper, your point is largely -
with respect - irrelevant.
Finally, I have been playing for about 40 years...and I am very good at
what I do...and, quite frankly, I will not be easily fooled...So I
stand by my previous comments regarding Robert Bigio's work...
I might add that I don't think that Sir James Galway would be easily
fooled on the point either...and it was HIS experience that prompted me
to try Robert's crown/stopper in the first place! :-)
Sincerely,
Bill McBirnie
For CDs (Can):
http://www.indiepool.com/newsite/showcase/index.asp?id=15737
For CDs (US) :
http://www.cdbaby.com/found?allsearch=mcbirnie&allsearchsubmit=Search
For Samples: http://www.musicianmp3.com/artist/EXTREMEFLUTE/
P.S. Here is the article....
Silver, Gold or Platinum?...Why Not Brass?!...
I was recently quizzed by a fellow flutist regarding the differences
between a gold and a silver riser. (The riser is the chimney
connecting the tube and the lip plate in the head joint of the flute.)
My response was essentially as follows: "If my ear can't really
distinguish what metal an instrument is made of (and it can't), then
it is highly unlikely I will ever be able to make any distinction
regarding the material used in the construction of that
little,...itsy-bitsy...riser!
On one of the flute lists to which I subscribe, a very interesting
discussion emerged not too long ago on this matter and included a
reference to what was a sound clip of James Galway playing three
flutes; one made of silver, another of gold and yet another of
platinum. I myself had a close listen to the sound clip (the URL is at
http://www.superflute.com/media.htm...and it is likely still there...)
and that close listen simply confirmed my own experience-as both a
listener and a player. There was nothing that clearly distinguished
one flute sound from the other to my ear!
A few years ago, I was asked by a flute manufacturer to test some brass
flutes here in Toronto which they were designing in hopes of marketing
them as something of a less expensive alternative to jazz players
and/or doublers; i.e., they wanted to use a less expensive material and
thereby be in a position to invest a little more in the mechanical
quality of the instrument itself. The manufacturer had already asked
some local classical players to try the prototypes...but the
manufacturer knew I played jazz...And they also knew that I did NOT
double...So they were sort of interested to hear what I thought of
their brass flute prototype as well.
We met downtown at the University of Toronto, Faculty of Music where I
tried the instrument and quite liked it. After playing it for a little
while, I then played (1) the brass flute prototype, (2) one of their
high-end instruments which they had brought along and (3) my own Haynes
flute in succession. I did my best to play a very similar sequence of
things on each of them successively and really put them through their
paces. I played all of them facing the wall-and very near to the
wall-so that I could hear and compare them closely...(which meant
that the design and marketing guys were behind me and I couldn't see
them). Well, when I was through and I turned around, they looked a
little surprised...and the first thing they said to me was, "Well,
you've certainly warmed up haven't you!" In short, it was evident to
me that they couldn't *really* tell the difference...and, quite
frankly, neither could I...In fact, at the end of the day, I would have
been very happy with any of these three instruments...However, I admit
that, over the years, I have simply become very accustomed to the feel
of my own Haynes (which is silver, I might add and which I combine with
a David Welans head joint). It might not be the best flute in the
world. (Indeed, it might not even be the best Haynes.) But I am
entirely comfortable with it.
I have always said to anyone who has raised this question of material
that I can't tell if one player is using a silver, another player a
gold and yet another, a platinum instrument. And.....in listening to
the aforementioned Galway sound clip, I also know now that I can't even
make the distinction clearly when just one player plays several flutes
made of various materials; i.e., gold, silver or platinum.
And I am pretty confident that I wouldn't become a better person
(...let alone a better flute player... :-) if I were to sit down and
spend a lot of time listening over and over to those Galway samples
(...as I did for a short while...) in the hopes that I might make some
uncertain distinction about which material seemed to produce the most
rich and loud sound. (Galway made them ALL sound...rich and loud...!)
So, this entirely illustrates and confirms my experience...as both a
listener and a player...In the end, how the instrument "feels" to you
as a player (on every dimension) is probably the most important thing
in making a choice about an instrument. And that is even more
important than what it is made of.
Having said that, it is also fair to point out that you can't beat a
well, hand-crafted instrument-regardless of the metal-type-because
these all tend to...feel better...and, more importantly, their scale is
much more reliable (meaning that you do not have to do as much tweaking
for specific notes or in certain registers of the instrument in order
to ensure good pitch.
Finally, when choosing an instrument (or a head joint for that matter),
it is still a good idea to have someone along (preferably someone who
knows your playing well) in order to help you make that final
choice...However, the ultimate choice is yours...and it will ultimately
depend on how the instrument makes you...feel...So,...choose your
weapon!...
[Bill McBirnie is a jazz and Latin flute specialist located in Toronto.
Bill has also been chosen Flutist of the Year by the Jazz Report
Awards, nominated as Instrumentalist of the Year at the National Jazz
Awards and declared a winner of the U.S.A. National Flute
Association's triennial Jazz Flute Masterclass Competition. He has
produced several Extreme Flute projects including his brand new
Duo/Quartet album (with Bernie Senensky, Neil Swainson and John Sumner)
entitled, "Paco Paco". All are available from the distributor, Indie
Pool at indiepool.com. If you would like to contact Bill directly, you
can reach him at bil...@idirect.com]
Bill McBirnie, © 2005
Jack Campin - bogus address
> of - not the material with which the instrument is made but rather -
> the crown and the stopper themselves. [NOTE: BOTH of my flutes are
> silver Haynes.]
>
> Please note that the Bigio stopper is based on a different physical
> application entirely which entails much less surface contact between
> the stopper and the tube (because of the O ring) as well as a much more
> open chamber at the end of the instrument (because the stopper is not
> nearly so large and the crown is perforated)...and this is very
> different from the conventional cork.
So, does the fact that it's zirconium make any difference at all?
Why not the same design in stainless steel, ceramic tile or depleted
uranium?
============== j-c ====== @ ====== purr . demon . co . uk ==============
Jack Campin: 11 Third St, Newtongrange EH22 4PU, Scotland | tel 0131 660 4760
<http://www.purr.demon.co.uk/jack/> for CD-ROMs and free | fax 0870 0554 975
stuff: Scottish music, food intolerance, & Mac logic fonts | mob 07800 739 557
Toby
Toby:
I agree on the point of the material of the entire instrument (and to
prove that I do, in fact, agree, I am appending an article I wrote
myself on just this matter not so long ago).
However, the difference I am touting here is primarily the consequence
of - not the material with which the instrument is made but rather -
the crown and the stopper themselves. [NOTE: BOTH of my flutes are
silver Haynes.]
Please note that the Bigio stopper is based on a different physical
application entirely which entails much less surface contact between
the stopper and the tube (because of the O ring) as well as a much more
open chamber at the end of the instrument (because the stopper is not
nearly so large and the crown is perforated)...and this is very
different from the conventional cork.
Hi Bill,
I can't imagine that the question of contact would make any difference, as
the vibrations of the tube are on the order of 1 micrometer, and are at -40
dB or about 1/10000 the intensity of the radiated sound of the air column
vibrations. So surface contact cannot make any difference one way or the
other.
You are unclear in your explanation as to whether your test used the same
headjoint with the Bigio crown/stopper and the standard crown, or whether
you used different headjoints, one with the Bigio crown and the other with
the standard stopper. If the latter is the case, then you have not set up
sufficient control situation, because as you know headjoints vary
tremendously.
If there are internal differences, such as a parabolic stopper, this might
affect the sound, but there is physically no way that perforations in the
crown could make any difference. When you say that the stopper is not nearly
so large do you mean that it does not cover the full inside diameter of the
tube, or that it is not as thick as a normal stopper?
In any event, there is no question in my mind that the Bigio zirconium
crown/stopper makes a difference in terms of volume and
responsiveness...and, yes, sound quality as well...at least in my
experience.
To be blunt, but I hope not unkind, your experience is not an adequately
controlled situation to make this surmise. If you read the Coltman paper,
you will have noted that nearly all the players that tested his different
flutes expressed a preference for one or the other, and could even delineate
the different qualities that they experienced in the three different
instruments, and all were nonplussed to find that when all visual and
tactile clues were eliminated they could not tell them apart. Not a single
player could identify the different instruments in the test situation, even
though they had clearly formed opinions and experiences on the instruments
when playing them outside the test situation.
Now admittedly, there were other variables at play here...such as the
headjoint itself...and on that, you point might have been better
taken...But, with regard to the crown/stopper, your point is largely -
with respect - irrelevant.
On what basis do you find it irrelevant?
Finally, I have been playing for about 40 years...and I am very good at
what I do...and, quite frankly, I will not be easily fooled...So I
stand by my previous comments regarding Robert Bigio's work...
You will find that nearly all flute makers will claim different sound and
response properties for their instruments in different metals (sometimes
contradictory). Just take a look at the Haynes, Powell and Muramatsu sites
and you will see this. With respect, I have also been playing for more than
40 years, and am a maker of shakuhachi flutes, in which the bore is
handformed, and in which it is easy to demonstrate the effect that very
small changes in bore geometry have on sound and response. Perhaps I have
not reached your level of playing but I have recorded and done studio and
live work with both concert flutes and ethnic flutes such as the
aforementioned shakuhachis, bansuris, quenas, etc. Why do you think that you
will not so easily be fooled? I was. And many other professional players
are and have been, because as Coltman points out, players are trained to
regard the instrument as an extension of their own bodies, and are not
adequately detached nor trained to explore narrow questions of the effects
of materials on sound and response. Variables need to be strictly
controlled, and you need true double blind conditions in which the player is
deprived of all clues as to the identity of the instrument in the A/B test.
Without this the test is meaningless because it does not adequately control
for other possible variables.
I might add that I don't think that Sir James Galway would be easily
fooled on the point either...and it was HIS experience that prompted me
to try Robert's crown/stopper in the first place! :-)
Sir James could be fooled just as easily as you are. Again I reiterate that
only a true double-blind test situation would establish the merit of your
claim. I know and respect Robert; I have corresponded with him in regard to
my Rudall, Carte bass flute and find him a knowledgeable and sincere
individual. I also understand the sincerity of your claim; I merely wish to
point out that this is not the first claim that a crown and stopper makes a
difference - many even go so far as to claim that different stones mounted
in the crown affect the sound - and that scientifically there is no basis
for it: the physics are well understood and show clearly that there is no
way that a crown/stopper could affect the sound unless they somehow change
the inner geometry of the end correction of the head joint. Do they, or do
you think then that there is a metaphysical explanation?
I strongly suggest that you employ an assistant, that he change the
crown/stopper in your Whelans headjoint at random out of your sight, and
tape the end so that you cannot see which is which, at the same time
equalize the weight so that you have no subtle tactile clues to influence
you. Do 50 trials, 25 with each crown randomly and see if you really can
tell the difference. You might well be as baffled as the professional
players who participated in Coltman's classic experiment.
Best,
Toby
Steve Marshall
<bil...@idirect.com> wrote
However, the difference I am touting here is primarily the consequence
of - not the material with which the instrument is made but rather -
the crown and the stopper themselves. [NOTE: BOTH of my flutes are
silver Haynes.]
Please note that the Bigio stopper is based on a different physical
application entirely which entails much less surface contact between
the stopper and the tube (because of the O ring) as well as a much more
open chamber at the end of the instrument (because the stopper is not
nearly so large and the crown is perforated)...and this is very
different from the conventional cork.
In any event, there is no question in my mind that the Bigio zirconium
crown/stopper makes a difference in terms of volume and
responsiveness...and, yes, sound quality as well...at least in my
experience.
Now admittedly, there were other variables at play here...such as the
headjoint itself...and on that, you point might have been better
taken...But, with regard to the crown/stopper, your point is largely -
with respect - irrelevant.
-----------------
If the different material makes no difference to the sound, how will making
contact with different amount have any effect ? It won't. The Bigio
stoppers can be an improvement on the cork because they seal better. Even
an inch long bit of cork can leak. It can be hard to spot the leaks can be
so small. The rubber stoppers tend to have more flexibility and uniformity
and are structurally stronger so are better able to seal.
If you think the point of contact makes a difference stick a big lump of
Blue-Tack round the end of the flute. It doesn't make any difference. (It
can seem to make a difference sometimes as you tend to press the flute a
little firmer against your lips due to the extra weight. )
Again, the open chamber plays no significant part in the make up of the
sound so it won't make a difference. IMHO any difference is due to the
effectiveness of the seal.
Steve M
Toby
"Steve Marshall" <s...@atmos.plusBlockA.com> wrote in message
news:44d3c554$0$18117$ed26...@ptn-nntp-reader02.plus.net...
I second that opinion. I have heard of experiments with parabolic stoppers
which are supposed to make a difference. This I can see as possible, since
that changes the internal configuration of the headjoint. A better seal will
most certainly improve matters, but any decent cork seals well, and this can
be tested by closing the end of the headjoint with a hand and sucking on the
embouchure hole to create a partial vacuum, then seeing how long the seal
lasts. If it lasts more than 15 seconds you can be pretty sure that any leak
is small enough to be insignificant.
Toby
bil...@idirect.com
I am happy to see that my post regarding the Bigio crowns/stoppers has
generated such interest...but I would ask (rhetorically), "Have any of
you actually tried them?" I say this because the discussion is getting
into the real of physics and "controlled" environments (which I
admitted at the outset were not necessarily perfect in my own
particular circumstance). Needless to say, I cannot and will not now
engage in a point-counterpoint discussion of the physics underlying
this...because, quite simply, this is not my area of expertise at
all...
And, quite frankly, all I wanted to do in the first place was to
communicate to the group what a exceptional difference I experienced
with the Bigio crown and stopper...regardless of whether it is due to
the material, the surface contact...or whatever else might be the
scientific cause/explanantion, if any...
I can only stand by my previous experience and observations...whether
they are scientific or not...and I invite you all to try the Bigio
crowns/stoppers and come to your own informed and, I suppose, more
scientifically exacting conclusions on the matter.
In the end, how you FEEL about a particular flute (or headjoint or
what-have-you) is the ultimate determinant of your satisfaction...and
performance...with that instrument. And this is, in the final
analysis, a very subjective matter that may also be a function of of
taste (...which cannot be dictated!...) Indeed, at the end of the day,
science may have little to do with the final...and what is inevitably a
very personal and individual...choice...
CONCLUSION: Based on my own experience, I would strongly endorse...a
Robert Bigio zirconium crown and stopper...(and BTW, this is not an
advertisment...I simply would like to share the benefit of a my own and
very positive experience with the group).
Sincerely,
Bill McBirnie
P.S. If my experience is anything different with the delrin Bigio
stoppers (which, as I indicated, I plan to buy for my other flutes),
then I undertake to present my subjective experience to the group...and
it must be a SUBJECTIVE experience...because I will be in no better a
position to offer a rigorous, scientific explanation for the results
than I am now with respect to the zirconium stopper).
Steve Marshall
<bil...@idirect.com> wrote
> I am happy to see that my post regarding the Bigio crowns/stoppers has
> generated such interest...but I would ask (rhetorically), "Have any of
> you actually tried them?" I say this because the discussion is getting
> into the real of physics and "controlled" environments (which I
> admitted at the outset were not necessarily perfect in my own
> particular circumstance).
Claims of devices giving acoustic properties to instruments can be tested
scientifically. It has been found that only under such scrutiny can you
ascertain the validity of such devices.
I have tried similar devices to Robert's stopper and probably have tried his
too. He seems a nice bloke. He rang me up a few years ago asking me about
reed rush.
> In the end, how you FEEL about a particular flute (or headjoint or
> what-have-you) is the ultimate determinant of your satisfaction...and
> performance...with that instrument. And this is, in the final
> analysis, a very subjective matter that may also be a function of of
> taste (...which cannot be dictated!...) Indeed, at the end of the day,
> science may have little to do with the final...and what is inevitably a
> very personal and individual...choice...
There's something to be said for that. A musician needs to feel good about
his instrument and happy with the way it responds. You get footballers that
wear their wife's knickers for luck when they play. People think they are a
bit weird, but if they score a goal somehow it seems to justify such
actions. Scientifically it isn't going to help your playing but it may boost
your confidence enough to help you perform at your best.
Steve M
Shmiz
of Music, was famous for "homogenizing" all of his students' flutes.
I've only heard about it from his students, but from their description,
it was sort of a vibrator that he would run up and down the instrument
to "align" the atoms properly. I'm sure his students had no choice but
to agree that it made their sounds better. Not sure if it really did
any good. Maybe a former student of his who might be reading this
thread can elaborate...
Some 20 years ago, I had a lesson with James Pellerite, a teacher at
Indiana University, Bloomington campus. He had me buy a "Zalo O-ring."
for the headjoint (it sounds exactly like Bigio stopper, complete with
rubber stopper and slightly parabolic wall on the inside, but not
zirconium crown). Did it make a difference? At the time, I thought it
did. Maybe it did, but not enough to make me swear by it. When I have
the time, I'll have to replace the cork in my current head joint with
it, just to see if it makes any difference...
These are some of the stories this thread has made me remember.
-Shmiz
Keith Cunningham
"Jack Campin - bogus address" <bo...@purr.demon.co.uk> wrote in message
news:bogus-55879B....@news.news.demon.net...
.
>
> So, does the fact that it's zirconium make any difference at all?
>
> Why not the same design in stainless steel, ceramic tile or depleted
> uranium?
>
Here's a page I read some time ago. http://www.larrykrantz.com/stopper.htm
I find it difficult to believe that the stopper material (balso wood vs
carbon steel for example) would not make a difference.
Pete Thomas
Fair enough, but I find it hard to believe that that the stopper
material would make a difference. (Apart from the cost)
Surely all it does is block the end of the tube off off.
--
Pete Thomas - www.petethomas.co.uk
***********
On-line saxophone exercises, composition and jazz theory courses,
Saxophone Instruction DVD.
Discussion forum, free stuff and discounts - www.breakfastroom.co.uk
***********
Contact via the Breakfast Room
Keith Cunningham
"Pete Thomas" <inv...@reply-via-site.com> wrote in message
news:oYednb7M-fKWrkfZ...@pipex.net...
> Keith Cunningham wrote:
> > "Jack Campin - bogus address" <bo...@purr.demon.co.uk> wrote in message
> > news:bogus-55879B....@news.news.demon.net...
> > .
> >> So, does the fact that it's zirconium make any difference at all?
> >>
> >> Why not the same design in stainless steel, ceramic tile or depleted
> >> uranium?
> >>
> >
> > Here's a page I read some time ago.
http://www.larrykrantz.com/stopper.htm
> >
> > I find it difficult to believe that the stopper material (balso wood vs
> > carbon steel for example) would not make a difference.
> >
>
>
> Fair enough, but I find it hard to believe that that the stopper
> material would make a difference. (Apart from the cost)
>
> Surely all it does is block the end of the tube off off.
>
It must be reflecting most of the sound back down the tube, and influencing
volume and/or tone by absorbing (or not, depending upon what the stopper's
made of) some of the vibrations.
Pete Thomas
So is it the material of the stopper or the material of the surface of
the stopper?
Keith Cunningham
a different material, be the same material as the stopper itself. I just
think that the sound must be affected by the absorbency of the stopper. The
absorbency would depend upon its weight and hardness, and how rigidly it is
held in position. The sound waves in the air column would create pressure
waves in the stopper material, and maybe a seismologist could explain how
those p-waves would propogate throught the stopper and create fresh
soundwaves where the stopper is in contact with the air.
Stephen Howard
<keith.cu...@lycos.co.uk> wrote:
>
>"Pete Thomas" <inv...@reply-via-site.com> wrote in message
>news:FZWdnQDtR_m...@pipex.net...
<snip>
>> >
>>
>> So is it the material of the stopper or the material of the surface of
>> the stopper?
>>
>>
>The surface of the stopper must, unless it is plated or somehow enclosed in
>a different material, be the same material as the stopper itself. I just
>think that the sound must be affected by the absorbency of the stopper. The
>absorbency would depend upon its weight and hardness, and how rigidly it is
>held in position. The sound waves in the air column would create pressure
>waves in the stopper material, and maybe a seismologist could explain how
>those p-waves would propogate throught the stopper and create fresh
>soundwaves where the stopper is in contact with the air.
>
The stopper typically sits on a 'boss', which includes a plate at the
front end ( nearest the embouchure hole ). This ensures an accurate
surface is presented to the bore, and prevents damage to the stopper.
If it has any effect on the sound then it'll be entirely due to its
surface texture - and unless that texture is extreme then it's a given
that the effect will be small, if anything. Furthermore...any such
effect would be negated the moment the flute was used, as condensation
on the surface of the plate would change the surface presentation.
Regards,
--
Stephen Howard - Woodwind repairs & period restorations
www.shwoodwind.co.uk
Emails to: showard{who is at}shwoodwind{dot}co{dot}uk
to...@somewhere.com
I appreciate the validity of your experience, and your wish to share it with
others. I merely wished to point out originally that your experiment was not
indeed a valid double-blind test, and to emphasize that the results you
experienced did not necessarily have a physical basis. However I am a firm
believer in whatever gets you through the night. So if a zirconium crown
improves your playing, great. In the sax world, we have experienced
professionals making similar claims for such and such a ligature or such and
such a finish. Physically--and the physics are pretty well understood--there
is no way for such things to make a difference, but people swear by them. So
at the end of the day, it doesn't really matter why one has positive
experiences, as long as one has positive experiences. However I think it is
also important to understand that such positive experiences do not
necessarily derive from whence we think (or assume) that they do.
Toby