String instrument makers have always built their contraptions out of wood. Is wood really the best material? Are there other materials good for string instruments? Will alternate materials be accepted in the string instrument community? Since starting my apprenticeship at Hershey Violins, I have come to realize the limitations and frustrations that wood brings. To name a few, it splits, the grain can go in weird directions, it can be fickle about taking varnish, it cracks, it is humidity sensitive, and if a piece is missing from a damaged instrument, finding just the right replacement piece can be a challenge. The luthier's job is to navigate these challenges, and to create stunning results despite an uncooperative material. Scott Hershey is doing a great job teaching me how to make the wood work for me!
In addition to its material problems, great violin wood is in very short supply. Around A.D. 1700, there was a mini ice age, and for several decades, the trees in European forests had difficult lives. One may think that the better the tree is treated, the better the wood. Just the opposite is true. Cold and harsh weather brings slow growth, which creates a very tight grain pattern that increases the strength of the wood. On the other hand, wood that grew quickly is weaker and less dense. Stronger wood makes instruments that are more stable, more reliable, and better sounding.
World War II wreaked havoc with the wood supply. Many of the forests that grew during the mini ice age were destroyed. Not only were the forests destroyed, families were forced to burn for fuel some of the wood that had been already harvested. More of this wood was pillaged and plundered by military troops who had to keep warm for themselves. This is why truly great tone wood is in short supply. There are forests growing these woods now, but the wood and forests lost during the war will not get to be replaced for a long time.
Carbon fiber instruments have been out for a while now, and they have been making inroads. Check out this article. At an instrument competition in Germany, a carbon fiber violin actually beat out a top-notch wooden violin for the win. These carbon fiber instruments look different, and that is probably their biggest hurdle. Very few violinists want to break out of the uniform of wooden instruments. Despite the hurdle of their looks, carbon fiber is promising as an alternative to wood.
Another material that has gotten a lot of scientific attention is spider silk. It is one of nature's super-materials. This stuff is pound for pound five times the strength of steel, and a strand that circles the earth weighs about as much as an iPad. The problem is getting enough silk to be able to make something. The composition of the spider silk material and carbon fiber is very similar--many thousands of fibers woven together and encased in resin. The sonic differences between the materials are not huge. Here is an example of spider silk violins being played.
Violin builders will continue to experiment with different materials, and we are likely to see new and innovative instruments. Will they be widely accepted any time soon? I think not. Here's why.
String players have been playing wooden instruments for as long as string instruments have existed. With centuries of tradition comes a certain set of expectations. Instruments are supposed to look a certain way, and that's that. Someone in an orchestra who breaks the "uniform" of instruments risks attracting attention and being viewed as a show-off or rebel. Believe me; the less attention you get as a section violinist, especially from the conductor or section leadership, the better. This is not to say that a section string player should have no interaction with those up front, but going into that dynamic is for another post.
I cannot say that carbon fiber and spider silk instruments will drop off the radar. They will have a place in certain performance situations, especially outdoor performances where resistance to temperature and humidity is an asset. I could see a quartet playing on carbon fiber instruments at an outdoor wedding.
If only we could build working instruments out of chocolate.......
No comments:
Post a Comment