Considerations for the Design of Composite 3D Printed ‘Intermediate Level’ Trumpets

Using 3D printing techniques, it is now possible to create almost any small to medium object including brasswind instruments. However, creating a competitive brasswind instrument requires a different approach to conventional 3D printing– demanding specialised printing techniques which, up to now, have only been applied to the prototyping stage. This paper is a review of the considerations in the design process for a composite B♭ trumpet aimed at the intermediate level player. The trumpet is the next step up from introductory level instruments such as the pTrumpet or Tromba. As such, it must be comparable to brass equivalents available from manufacturers such as Vincent Bach, Getzen, and Yamaha. The acceptance of such an instrument is as important as the design therefore composite instruments would need to have ‘added value’ compared to their brass counterparts if they are to be successful in the marketplace. Many professional trumpet players such as Alison Balsom, Mike Lovatt, Sam Ritchie and Charlie Peterson have already endorsed the plastic trumpet for student use. To introduce an intermediate or professional composite instrument may therefore be considered appropriate at this time. Two hybrid prototype B♭ intermediate level trumpets are fabricated using 3D printing techniques and analysed using different bell types. Consideration of timbre, ease of playing (ergonomics and fatigue), leadpipe and bell design is discussed. The application of different 3D printing technologies is also considered. The resultant trumpets are shown to be comparable to typical mid-range brass equivalents.

Content

Author and article information

Contributors

David Gibson

Adam Spry

Matthew Pope

Conference

Publication date: July 2017

Publication date (Print): July 2017

Pages: 282-289

Affiliations

[0001]Birmingham City University

Faculty of Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment

Millennium Point, Curzon Street

Birmingham B4 7XG, UK

[0002]Warwick Music Group

Suite 4, Stablethorpe

Thorpe Constantine

Tamworth B79 0LH

UK

Article

DOI: 10.14236/ewic/EVA2017.58

SO-VID: 0e2c64d9-6d8e-4426-b7f0-0fb27bb79120

License:

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Unported License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Conference name: Electronic Visualisation and the Arts (EVA 2017)

Conference acronym: EVA

Conference number:

Conference location: London, UK

Conference date: 11 – 13 July 2017

Conference sponsor: Electronic Workshops in Computing (eWiC)

Conference theme: Electronic Visualisation and the Arts

History

Product

1477-9358 BCS Learning & Development

Self URI (article page): https://www.scienceopen.com/hosted-document?doi=10.14236/ewic/EVA2017.58

Self URI (journal page): https://ewic.bcs.org/

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J.M. BuickJ. KempD. B. SharpM. van WalstijnD.M. CampbellR. A. Smith 2002 Distinguishing between similar tubular objects using pulse reflectometry: a study of trumpet and cornet leadpipes Measurement Science and Technology 13 Carbon3d (n.d.). http://www.carbon3d.com/clip-process 18 March 2017
V. Chatziioannou 2012 The effect of wall vibrations on the air column inside trumpet bells Soci et e Fran paise d’Acoustique. Acoustics 2012 Apr 2012 Nantes, France
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B. Getzen 2006 Nickel vs. Monel: The battle rages on Getzen Gazette 4 March http://www.getzen.com/gazette/2006/03/04/nickel-vs-monel-the-battle-rages-on/ 21 March 2017
D. Gibson 2016 Novel designer plastic trumpet bells for brass instruments: Experimental Comparisons Proceedings of EVA Berlin 2016 Berlin, Germany 9-11 November 181 185 Staatliche Museen zu Berlin
F. Grieser 2016 PLA vs ABS: Filaments for 3D Printing Explained and Compared. https://all3dp.com/pla-abs-3d-printer-filamentscompared/ 9 December 2016
W. Kausel 2007 It’s all in the bore! The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 121 5 3177 3177
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M. Maccaferri 1988 Patent: US4809579A
Monad Studio (n.d.) http://www.monadstudio.com/Piezoelectric-Titanium-Violin 18 March 2017
T. Moore 2003 The effects of bell vibrations on the acoustic spectrum of the trumpet The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 113 2315
A. Morrison 2013 A laboratory investigation of the effect of trumpet mouthpieces in an introductory musical acoustics course The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 134 4020
G. Nief et al 2008 Influence of wall vibrations on the behaviour of a simplified wind instrument The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 124 1320
J. PetoitE. PoirsonJ. Gilbert 2005 Study of the relations between trumpets’ sounds characteristics and the input impedance Forum Acusticum 2005 Budapest 747 752
R. Schilke The Physics of Inner Brass and the Acoustical Effects of Various Materials and Their Treatment. http://www.dallasmusic.org/schilke/Brass%20Clinic.html 6 December 2016
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M. ZicariJ. MacRitchieL. Ghirlanda 2013 Trumpet mouthpiece manufacturing and tone quality The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 134 3872
A. Zoran 2011 The 3D Printed Flute: Digital Fabrication and Design of Musical Instruments Journal of New Music Research 40 379 387

Comments

Comment on this article

[1] 3D Printing Industry. https://3dprintingindustry.com/3d-printing-basics-free-beginnersguide/materials/ 9 December 2016

[2] J.M. BuickJ. KempD. B. SharpM. van WalstijnD.M. CampbellR. A. Smith 2002 Distinguishing between similar tubular objects using pulse reflectometry: a study of trumpet and cornet leadpipes Measurement Science and Technology 13 Carbon3d (n.d.). http://www.carbon3d.com/clip-process 18 March 2017

[3] V. Chatziioannou 2012 The effect of wall vibrations on the air column inside trumpet bells Soci et e Fran paise d’Acoustique. Acoustics 2012 Apr 2012 Nantes, France

[4] K. A. ChuaK. F. Leong 2014 3D Printing and additive manufacturing: Principles and Applications. World Scientific Publishing Co Inc

[5] B. Getzen 2006 Nickel vs. Monel: The battle rages on Getzen Gazette 4 March http://www.getzen.com/gazette/2006/03/04/nickel-vs-monel-the-battle-rages-on/ 21 March 2017

[6] D. Gibson 2016 Novel designer plastic trumpet bells for brass instruments: Experimental Comparisons Proceedings of EVA Berlin 2016 Berlin, Germany 9-11 November 181 185 Staatliche Museen zu Berlin

[7] F. Grieser 2016 PLA vs ABS: Filaments for 3D Printing Explained and Compared. https://all3dp.com/pla-abs-3d-printer-filamentscompared/ 9 December 2016

[8] W. Kausel 2007 It’s all in the bore! The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 121 5 3177 3177

[9] W. Kausel 2010 Influence of wall vibrations on the sound of brass wind instruments The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 128 3161

[10] M. Maccaferri 1988 Patent: US4809579A

[11] Monad Studio (n.d.) http://www.monadstudio.com/Piezoelectric-Titanium-Violin 18 March 2017

[12] T. Moore 2003 The effects of bell vibrations on the acoustic spectrum of the trumpet The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 113 2315

[13] A. Morrison 2013 A laboratory investigation of the effect of trumpet mouthpieces in an introductory musical acoustics course The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 134 4020

[14] G. Nief et al 2008 Influence of wall vibrations on the behaviour of a simplified wind instrument The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 124 1320

[15] J. PetoitE. PoirsonJ. Gilbert 2005 Study of the relations between trumpets’ sounds characteristics and the input impedance Forum Acusticum 2005 Budapest 747 752

[16] R. Schilke The Physics of Inner Brass and the Acoustical Effects of Various Materials and Their Treatment. http://www.dallasmusic.org/schilke/Brass%20Clinic.html 6 December 2016

[17] R. Smith 1978 Recent developments in trumpet design International Trumpet Guild Journal 3 1 8

[18] LeadpipesBells http://www.smithwatkins.com/library/science/b-flat-trumpet-leadpipes.html 16 March 2017

[19] R. Stirling 2008 3D Printing Material: Alumide. https://www.sculpteo.com/en/materials/alumide-material/ 10 December 2016

[20] ext-link-type="uri" xlink:href="Warbuton-usa.com">Warbuton-usa.com http://www.warburton-usa.com/index.php/gap-check 13 March 2017

[21] J. WallaceA. McGrattan 2011 The Trumpet. Yale University Press New Haven

[22] Warwick Music Group 2017 Private communication

[23] M. ZicariJ. MacRitchieL. Ghirlanda 2013 Trumpet mouthpiece manufacturing and tone quality The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 134 3872

[24] A. Zoran 2011 The 3D Printed Flute: Digital Fabrication and Design of Musical Instruments Journal of New Music Research 40 379 387

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