Piccolos?!Help!
Moderators: Classitar, pied_piper, Phineas
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flutepicc06
- Posts: 1353
- Joined: Mon May 29, 2006 11:34 pm
That's definitely true about the piccs improving with age. All wooden instruments take some time to mature, during which the way they play and the tone can change wildly. That (and the fact that they crack less often) is one of the reasons I prefer older piccs to the new ones. The tone almost always grows darker (I won't say always, because there's bound to be an exception), which is a VERY good thing, IMHO (especially in piccs).
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fluteguy18
- Posts: 2311
- Joined: Sun Jul 16, 2006 3:11 pm
I am editing my most recent comment (I am a perfectionist, but aren't we all?). I said.... "hardwoods resonate longer than hardwoods....."
I meant to say, hardwoods resonate longer than softwoods. This is because the soft fibers in wood absorb the sound vibrations. So, the less soft fibers there are, the longer the wood resonates. The reason most violinists and cellists go for older instruments is because of this. the soft fibers in the table have hardened, and the old world finish has hardened, resulting in a much more resonant instrument. However, this trend hasn't happened with harpists yet. The harp is just now becoming more popular, and technology has improved it's sound enormously in the past 20 years. So, we will see this trend with harps start to emerge in 50 years or so (the old ones of today (early 1900's) are too weak because the technology of making them has changed so much. If you were to string up a 70 year old harp, you would A: break the neck, and B: split the soundboard if you didn't have those two parts replaced beforehand).
Well, pardon my detour down "harpist's lane" but I just wanted to tie all relevant things to my opinion.
I meant to say, hardwoods resonate longer than softwoods. This is because the soft fibers in wood absorb the sound vibrations. So, the less soft fibers there are, the longer the wood resonates. The reason most violinists and cellists go for older instruments is because of this. the soft fibers in the table have hardened, and the old world finish has hardened, resulting in a much more resonant instrument. However, this trend hasn't happened with harpists yet. The harp is just now becoming more popular, and technology has improved it's sound enormously in the past 20 years. So, we will see this trend with harps start to emerge in 50 years or so (the old ones of today (early 1900's) are too weak because the technology of making them has changed so much. If you were to string up a 70 year old harp, you would A: break the neck, and B: split the soundboard if you didn't have those two parts replaced beforehand).
Well, pardon my detour down "harpist's lane" but I just wanted to tie all relevant things to my opinion.
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nashvilleflute
- Posts: 21
- Joined: Mon Oct 16, 2006 9:56 pm
I have a Burkart-Phelan with the wave headjoint and have been very pleased with it. Its intonation is even throughout the registers(for the most part) and the response is GREAT in the low register. It's a really great instrument for the price. I really work on sound on the piccolo - I do a lot of studio recording in Nashville and really try to be in tune with a great sound. You've got to try some for yourself to find your match though...best of luck!!!