There is a book covering the relationship between metal colour and
sound of bells, so perhaps the metallography affects the sustain, pitch
or tone of a given piece of wire. It doesn't seem to affect woodwind
instruments (don't ask why I play a metal woodwind instrument), but the
noise comes from the column of air, then, rather than the vibration of
the metal.
Unfortunately, I can't place the reference, but the title involved
the words colour and sound.
Sorry I can't be more help
Ken
On Mon, 20 Sep 1999 02:49:07 -0500 Charlie Heymann <[log in to unmask]>
wrote:
> Samples of old harsichord music wire that have been analysed are reportedly
> exclusively brass (copper/zinc: between 7-30 percent zinc) or iron [Goodway
> & Odell, Metallurgy of 17th and 18th Century Music Wire]. Phosphor bronze
> has been used since the late 19th century, but any ideas why bronze
> (copper/tin) without the phosphor wouldn't have made good music wire? Why
> doesn't it appear to have been used in Europe?
>
> 506 N. Carver St.
> Winthrop, MN 55396
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----------------------
Ken Hamilton
c/o Department of Archaeological Sciences
University of Bradford
Richmond Road
Bradford BD7 1DP
West Yorkshire UK
(01274) 235906
http://www.student.brad.ac.uk/kchamil1/
http://www.geocities.com/Nashville/Rodeo/2122/ovmm.html
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