Which metals are used to make musical instruments

Using metals in creating musical instruments plays an important role in the diversity and uniqueness of sound. From copper and brass to steel and non-ferrous metal alloys: they impart a special character and uniqueness to instruments unattainable for other materials.

Historically wind instruments such as trumpets, trombones, and cornets were made of wood. However, with technology development, copper and brass (an alloy of copper with zinc) became the main materials for their creation. Unique properties of these materials allow musicians to achieve diversity of tones and expressiveness, making the sound inimitable. On the other hand, in string instruments such as harps, cellos, and double basses, metal strings are used. They possess the required resonance characteristics, ensuring a rich and saturated sound that adds depth and emotion to musical compositions.

Metals for musical instruments

Practicality and quality of metals play an important role in creating musical instruments. Their strength and ability to retain shape impart durability to instruments, which is important for musicians and manufacturers. Thanks to these qualities, metal instruments remain popular and will continue to delight listeners in the future.

Wind instruments

They are customarily divided into brass and woodwind. However, such classification at present is conventional and implies mainly not the material from which a particular instrument is made but the method of sound extraction. For example, flute, clarinet, oboe, and bassoon are customarily classified as woodwind products, although many of them have long been made from metals such as cupronickel (an alloy of copper, nickel, and zinc) or brass.

Overall, alloys based on copper are mainly used to manufacture wind instruments. This is linked to ease of processing such metals — cold-rolled sheets and strips are easily created from them, which can later be given any complex shape.

Cymbals for percussion instruments

In total 4 main metals are distinguished that are used in creating drum kits:

• B20 — bell bronze. Initially it was used for casting bells. The alloy contains about 80% copper and 20% tin. Cymbals from this metal have a wide sound range and are predominantly used in large orchestras.
• B8 — malleable bronze. Contains not more than 8% tin. Unlike bell bronze it readily undergoes mechanical processing. Most often used in producing inexpensive cymbals that are more suitable for amateurs and beginners.
• Brass — considered the cheapest and most accessible material for creating student instruments. Professional musicians rarely use such solutions, since compared with bronze they have a rather dull sound.
• Nickel silver — an alloy of copper and at least 20% nickel. Makes it possible to obtain bright sound, but not as saturated as copper and tin alloys. Often applied in creating gongs and other percussion instruments from which a modern or exotic sound is required.

Cymbals for some drum kits are made from several metals that are melted together in production, as well as from compounds of bronze with aluminum or silicon.

The “innards” of a piano

A keyboard and string instrument with a percussive method of sound extraction — all this is about the piano. In such a complex design a fairly large number of different metals are used:

• high-strength cast irons or steels for the frame and instrument body able to ensure maximum strength and rigidity of the structure;
• high-carbon steel for strings, which must have sufficient strength and withstand tension up to 90 kg (per each string);
• soft metals such as brass or aluminum for hammers that extract sounds from strings;
• copper, aluminum, brass, and steel alloys for the pedal system: cables, metal rails and hinges, fasteners, etc.

Strings for musical instruments

Back at the beginning of the 18th century strings, for example for piano, were made exclusively from iron. But already by mid-century craftsmen learned to draw thin wire from crucible steel, which began to be used to produce the first steel strings. By the mid-19th century steel fully displaced iron in string instruments. And today mainly high-carbon alloys or copper-based materials (for guitars, ukuleles, etc.) are used to produce these elements. Both monolithic strings and products in the form of cables — several thin wires twisted together — are created from them, left without outer wrapping or with winding from other metals (for low notes).

Using metals in creating musical instruments is an integral part of the diversity and richness of world music. From ancient to modern times metal components help musicians reveal their potential and create beautiful melodies. Over time, thanks to creativity and new technologies, we can expect appearance of even more amazing musical instruments expanding the horizons of the music industry and awakening new emotions in listeners.

‍