Recorder Forum Home Page › Forum › Recorder Makes, Models and Maintenance › Wood between rosewood and ebony › Reply To: Wood between rosewood and ebony
Regardless of wood type, any instrument that has an ‘airy’ tone gets it from the design of the windway. And to Richard’s point, there are more important characteristics to consider in the sound of a recorder (or any baroque woodwind for that matter) than just the material. Those suggest one wood over another for certain sound characteristics aren’t seeing the whole picture. Many other factors are involved.
In the case of the original post, most often rosewood (and family breeds) are known for their fuzzy tone thanks to the grain of the wood. And this fuzziness is primarily found in factory-made instruments due to shortcutting polishing routines. Handmade ones are infinitely refined, but at a cost.
Halfway between rosewood and grenadilla would likely be a boxwood. But it is also possible to get a poorly performing boxwood instrument, especially if it is factory-made. There’s more to this than just wood.
- This reply was modified 2 years, 11 months ago by Christopher. Reason: Gr
Mainly French & English baroque repertoire on an A403 Bressan, and an A415 DeBey. Recorder enthusiast since 1971. Early Music program at York University, French baroque instruction at Royal Conservatory in Toronto.