Here at Chicago Brass Works we are using the latest in
technology in harmony with old world craftsmanship in the building of
our instruments.
All of the Chicago Brass Works trumpets are built using
the following technology:
Cryogenic Resonance Restoration™ (CRR™) is a method used to enhance the trumpet to resonate and respond more efficiently through lowering the residual stress left in the metal in the forming process. The process itself, closely duplicates the aging process allowing the trumpets sound to create a full colorful sound spectrum through its range.
CRR™ is a dry process where instruments
are placed in a specially designed and insulated chamber that is computer
controlled to hold temperatures below - 325 F using a specific time and temperature sequence. The process itself is very
gentle, with changes in temperatures occurring at approximately .08 degree
per minute: it will not effect lacquer or plated finishes. By cryogenically
processing instruments, residual and compressive stresses from the dislocation
of the metal's structure is reduced. The metal itself becomes a better resonator
by making its grain spacing smaller. This allows resonance to travel more
freely through the metal.
Sound quality improves because the resonance character
is not lost by dampening stress. The harmonic structure present before the
process is enhanced and musicians often find a better core to their sound
with a more even timbre throughout; dynamics and pitch center, as well as
the efficiency, can also be improved. What Cryogenic Resonance Restoration™ will not do is transform a poorly made or designed instrument into a good
instrument, but it can make a good instrument even better.
The Precision Valve Alignment™
is the most accurate method for aligning valves. Using
a precision gauge made specifically for this procedure, precise measurements
are made of each valve and valve casing port, from which the up-and down-stroke
positions of each valve is calculated and verified using our proprietary PVA computer program. A fiber optic scope is used to view
valve port alignments that are not normally visible. Horizontal (or rotational,
or side-to-side) alignment is also examined and corrected as needed.
The most important part of a PVA™ , however, is
the material that is used to correct the valve alignment. Instead of relying
on felt, a special synthetic pad has been developed, which is unaffected
by compression, moisture, and oil. Using the extremely stable synthetic pad
insures the precise valve alignment will endure for many years before any
replacement is required.
As a result of a Precision Valve Alignment™ , a
musician can expect to experience faster response from the instrument, greater
evenness of timbre and resistance throughout the range of the instrument,
and greater efficiency of sound production. With the instrument thus finally
tuned, the player can produce a full sound with much less effort, while technique
can be improved because of the quickened response from note to note. Instead
of being an obstacle, the instrument can now assist the player in creating
music.
Brass Instrument Analyzation System™ CBW continues to challenge brass instrument making
by bridging state-of-the art technology with trumpet making using a computer analyzation system called BIAS™. (Brass Instrument Analyzing System) is a
sophisticated computer hardware and software used for objective analysis and optimization
of the acoustic behavior of all brass wind instruments. Our
objective is to use BIAS™ not only to analyze the finished
of completed trumpet, but to also verify consistency on individual
parts prior to construction as well as verify the improvements of our PVA process. |
