"A basic horn calculation would give optimal amplification for one single frequency. Making the calculation less "perfect" gives us the opportunity to vary the other factors into the equation until we get a balance that is playable."
That's exactly my meaning as well Robin. And more to your post, and anyone that's interested. Leaning on a horn to amplify one or more factors- and by doing so, disrutping a balance to the rest of the equation, in trying to create a certain sound & style isn't necessary? My thinking is 'optimal' can only be a correctly applied term in the broad sense of all the desired factors/qualities of the horn, or the balance-equation your speaking to. Otherwise 'optimal' loses all practical meaning, and misleads supposed desirability in conceptualizing trumpet design? It's not semantics in considering what's optimal, so much as my agreeing that it's obviously the person behind the gun, and moreso, that there's no such thing as 'superior hardware' if we're talking about genuinely 'optimal' or balanced designs made with good materials?
That's to say, i don't feel that such trumpet designs are an 'idealized' mystery. And probably the easiest thing in the world to build, given we allow ourselves the opportunity.
Not a derived design, and because of that a disrupted balance that's provoked by foresight of trying to achieve a certain sound or seemingly accentuate a musical style by leaning on the horn... -But rather a design that's fortified in the purest nature of trumpet playability, and thereby easily playable to any degree in the players will of versatility?
If that's wrong, i'd greatly appreciate somebody explaining it to me. I want to try and build the best horn i can to start with, and i don't ever want to be able to outplay it, or to ever be overwhelmed by it.
Yamaha v. Bach 37 is more of what i'm getting at too. Not only is it the player behind the gun but why does Yamaha or anyone else need build a New York or a Chicago? Seems to me that because a Bach 37's still a 'go to', says a lot. And why are any of these companies building more than one 'optimized' horn? I suppose what it's coming to for me is a notion of whether a Chicago sound or a New York sound isn't something that's come about through the inflection of the players and can only be admired and 'optimally-amplified' or designed figuratively- through its influence in our play. And has nothing at all! -to do with trying to tweak a horn to get it there.
I'm starting to question whether there's ever been an 'optimally' balanced horn built yet, considering the nature of our bringing to the table our dispositions and forethought, in trying to achieve and compensate this and that. Despite feeling it's probably a very simple thing, if we'd get out of the way and just solder the thing up the way it wants to blow. You mentioned before that the Stradivari are all the hubbub with fortunate Violinists... and there's only one way to build a violin! The only way it can be built, and still do right. And with the best materials, and with great care and attention. Not that the luck of the materials that Antonio was apparently blessed to have around, does any harm. That's to suggest that there's obviously good R&D in getting trumpets to breath better. No argument here. But that's not influence brought to bear, that's just good ol'fashioned HotRoddin'. An engine breathes better.. it'll go faster- just that simple! As well, a V8 will always be a V8 and it'll tell you how it wants to run.
"For many manufacturers, the math has not changed appreciably since before 1900. This does not mean that those calculations produce inferior products, it just means that no new mathematical R+D is being taken into consideration."
Possibly this statement says i'm partly right about my thinking here, in that i'm certain, as are you, that there's improvements to be made in pure design, or what enables greater natural trumpet ebb and flow. And for my money, that's not labored in running after a type of music or its particular sound.
That strikes me meaningless, and completely unnecessary?
Anyhow-
