The silver flutes are much more perky. The variation in timbre of wood and metal instruments stems from differences in acoustic dimensions brought about by the manufacturing process, not by the materials per se, says Robin Jakeways, a physicist at the University of Leeds. For example, holes in wood flutes are simply drilled in, whereas metal flutes have holes enclosed in a short length of pipe. Brian Holmes, a physicist at San Jose State University and a professional horn player, cites a study that found that plastic and metal clarinets had tone holes with much sharper edges than their wood counterparts. When these holes were rounded off, these clarinets sounded much more like wood ones.
Materials also differ in their ability to conduct heat and vibrations.
After spending a premium for an instrument made of expensive material, it's only human to convince yourself that you must sound better. Whatever the underlying reasons, the devotion of many musicians to rare or precious materials could help contribute to their extinction. Although the demand for fine musical instruments might seem too small to inspire a harvest would have a dramatic effect on the rain forest, Fisher asserts otherwise. To get to the remote regions where these trees grow, harvesters must clear rivers or build roads. Fisher adds that these tropical species are extremely difficult to raise on plantations.