“The goal with our cryogenic treatment process is to provide the instrument with that broken-in feel, which normally takes years to achieve,” said Bob Malone, Director, Los Angeles Atelier, Yamaha Corporation of America.
BUENA PARK, Calif. (PRWEB) May 14, 2013
Regardless of how precisely individual parts of a metal or brass woodwind instrument are manufactured, fitted and adjusted, a certain level of stress is always introduced as a byproduct of the intense heat and pressure required to shape and assemble each instrument. To optimize the playing experience and improve the sound, Yamaha now offers Cryogenic Resonance Restoration, a proprietary method of deep-freezing brass and metal woodwind instruments that reduces residual strain in the metal.
“The goal with our cryogenic treatment process is to provide the instrument with that broken-in feel, which normally takes years to achieve,” said Bob Malone, Director, Los Angeles Atelier, Yamaha Corporation of America. “It allows the instrument to respond more quickly and provides a better timbre and alignment of overtones to give players the flexibility to play what they want and not have the instrument dictate so much what they’re going to sound like.”
The cryogenic procedure is carried out at Yamaha’s 5,000 square foot Los Angeles Atelier, a dedicated instrument design, testing and restoration center located at the company’s headquarters in Buena Park.
Before treatment begins, technicians use fiber optics to examine valve alignments, tone holes, proper bore configuration and to check for the build up of dirt. Once inspected, the instruments are cleaned using ultrasonic sound waves instead of other industry-standard cleaning practices, which involve acidic solutions and can be environmentally unsound and difficult to use.
After inspection and cleaning, saxophones, trombones, flutes, horns or low brass instruments are immersed in a freezer at room temperature before being brought down to -325 degrees Fahrenheit. Then, each instrument is gradually returned to room temperature, which takes approximately 24 hours from start to finish. Once complete, the process simulates years of aging and breaking-in. Cryogenically treated instruments provide a more resonant, centered tone, an even timbre throughout their range and improved response.
Initially, trumpet player Tony Guerrero expressed skepticism about the impact of the cryogenic process before visiting the Los Angeles Atelier to experience the procedure first-hand.
“I was expecting to notice some difference between the trumpet that was treated versus the one that wasn’t, but I was actually amazed,” said Tony. “It’s inspiring to play and you really feel the difference, especially for me going below and above the staff.”
To arrange for an instrument to receive cryogenic treatment, please visit an authorized Yamaha dealer.
For more information, write Yamaha Corporation of America, P.O. Box 6600, Buena Park, CA 90622; telephone (714) 522-9011; e-mail infostation(at)yamaha(dot)com; or visit http://4wrd.it/YAMAHAUSA.
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About Yamaha
Yamaha Corporation of America (YCA) is one of the largest subsidiaries of Yamaha Corporation, Japan and offers a full line of award-winning musical instruments, sound reinforcement and home entertainment products to the U.S. market. Products include: Yamaha acoustic, digital and hybrid pianos, portable keyboards, guitars, acoustic and electronic drums, band and orchestral instruments, marching percussion products, synthesizers, professional digital and analog audio equipment, Steinberg recording products and Nexo commercial audio products, as well as AV receivers, amplifiers, Blu-ray/CD players, iPod docking systems, home-theater-in-a-box systems and its exclusive line of Digital Sound Projectors. YCA markets innovative, finely crafted technology and entertainment products and musical instruments targeted to the hobbyist, education, worship, professional music, installation and consumer markets.