Dr. Robert Howe, an endocronologist by trade, has an interesting passion. When not curing patients with hormone disorders Howe spends his time studying music. In fact, aside from being a medical doctor, Howe is also studying to get his PhD in Music Theory from the University of Connecticut.
In the collision of these two worlds, medicine and music, Dr. Howe discovered something wonderful.
Years ago Dr. Howe learned about CT scanning. Using the high-tech imaging instrument Howe and his team have created numerous high resolution images of the human body. Knowing that this technology could create rich 3D models, Howe met with music theory professor Richard Bass. Together they hatched a plan to scan and print a complicated 18th century English horn made by Aldophe Sax. Enlisting the help of UCONN imaging engineer Sina Shahbazmohamadi, the trio scanned the intricate mechanisms of the horn.
With the scan Howe's team was able to create 3d models of each of the horns components. From these models the team chose one of the horns most important parts, its mouthpiece, to be 3D printed.
With this mouthpiece in hand Howe has given musicians around the world new insight into one of the instruments that has shaped genres.
"If they can accurately reproduce the dimensions in the mouthpiece that Adolphe Sax himself invented, it would be of fundamental, seminal importance in understanding our instrument," said Paul Cohen, a saxophonist who teaches at New York University.
Given that there are only 3-Sax made mouthpieces remaining around the globe the fact that a functional model can be made for only $18 is a coup in the world of music history.
Though Howe has only begun to chip away at the mysteries behind Sax's 18th century gem, the ability to print a full model of the instrument hold promise for music's future.
"The universal availability of 3-D printing, which is happening as we wait, will make all this work very relevant and not just for musical instruments," Howe said. "The ability to measure and replicate items that are difficult to measure and replicate is going to explode."