Clarinet in B-flat

Almost any material that can be fashioned into a suitable form has been used to make instruments. Some choices are guided by acoustic or technical parameters, while others are driven by aesthetic considerations. The traditional Chinese classification system (Bayan) for musical instruments is based on the materials used in their construction. In the twentieth century, a host of new synthetic materials was used to construct both acoustic and electric instruments.

Credit: Gift of William J. Maynard, 1995