It’s a bit of a sad indictment that revolutionary technology such as the 3D printer was used to make guns before it was used to make music but musician and guitar expert Olaf Diegel has made headway into creating what could be the first fully functional 3D printed wind instrument.

While it’s still a work in progress, thanks to the bum notes that slip through where the design isn’t entirely airtight, the sax sounds pretty good and the beautifully plain white plastic finish gives it a kind of space-age feel.

There’s been a handful of other attempts at creating instruments with the hardware but most successful ventures have been headlined by Diegel. Perhaps most notable is the drum kit he designed last year, resplendent in what appears to be monochromatically textured animal print.

Hopefully one day we can make an entire band with a 3D printer and then talking about how ‘fake’ or ‘constructed’ a musical act is will suddenly become valid discourse.

[Via.]

Finn Houlihan

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