This is a reconstruction of an instrument type that was intoduced and patented by Francois Sudre of Paris in 1892. In order to create an instrument with a differend sound, he added a membrane to the bell that would buzz while the instrument was played (Mirlton principle). The membrane is mounted in a valve, allowing to disable the mirlton. Sudre created such instruments from soprane to contrabass tunings, all in the same long shape ("ophicleide shape"), with the valve engine mounted on the side. The instruments did never reach any popularity, and not many sudrophones were built, most likely because they did not match the musical trends at that time. The sudrophones also had problems with long term playing, or moist ambients; the membrane collects moist, and gradually stops working.


The membrane valve

This instrument is a reconstruction that could only be made thanks to help Dr. Arnold Myers and Dr. Raymond Parks, Edinburg University who kindly made photos of their original sudrophone awailable to me.

Read about the manufacture


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