About the Gemshorn
The gemshorn is a medieval flute traditionally made from an animal horn, giving it a soft, ocarina-like tone. This printed one has a conical body and a separate mouthpiece plug. As on antique gemshorns, the plug has an open groove on its outside, which only becomes an airway when pushed into the body's socket. The window and sharp edge (the labium) are cut through the body wall where you can see them.
So the plug must go in the right way round. Small ridges on the plug and the body show the alignment, and you line them up by eye. It's a friction fit with no glue, so you can remove it for cleaning or try other windways. A wrap of masking tape fixes any leaks round the joint. The finger holes are printed small (5 mm) on purpose. Ream them open gradually, starting from the hole nearest the mouthpiece, and test as you go. A light pass with a needle file on the labium made an audible difference. Pitch depends on the volume of the cavity, so expect to tune by ear. The designer notes the alto is shorter than a commercial one, so its range is approximate. The OpenSCAD files were developed with AI assistance.
What you'll need
Printed parts
- Body and matching plug (soprano or alto; not interchangeable)
Bought parts
- Optional: masking tape to seal the joint
Tools
- A reamer or drill bits to open the finger holes
- A small flat needle file for the labium
- A tuner
Build overview
Print settings
- Material: PLA
- Orientation: Body standing upright; plug upright
- Supports: None