Nicolas Saumagne’s instruments are appreciated for their sound quality and the richness of their tone. He creates caracterful instruments with acoustics and personalities inspired by the Old Masters.
Musicians value Nicolas’ attentive ear, astutely analysing their demands in terms of both sound and aesthetics.
Through dialogue, he is guided by the musicians in the choice of models and in the selection of the most appropriate wood, the type of curves to shape, the thickness of the wood... to reach the right tonal colour.
He pays close attention to the relationship between materials, forms and function.
His creative process :
Sound characteristics, finesse of the grain, porosity and density guide Nicolas in his choice, greatly influenced by his experience in the high restoration of prestigious instruments.
‘Ondé’ maple
The majority of Nicolas’ wood (Bosnian maple and Dolomite spruce) is dried for 10 to 15 years in the workshop’s storehouse, but some is dried for more than 100 years.
He is rigorous about tree-felling quantities and periods.
The drawing stage is critical. Nicolas is guided in his conception by a method utilised in baroque architecture which allows him to explore the harmonic balance of each curve.
Installing the ribs on the back plate
The architecture of volumes is an essential element in the construction of sound. It brings the right balance between contradicting forces and determins the freedom of vibratory movement.
All elements are handmade by Nicolas using traditional tools.
Varnishes are home-made from entirely natural elements such as linen oils, gomme-laque and mastic resins…
The alliance of high restoration practice, constant exchanges with scientifics and colleagues, as well as in-depth historical research offers Nicolas a high degree of stylistic freedom. His range includes contemporary as well as faux-old patinas using a vast palette of colours and textures.
The tonal capacity of the instrument is built throughout the above stages, giving Nicolas’ instruments a unique character.
Since each instrument is entirely bespoke, the range of sounds textures varies to correspond to the musician’s expectations.
The work ends with the optimisation of sound through fine-tuning: adjusting the balance, the dynamic and the ease of play. The musician further embellishes the depth and the sound palette of their new instrument in accordance with their individual sensitivity.