Physics of the violin

A method to measure acoustical properties of the violin has been developed. The bridge is excited by an impulse force hammer (see www.speech.kth.se/music/acviguit4). Bridge vibrations are recorded by a small magnet and an electrical coil. Measurements can be made in an ordinary room and give a recor...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 2003-10, Vol.114 (4_Supplement), p.2437-2437
Main Author: Jansson, Erik V.
Format: Article
Language:English
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:A method to measure acoustical properties of the violin has been developed. The bridge is excited by an impulse force hammer (see www.speech.kth.se/music/acviguit4). Bridge vibrations are recorded by a small magnet and an electrical coil. Measurements can be made in an ordinary room and give a record of properties built into the violin body. An old good Polish violin, B Dankwart, Vilnius ca. 1600 shows typical results with peaks P1, P2 and the BH-hill. Our goal is as suggested by Gabriel Weinreich ‘‘to understand, not to copy,’’—Stradivarius. By shifting the soundpost position the peaks P1, P2 and BH can be somewhat monitored. It can be shown that the BH is not confined to the bridge only. The feet distance of the bridge is important but also the top plate. Marcin Groblicz, the great Polish violin maker, was court instrument maker in Krakow ca. 1600 to Sigismund, King of Poland and Sweden. I believe Gabriel Weinreich has some connection to Vilnius in Poland but unfortunately not to Sweden. We like Gabi.
ISSN:0001-4966
1520-8524
DOI:10.1121/1.4779130