Search the Community
Showing results for tags 'acoustics of the violin'.
Found 3 results
-
Has anyone else come across this? https://publishing.aip.org/publications/latest-content/capturing-and-analyzing-subtle-combination-tones-produced-by-violins/ If the existence of combination tones has been proven, that sounds significant. I do however, think it would be of interest if, for the sake of comparison, a further acoustic experiment would include some old violins that don’t sound very good and some new ones that are considered to be at the current highest level of craftsmanship and/or tone.
-
I have argued that the next step in understanding violin acoustics lies in Artificial Intelligence (AI) which uses neural networks to make predictions. A few months ago on a trip to California I discussed this idea with a Silicon Valley computer expert, Luis Trabb Pardo. He opined that the issue was not just simulating the violin but more so the listener. Well, as it happens, the September issue of The Strad has a timely article, Intelligent Design by Sebastian Gonzalez. The last paragraph rings loud and clear with this sentence, "So understanding what’s so special about Stradivari’s violins is not something that can be accomplished without studying the biological response music produces in human bodies." The article explains a first step in simulating violins using neural networks. I think we can agree that simulating the entire violin, not just components such as the free plates, must be the objective. -
I am re-testing my violin #15 which has been assembled for almost 2 years now. I did not like the playability. After reading (again) notes by Michael Darnton and in conversations with other excellent violin makers about how thicker violins are preferred by soloists, but not so easy to play, I picked up old #15, screwed up the bow nice and tight and proceeded to wail away with all the force and speed I could muster. Guess what. I like the sound. But I still do not like the playability. So then I wrote to Don Noon. He has generously consented to allow his latest two presentations, one at the 2012 Oberlin Acoustics workshop and the other at the VMAAI in October, 2012 to be posted on my website. See "What You Can Find Out by Hitting Things" here and "It Ain't Rocket Science" here. Thanks Don.
