How tight should a sound post be

[Marty Kasprzyk]

On 10/31/2024 at 1:55 PM, Marty Kasprzyk said:

Nadarajah wrote his PhD dissertation back in 2018 which summarized his work which probably took several years to complete. The Anima Nova screw adjustable soundpost was introduced in 2017 and Nadarajah might have used it instead of his own experimental screw adjustable soundpost had it been available earlier.

I witnessed some soundpost length experiments done at an Oberlin Acoustics Workshop back in 2018 using the Anima Nova soundpost and my impression was each violin has its own optimum soundpost length and that the Anima Nova was great for screwing around.  

Attached is a an old Maestronet discussion.

 

Attached is a 2021 paper on the perception of sound post tightness.  My impression was that there was no consistant perception impression.

Perceptionofviolinsoundposttightnessthroughplayingandlisteningtests.pdf

[Michael Darnton]

If we accept your summary (not having read it) it is another piece of research proving my fundamental point about violin "research" that I learned from the garbage research on the quality of old vs new instruments: if you use people who are deaf as your gauge your conclusion will ALWAYS be that there is no difference.

[Marty Kasprzyk]

30 minutes ago, Michael Darnton said:

If we accept your summary (not having read it) it is another piece of research proving my fundamental point about violin "research" that I learned from the garbage research on the quality of old vs new instruments: if you use people who are deaf as your gauge your conclusion will ALWAYS be that there is no difference.

One player scores a violin variable very positively while another playeer scores it very negatively so their average score is zero which proves this violin variable has no effect and should be ignored when a violin maker is trying to please either of these two players.

[Michael Darnton]

That's a point, also. I do believe that post tension specifically is something that can be demonstrated to everyone's satisfaction once everyone's on the same page. I now have players in my flock who can monitor the state of their violins and bring them in when there's an adjustment needed, knowing that I can immediately cure the problem because we are speaking the same language and they know what I can fix. They now also know what post tension does, and know when they have lost that. And they can hear it when it's fixed, as can everyone in the room. This isn't really an esoteric adjustment, out of all the things to test.

(And to cut this part short, no I am not interested in sharing on this point and don't care even a tiny bit if someone chooses not to believe me. If you really want to talk about it come visit me where I can prove what I am saying.)

Traditional science works with indicators which are previously proven to discriminate results of the type being searched. Grabbing uncertified and unidentified test strips out of a drawer (or any violinist who can be roped into the room) isn't really science. Especially when the person doing the adjustments doesn't himself know what he's looking for and can't identify the effects when they happen (grabbing random alleged violin "adjusters" out of that same drawer.)

[Dr. Mark]

On 11/13/2024 at 9:33 AM, Marty Kasprzyk said:

One player scores a violin variable very positively while another playeer scores it very negatively so their average score is zero which proves this violin variable has no effect and should be ignored when a violin maker is trying to please either of these two players.

That's pretty funny!  Geez, that logic simplifies lots of things for me!

[David Burgess]

On 11/13/2024 at 8:46 AM, Michael Darnton said:

If we accept your summary (not having read it) it is another piece of research proving my fundamental point about violin "research" that I learned from the garbage research on the quality of old vs new instruments: if you use people who are deaf as your gauge your conclusion will ALWAYS be that there is no difference.

Couldn't that be simplified to read,

"Those whose opinions differ from mine are inferior."

[wps]

I'm a complete novice, so when placing the sound post I've been using a magnet (inside a plastic bag so it doesn't scratch when I slide it around) on top and one under so I can get a better idea of where it actually placed. 

Edited February 19, 2025 by wps

[FiddleDoug]

18 hours ago, wps said:

I'm a complete novice, so when placing the sound post I've been using a magnet (inside a plastic bag so it doesn't scratch when I slide it around) on top and one under so I can get a better idea of where it actually placed. 

So do you move the magnet around the sound post after you set it to kind of circle it? Probably just as easy to look through the f hole and the end pin hole, and use a small ruler or gauge for placement. That isn’t your final post placement and fit is it? I mark the bridge position on the top when setting the post so that I know where to put it.

[La Folia]

On 4/28/2018 at 4:55 PM, orenchi said:

When adjusting the bridge on students' instruments I will loosen the strings and the sound post will fall. Other times, I will take off strings, bridge, tailpiece, etc, and the sound post will stay in place, unless the violin is jostled a bit, then the sound post will fall.

If you can't get it tight enough, there's always Gorilla Glue.

[wps]

9 hours ago, FiddleDoug said:

So do you move the magnet around the sound post after you set it to kind of circle it? Probably just as easy to look through the f hole and the end pin hole, and use a small ruler or gauge for placement. That isn’t your final post placement and fit is it? I mark the bridge position on the top when setting the post so that I know where to put it.

No that wasn't my final placement, but just found it a bit quicker to understand the position when looking through the end pin hole.

[HoGo]

19 hours ago, wps said:

I'm a complete novice, so when placing the sound post I've been using a magnet (inside a plastic bag so it doesn't scratch when I slide it around) on top and one under so I can get a better idea of where it actually placed.

If you put a ring (torus) magnet with 6mm inside diameter right on the post and same one on the outside you'll get your position reading immediately .

If you use strong enough magnet on the outside you may even adjust post without touching it.

OMG!, I can patent the "magnetic contactless soundpost setter" and earn lots of money!

But how to remove the inside magnet after setting ????  .... damned!  I'll remain poor for the rest of my life...

[GeorgeH]

23 hours ago, wps said:

I'm a complete novice, so when placing the sound post I've been using a magnet (inside a plastic bag so it doesn't scratch when I slide it around) on top and one under so I can get a better idea of where it actually placed. 

Try the procedure below for measuring the soundpost location. It is much easier, faster, and safer for the instrument.

 

[wps]

10 minutes ago, GeorgeH said:

Try the procedure below for measuring the soundpost location. It is much easier, faster, and safer for the instrument.

 

[wps]

On 2/20/2025 at 1:10 PM, GeorgeH said:

Try the procedure below for measuring the soundpost location. It is much easier, faster, and safer for the instrument.