The Top, Bassbar and Soundpost
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The Baroque Cello and Its Performance Marc Vanscheeuwijck
Performance Practice Review Volume 9 Article 7 Number 1 Spring The aB roque Cello and Its Performance Marc Vanscheeuwijck Follow this and additional works at: http://scholarship.claremont.edu/ppr Part of the Music Practice Commons Vanscheeuwijck, Marc (1996) "The aB roque Cello and Its Performance," Performance Practice Review: Vol. 9: No. 1, Article 7. DOI: 10.5642/perfpr.199609.01.07 Available at: http://scholarship.claremont.edu/ppr/vol9/iss1/7 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Journals at Claremont at Scholarship @ Claremont. It has been accepted for inclusion in Performance Practice Review by an authorized administrator of Scholarship @ Claremont. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Baroque Instruments The Baroque Cello and Its Performance Marc Vanscheeuwijck The instrument we now call a cello (or violoncello) apparently deve- loped during the first decades of the 16th century from a combina- tion of various string instruments of popular European origin (espe- cially the rebecs) and the vielle. Although nothing precludes our hypothesizing that the bass of the violins appeared at the same time as the other members of that family, the earliest evidence of its existence is to be found in the treatises of Agricola,1 Gerle,2 Lanfranco,3 and Jambe de Fer.4 Also significant is a fresco (1540- 42) attributed to Giulio Cesare Luini in Varallo Sesia in northern Italy, in which an early cello is represented (see Fig. 1). 1 Martin Agricola, Musica instrumentalis deudsch (Wittenberg, 1529; enlarged 5th ed., 1545), f. XLVIr., f. XLVIIIr., and f. -
The Science of String Instruments
The Science of String Instruments Thomas D. Rossing Editor The Science of String Instruments Editor Thomas D. Rossing Stanford University Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics (CCRMA) Stanford, CA 94302-8180, USA [email protected] ISBN 978-1-4419-7109-8 e-ISBN 978-1-4419-7110-4 DOI 10.1007/978-1-4419-7110-4 Springer New York Dordrecht Heidelberg London # Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2010 All rights reserved. This work may not be translated or copied in whole or in part without the written permission of the publisher (Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, 233 Spring Street, New York, NY 10013, USA), except for brief excerpts in connection with reviews or scholarly analysis. Use in connection with any form of information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed is forbidden. The use in this publication of trade names, trademarks, service marks, and similar terms, even if they are not identified as such, is not to be taken as an expression of opinion as to whether or not they are subject to proprietary rights. Printed on acid-free paper Springer is part of Springer ScienceþBusiness Media (www.springer.com) Contents 1 Introduction............................................................... 1 Thomas D. Rossing 2 Plucked Strings ........................................................... 11 Thomas D. Rossing 3 Guitars and Lutes ........................................................ 19 Thomas D. Rossing and Graham Caldersmith 4 Portuguese Guitar ........................................................ 47 Octavio Inacio 5 Banjo ...................................................................... 59 James Rae 6 Mandolin Family Instruments........................................... 77 David J. Cohen and Thomas D. Rossing 7 Psalteries and Zithers .................................................... 99 Andres Peekna and Thomas D. -
Jan. 6, 1970 M
Jan. 6, 1970 M. TANSKY 3,487,740 VIOLIN WITH TIMBRE BASS BAR Filed May 9, 1968 c?????? NivENTOR NA CA E TANSKY’ AORNEYS 3,487,740 United States Patent Office Patented Jan. 6, 1. 970 2 Still further objects and advantages of the present in 3,487,740 VIOLIN WITH TEMBRE BASSBAR Vention will readily become apparent to those skilled in the Michael Tansky, 541 Olive Ave., art to which the invention pertains on reference to the Long Beach, Calif. 90812 following detailed description. Filed May 9, 1968, Ser. No. 727,774 5 Description of the drawing ? . , Int. CI. G10d 1/02 0 The description refers to the accompanying drawing in U.S. C. 84-276 6 Claims which like reference characters refer to like parts through out the several views in which: FIGURE 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the sound ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE O box of a violin showing the bass bar embodying my in A violin having an elongated, internally mounted bass vention; , ; bar with a continuous series of conical cavities extending FIGURE 2 is a view of the preferred bass bar, sepa along its inner longitudinal edge and facing the back of rated from the instrument as along one of its longitudinal the instrument. The bass bar results in the violin pro edges; w ` ? - . ducing pure, limpid tones while the cavities reduce the FIGURE3 is a view of the opposite longitudinal edge weight of the bass bar. Y. of the preferred bass bar; and : ... TSSSLSLSSSSLLLLL SLLS0L0LSLSTM SM FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the Background of the invention mid-section of the preferred bass bar. -
Reconstructing Lost Instruments Praetorius’S Syntagma Musicum and the Violin Family C
Prejeto / received: 3. 5. 2019. Odobreno / accepted: 12. 9. 2019. doi: 10.3986/dmd15.1-2.07 RECONSTRUCTING LOST INSTRUMENTS Praetorius’S Syntagma musicum and the Violin Family C. 1619 Matthew Zeller Duke University Izvleček: Knjigi De organographia in Theatrum Abstract: Michael Praetorius’s De organographia instrumentorum Michaela Praetoriusa vsebujeta and Theatrum instrumentorum provide valuable dragocene namige, ki pomagajo pri poznavanju clues that contribute to a new understanding glasbil iz družine violin okoli leta 1619; številna of the violin family c. 1619, many surviving ex- preživela glasbila so manjša, kot so bili izvirniki amples of which are reduced in size from their v 16. in 17. stoletju. Podatki o preživelih glas- sixteenth- and seventeenth-century dimensions. bilih – predvsem izdelki družine Amati – skupaj The record of surviving instruments – especially z metrologijo, sekundarno dokumentacijo in those of the Amati family – alongside metrologic, ikonografskim gradivom kažejo na to, da je documentary and iconographic evidence shows Michael Praetorius opisal veliko glasbilo, po that Michael Praetorius describes a large in- velikosti izjemno podobno violončelu (basso strument conforming remarkably well to the da braccio),kar je odličen primer predstavitve original dimensions of the basso da braccio glasbila iz družine violin in točne uglasitve, kot (violoncello), as well as furnishing an excellent so jih poznali v času izida Praetoriusovega dela. scale representation of the violin family as it was at the time of these works’ -
Catgut Acoustical Society Journal
http://oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/c8gt5p1r Online items available Guide to the Catgut Acoustical Society Newsletter and Journal MUS.1000 Music Library Braun Music Center 541 Lasuen Mall Stanford University Stanford, California, 94305-3076 650-723-1212 [email protected] © 2013 The Board of Trustees of Stanford University. All rights reserved. Guide to the Catgut Acoustical MUS.1000 1 Society Newsletter and Journal MUS.1000 Descriptive Summary Title: Catgut Acoustical Society Journal: An International Publication Devoted to Research in the Theory, Design, Construction, and History of Stringed Instruments and to Related Areas of Acoustical Study. Dates: 1964-2004 Collection number: MUS.1000 Collection size: 50 journals Repository: Stanford Music Library, Stanford University Libraries, Stanford, California 94305-3076 Language of Material: English Access Access to articles where copyright permission has not been granted may be consulted in the Stanford University Libraries under call number ML1 .C359. Copyright permissions Stanford University Libraries has made every attempt to locate and receive permission to digitize and make the articles available on this website from the copyright holders of articles in the Catgut Newsletter and Journal. It was not possible to locate all of the copyright holders for all articles. If you believe that you hold copyright to an article on this web site and do not wish for it to appear here, please write to [email protected]. Sponsor Note This electronic journal was produced with generous financial support from the CAS Forum and the Violin Society of America. Journal History and Description The Catgut Acoustical Society grew out of the research collaboration of Carleen Hutchins, Frederick Saunders, John Schelleng, and Robert Fryxell, all amateur string players who were also interested in the acoustics of the violin and string instruments in the late 1950s and early 1960s. -
Acoustical Studies on the Flat-Backed and Round- Backed Double Bass
Acoustical Studies on the Flat-backed and Round- backed Double Bass Dissertation zur Erlangung des Doktorats der Philosophie eingereicht an der Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst Wien von Mag. Andrew William Brown Betreuer: O. Prof. Mag. Gregor Widholm emer. O. Univ.-Prof. Mag. Dr. Franz Födermayr Wien, April 2004 “Nearer confidences of the gods did Sisyphus covet; his work was his reward” i Table of Contents List of Figures iii List of Tables ix Forward x 1 The Back Plate of the Double Bass 1 1.1 Introduction 1 1.2 The Form of the Double Bass 2 1.3 The Form of Other Bowed Instruments 4 2 Surveys and Literature on the Flat-backed and Round-backed Double Bass 12 2.1 Surveys of Instrument Makers 12 2.2 Surveys Among Musicians 20 2.3 Literature on the Acoustics of the Flat-backed Bass and 25 the Round-Backed Double Bass 3 Experimental Techniques in Bowed Instrument Research 31 3.1 Frequency Response Curves of Radiated Sound 32 3.2 Near-Field Acoustical Holography 33 3.3 Input Admittance 34 3.4 Modal Analysis 36 3.5 Finite Element Analysis 38 3.6 Laser Optical Methods 39 3.7 Combined Methods 41 3.8 Summary 42 ii 4 The Double Bass Under Acoustical Study 46 4.1 The Double Bass as a Static Structure 48 4.2 The Double Bass as a Sound Source 53 5 Experiments 56 5.1 Test Instruments 56 5.2 Setup of Frequency Response Measurements 58 5.3 Setup of Input Admittance Measurements 66 5.4 Setup of Laser Vibrometry Measurements 68 5.5 Setup of Listening Tests 69 6 Results 73 6.1 Results of Radiated Frequency Response Measurements 73 6.2 Results of Input Admittance Measurements 79 6.3 Results of Laser Vibrometry Measurements. -
Katrien Vandermeersch
Itzel Ávila (M.A. Univesité de Montréal) Itzel Ávila is a Mexican-Canadian violin maker and violinist who discovered the art of violin making as a teenager. She graduated with honours in violin performance from the National Autonomous University of Mexico, and holds a Master’s degree in the same discipline from the University of Montreal. As a Violin Maker, Itzel further perfected her skills in Cremona, Italy, and San Francisco, United States, under the supervision of Francis Kuttner, as well as in Montreal, under the supervision of Michèle Ashley. She has worked at the workshops Wilder & Davis in Montreal, and The Sound Post in Toronto. In 2010, she established her own workshop in Toronto, where she resides. Very active in the international violin making scene, her instruments have participated in exhibitions in Italy, Netherlands, Germany, Canada and the United States. She is also a participant member of the annual Oberlin Violin Makers Workshop of the Violin Society of America. Thanks to her integral formation as an interpreter and violin maker, her instruments are characterized by an ergonomic and comfortable playability, reliable responsiveness, and a clean and clear sound. She is also a photographer and mother of two kids. www.itzelavila.com 2020 Virtual New Instrument Exhibit Gideon Baumblatt and Mira Gruszow The construction of a singing instrument has fascinated Gideon and Mira from the very beginning and brought them to Cremona at a young age. It’s their common starting point on a path that took them to very different places and experiences and eventually reunited them on this quest after many years. -
A Bow on the Couch
A bow on the couch Index Preface 3 Concerning the Author 4 1. The Note 5 1.1 The Response 6 1.2 The Damping 7 1.3 The Tone 9 2. Specific Instrumental Differences 11 2.1 The Bass Bow 11 2.2 The Cello Bow 12 2.3 The Viola Bow 13 2.4 The Violin Bow 14 3. Weight and balance 16 4. The Wood 17 5. Colour and Varnish 20 6. Distribution of Strength 22 7. Aesthetics 26 Page 2 A bow on the couch Preface The Chinaman Ein-lei-tung (about 2,000 BC) in his boundless wisdom, concentrated on one thing only during his entire life, namely his bamboo stick. After 50 years of deepest meditation, Tung, a man of genius, invented the bow, while stretching his bamboo stick with a bundle of horsehair. Even today we still think of him with the greatest respect. Unfortunately the original model, alleged to have had great mythical power, is irretrievably lost, but in spite of this, there are always adventurers who still go in search of the wonderful original. Page 3 A bow on the couch Concerning the Author The author - well, that's me. It is possible that you, the reader, don't really care, and just want to get down to business. But how can you understand the title without reading this introduction? Besides, I have not written many books, and therefore find it hard to pass up the opportunity to say something about myself. My parents are psychoanalysts, both of them. But there’s no need to pity me on that account, my childhood was no worse than yours. -
The Journal of the Viola Da Gamba Society
The Journal of the Viola da Gamba Society Text has been scanned with OCR and is therefore searchable. The format on screen does not conform with the printed Chelys. The original page numbers have been inserted within square brackets: e.g. [23]. Footnotes here run in sequence through the whole article rather than page by page. The pages labelled ‘The Viola da Gamba Society Provisional Index of Viol Music’ in some early volumes are omitted here since they are up-dated as necessary as The Viola da Gamba Society Thematic Index of Music for Viols, ed. Gordon Dodd and Andrew Ashbee, 1982-, available on-line. All items have been bookmarked. Contents of Volume 30 (2002) Editorial, p.2 Virginia Brookes: In Nomine: an obscure designation Chelys vol. 30, pp. 4-10 Ian Payne: New Light on ‘New Fashions’ by William Cobbold (1560-1639) of Norwich Chelys vol. 30, pp. 11-37 Anne Graf and David A. Ramsey: A Seventeenth-Century Music Manuscript from Ratby, Leicestershire Chelys vol. 30, pp. 38-46 Samantha Owens: The Viol at the Württemberg Court c1717: Identification of the Hand Gamba Chelys vol. 30, pp. 47-59 Review: Chelys vol. 30, pp. 60-61 Letters to the editor: Chelys vol. 30, pp. 62-64 EDITORIAL The contents of the present issue of Chelys serve as a reminder, if any were needed, that we see the music of the past through a glass, darkly. The first article describes the long-standing mystery of the In Nomine, now happily solved, but the other three all deal with topics which still involve a degree of uncertainty: we are never going to be completely sure what was in a missing part, or why a fragment of lyra tablature turned up in a Leicestershire farmhouse, and we may never discover absolute confirmation of what German musicians meant by a 'handt Gamba'. -
How to Mahe a Violin
HOW TO MAKE A VI O LIN by JOHN BROADHOUSE V IOLIN NOTES by OLE B ULL Revised Edition LONDON W ILLIAM REEVES B ookseller Ltd. l No W I 6 a b r C esce S . r u y r nt , Printed in Grea t B ritain by w m N W r e and B e e s e . o Lo rydon (Print r ) Li it d , London , F ORE WORD . H E demand for this little work On the T construction Of the violin h as con tinned steadily for years and f or a short time has been out o f print . T his present editi on has been cons iderably improved a n d has had the advantage O f being revis ed by - one of our well known violin makers . With a V iew O f further improving this edi tion the outline ill ustrations O f the model s O f s s Stradivariu , Guarneriu and Amati have been re-drawnand that O f a Maggini added to the list . CONTENTS Int roduction CH APTER 1 . The P a rts of the V iolin I CH APTER I . On the S el e ction of Wood CHAPTER III . The Tool s Re quired H A ER I C PT V . The Mode ls A ER CH PT V . The Moul d A ER I CH PT V . The S ide -pi eces a nd S id e - l inings H P TE V I I C A R . The B a ck A ER CH PT VIII . -
Henry Bischofberger Violins, LLC Voted Evening Magazine's Best of Western WA 425 822-0717
Henry Bischofberger Violins, LLC Voted Evening Magazine's Best of Western WA www.hkbviolins.com 425 822-0717 What to Look for when Purchasing or Renting a String Instrument. By Henry Bischofberger, Violin Maker It is imperative that you get a good instrument, even if it is a child's size. Quality does not have to mean expensive. Many factory made student instruments, if well “set-up,” will be of good quality for your student. Having an instrument “set up” mean a qualified Violin Maker makes the final adjustments by hand. These adjustments include making sure the pegs fit properly, cutting the bridge to fit the instrument, putting on good quality strings, and making sure the bow hair is clean and full. Proper set-up can make the difference between a good instrument and one that doesn’t play well. Your child is much more likely to stick with it if his instrument sounds and feels like it should. Read on to avoid the most common instrument problems. The Strings: Look closely for any fraying or imperfections. Run your finger up and down each string and feel for bumps or divots, which indicate the string should be replaced. Steel strings are the lowest quality. It is well worth the extra fuss to upgrade to Perlon core strings (Dominant brand). Old or metal strings will not make a clear tone and they are more likely to squeak or break. It is best to use Dominant for violin/viola, Spirocore or Jargar for cello and Spirocore or Helicore for Bass. The Pegs and Tuners: Make sure the pegs fit snuggly and turn easily but also stay without slipping. -
Guide for Violin Care & Maintenance
the sound post Guide to Proper Care and Maintenance of Violin Family Instruments and Bows Instrument Care and Maintenance by the Player Temperature & Humidity: In most parts of North America, temperature and humidity levels vary dramatically from summer to winter. Stringed instruments are made principally of wood, which expands in the humid summer months and contracts in the winter. Expansion and contraction can cause minor inconveniences such as buzzing or open seams or major problems such as cracks. You can minimize humidity related problems by doing the following: 1. Humidify your home during the dry winter months. Ideal humidity for instruments is 30- 40% in most areas. Most homes require supplementary humidification from a cool mist, steam humidifier, or evaporative wick humidifer. 2. Maintain a relatively constant humidity year-round. Dehumidification or A/C helps in the summer. 3. Use an instrument or case humidifier when humidity drops below the normal range. These can be purchased at your violin shop. 4. Do not subject your instrument to extreme temperatures. Never leave your instrument in your car. Pegs: Stiff or slipping pegs are common problems. The three main reasons behind peg problems are: 1. Seasonal humidity variations 2. Improperly wound strings 3. Poor peg fit Slipping pegs are common during the winter because pegs shrink when conditions are dry. In most cases, rewinding a string in the optimal manner (see: Strings section) is all that is required. If pegs continue to slip or turn unevenly poor peg fit is likely the cause. A qualified technician can refit the pegs and solve the problem.