Vibrations and Waves
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1785-1998 September 1998
THE EVOLUTION OF THE BROADWOOD GRAND PIANO 1785-1998 by Alastair Laurence DPhil. University of York Department of Music September 1998 Broadwood Grand Piano of 1801 (Finchcocks Collection, Goudhurst, Kent) Abstract: The Evolution of the Broadwood Grand Piano, 1785-1998 This dissertation describes the way in which one company's product - the grand piano - evolved over a period of two hundred and thirteen years. The account begins by tracing the origins of the English grand, then proceeds with a description of the earliest surviving models by Broadwood, dating from the late eighteenth century. Next follows an examination of John Broadwood and Sons' piano production methods in London during the early nineteenth century, and the transition from small-scale workshop to large factory is noted. The dissertation then proceeds to record in detail the many small changes to grand design which took place as the nineteenth century progressed, ranging from the extension of the keyboard compass, to the introduction of novel technical features such as the famous Broadwood barless steel frame. The dissertation concludes by charting the survival of the Broadwood grand piano since 1914, and records the numerous difficulties which have faced the long-established company during the present century. The unique feature of this dissertation is the way in which much of the information it contains has been collected as a result of the writer's own practical involvement in piano making, tuning and restoring over a period of thirty years; he has had the opportunity to examine many different kinds of Broadwood grand from a variety of historical periods. -
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. -
Standing Waves and Sound
Standing Waves and Sound Waves are vibrations (jiggles) that move through a material Frequency: how often a piece of material in the wave moves back and forth. Waves can be longitudinal (back-and- forth motion) or transverse (up-and- down motion). When a wave is caught in between walls, it will bounce back and forth to create a standing wave, but only if its frequency is just right! Sound is a longitudinal wave that moves through air and other materials. In a sound wave the molecules jiggle back and forth, getting closer together and further apart. Work with a partner! Take turns being the “wall” (hold end steady) and the slinky mover. Making Waves with a Slinky 1. Each of you should hold one end of the slinky. Stand far enough apart that the slinky is stretched. 2. Try making a transverse wave pulse by having one partner move a slinky end up and down while the other holds their end fixed. What happens to the wave pulse when it reaches the fixed end of the slinky? Does it return upside down or the same way up? Try moving the end up and down faster: Does the wave pulse get narrower or wider? Does the wave pulse reach the other partner noticeably faster? 3. Without moving further apart, pull the slinky tighter, so it is more stretched (scrunch up some of the slinky in your hand). Make a transverse wave pulse again. Does the wave pulse reach the end faster or slower if the slinky is more stretched? 4. Try making a longitudinal wave pulse by folding some of the slinky into your hand and then letting go. -
Ellen Fullman
A Compositional Approach Derived from Material and Ephemeral Elements Ellen Fullman My primary artistic activity has been focused coffee cans with large metal mix- around my installation the Long String Instrument, in which ing bowls filled with water and rosin-coated fingers brush across dozens of metallic strings, rubbed the wires with my hands, ABSTRACT producing a chorus of minimal, organ-like overtones, which tipping the bowl to modulate the The author discusses her has been compared to the experience of standing inside an sound. I wanted to be able to tune experiences in conceiving, enormous grand piano [1]. the wire, but changing the tension designing and working with did nothing. I knew I needed help the Long String Instrument, from an engineer. At the time I was an ongoing hybrid of installa- BACKGROUND tion and instrument integrat- listening with great interest to Pau- ing acoustics, engineering In 1979, during my senior year studying sculpture at the Kan- line Oliveros’s album Accordion and and composition. sas City Art Institute, I became interested in working with Voice. I could imagine making mu- sound in a concrete way using tape-recording techniques. This sic with this kind of timbre, playing work functioned as soundtracks for my performance art. I also created a metal skirt sound sculpture, a costume that I wore in which guitar strings attached to the toes and heels of my Fig. 1. Metal Skirt Sound Sculpture, 1980. (© Ellen Fullman. Photo © Ann Marsden.) platform shoes and to the edges of the “skirt” automatically produced rising and falling glissandi as they were stretched and released as I walked (Fig. -
7.7.4.2 Damping of Longitudinal Waves Chapter 7.7.4.1 Had Shown That a Coupling of Transversal String-Vibrations Occurs at the Bridge and at the Nut (Or Fret)
7.7 Absorption of string oscillations 7-75 7.7.4.2 Damping of longitudinal waves Chapter 7.7.4.1 had shown that a coupling of transversal string-vibrations occurs at the bridge and at the nut (or fret). In addition, transversal and longitudinal oscillations exchange part of their oscillation energy, as well (Chapters 1.4 and 7.5.2). The dilatational waves induced that way showed high loss factors in the decay measurements: individual partials decay rapidly, i.e. they exhibit short decay times. For the following vibration measurements, a Fender US- Standard Stratocaster was used with its tremolo (aka vibrato) genre-typically adjusted to be floating. The investigated string was plucked fretboard-normally close to the nut; an oscillation analysis was made close to the bridge using a laser vibrometer. Fig. 7.70: Decay (left) and time function of the fretboard-normal velocity. Dilatational wave period = 0.42 ms. For the fretboard normal velocity, the left-hand image in Fig. 7.70 shows the decay time of the D3-partials. Damping maxima – i.e. T30 minima – can be identified at 2.36, at 4.7 and at 7.1 kHz; resonances of dilatational waves can be assumed to be the cause. In the time function we can see that - even before the transversal wave arrives at the measurement point – small impulses with a periodicity of 0.42 ms occur. Although the laser vibrometer (which is sensitive to lateral string oscillations) cannot itself detect the dilatational waves, it does capture their secondary waves (Chapter 1.4). Apparently, dilatational waves are absorbed efficiently in the wound D-string, and a selective damping arises at a frequency of 2.36 kHz (and its multiples). -
Giant Slinky: Quantitative Exhibit Activity
Name: _________________________________________________________________ Giant Slinky: Quantitative Exhibit Activity Materials: Tape Measure, Stopwatch, & Calculator. In this activity, we will explore wave properties using the Giant Slinky. Let’s start by describing the two types of waves: transverse and longitudinal. Transverse and Longitudinal Waves A transverse wave moves side-to-side orthogonal (at a right angle; perpendicular) to the direction the wave is moving. These waves can be created on the Slinky by shaking the end of it left and right. A longitudinal wave is a pressure wave alternating between high and low pressure. These waves can be created on the Slinky by gathering a few (about 5 or so) Slinky rings, compressing them with your hands and letting go. The area of high pressure is where the Slinky rings are bunched up and the area of low pressure is where the Slinky rings are spread apart. Transverse Waves Before we can do any math with our Slinky, we need to know a little more about its properties. Begin by measuring the length (L) of the Slinky (attachment disk to attachment disk). If your tape measure only measures in feet and inches, convert feet into meters using 1 ft = 0.3048 m. Length of Slinky: L = __________________m We must also know how long it takes a wave to travel the length of the Slinky so that we can calculate the speed of a wave. For now, we are going to investigate transverse waves, so make a single pulse by jerking the Slinky sharply to the left and right ONCE (very quickly) and then return the Slinky to the original center position. -
Andrew Nolan Viennese
Restoration report South German or Austrian Tafelklavier c. 1830-40 Andrew Nolan, Broadbeach, Queensland. copyright 2011 Description This instrument is a 6 1/2 octave (CC-g4) square piano of moderate size standing on 4 reeded conical legs with casters, veneered in bookmatched figured walnut in Biedermeier furniture style with a single line of inlaid stringing at the bottom of the sides and a border around the top of the lid. This was originally stained red to resemble mahogany and the original finish appearance is visible under the front lid flap. The interior is veneered in bookmatched figured maple with a line of dark stringing. It has a wrought iron string plate on the right which is lacquered black on a gold base with droplet like pattern similar to in concept to the string plates of Broadwood c 1828-30. The pinblock and yoke are at the front of the instrument over the keyboard as in a grand style piano and the bass strings run from the front left corner to the right rear corner. The stringing is bichord except for the extreme bass CC- C where there are single overwound strings, and the top 1 1/2 octaves of the treble where there is trichord stringing. The top section of the nut for the trichords is made of an iron bar with brass hitch pins inserted at the top, this was screwed and glued to the leading edge of the pinblock. There is a music rack of walnut which fits into holes in the yoke. The back of this rack is hinged in the middle and at the bottom. -
Piano Manufacturing an Art and a Craft
Nikolaus W. Schimmel Piano Manufacturing An Art and a Craft Gesa Lücker (Concert pianist and professor of piano, University for Music and Drama, Hannover) Nikolaus W. Schimmel Piano Manufacturing An Art and a Craft Since time immemorial, music has accompanied mankind. The earliest instrumentological finds date back 50,000 years. The first known musical instrument with fibers under ten sion serving as strings and a resonator is the stick zither. From this small beginning, a vast array of plucked and struck stringed instruments evolved, eventually resulting in the first stringed keyboard instruments. With the invention of the hammer harpsichord (gravi cembalo col piano e forte, “harpsichord with piano and forte”, i.e. with the capability of dynamic modulation) in Italy by Bartolomeo Cristofori toward the beginning of the eighteenth century, the pianoforte was born, which over the following centuries evolved into the most versitile and widely disseminated musical instrument of all time. This was possible only in the context of the high level of devel- opment of artistry and craftsmanship worldwide, particu- larly in the German-speaking part of Europe. Since 1885, the Schimmel family has belonged to a circle of German manufacturers preserving the traditional art and craft of piano building, advancing it to ever greater perfection. Today Schimmel ranks first among the resident German piano manufacturers still owned and operated by Contents the original founding family, now in its fourth generation. Schimmel pianos enjoy an excellent reputation worldwide. 09 The Fascination of the Piano This booklet, now in its completely revised and 15 The Evolution of the Piano up dated eighth edition, was first published in 1985 on The Origin of Music and Stringed Instruments the occa sion of the centennial of Wilhelm Schimmel, 18 Early Stringed Instruments – Plucked Wood Pianofortefa brik GmbH. -
Woods for Wooden Musical Instruments S
ISMA 2014, Le Mans, France Woods for Wooden Musical Instruments S. Yoshikawaa and C. Walthamb aKyushu University, Graduate School of Design, 4-9-1 Shiobaru, Minami-ku, 815-8540 Fukuoka, Japan bUniversity of British Columbia, Dept of Physics & Astronomy, 6224 Agricultural Road, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6T 1Z1 [email protected] 281 ISMA 2014, Le Mans, France In spite of recent advances in materials science, wood remains the preferred construction material for musical instruments worldwide. Some distinguishing features of woods (light weight, intermediate quality factor, etc.) are easily noticed if we compare material properties between woods, a plastic (acrylic), and a metal (aluminum). Woods common in musical instruments (strings, woodwinds, and percussions) are typically (with notable exceptions) softwoods (e.g. Sitka spruce) as tone woods for soundboards, hardwoods (e.g. amboyna) as frame woods for backboards, and monocots (e.g. bamboo) as bore woods for woodwind bodies. Moreover, if we consider the radiation characteristics of tap tones from sample plates of Sitka spruce, maple, and aluminum, a large difference is observed above around 2 kHz that is attributed to the relative strength of shear and bending deformations in flexural vibrations. This shear effect causes an appreciable increase in the loss factor at higher frequencies. The stronger shear effect in Sitka spruce than in maple and aluminum seems to be relevant to soundboards because its low-pass filter effect with a cutoff frequency of about 2 kHz tends to lend the radiated sound a desired softness. A classification diagram of traditional woods based on an anti-vibration parameter (density ρ/sound speed c) and transmission parameter cQ is proposed. -
Voices of the Electric Guitar
California State University, Monterey Bay Digital Commons @ CSUMB Capstone Projects and Master's Theses 2012 Voices of the electric guitar Don Curnow California State University, Monterey Bay Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.csumb.edu/caps_thes Recommended Citation Curnow, Don, "Voices of the electric guitar" (2012). Capstone Projects and Master's Theses. 369. https://digitalcommons.csumb.edu/caps_thes/369 This Capstone Project is brought to you for free and open access by Digital Commons @ CSUMB. It has been accepted for inclusion in Capstone Projects and Master's Theses by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ CSUMB. Unless otherwise indicated, this project was conducted as practicum not subject to IRB review but conducted in keeping with applicable regulatory guidance for training purposes. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Voices of the Electric Guitar Don Curnow MPA 475 12-12-12 Intro The solid body electric guitar is the result of many guitars and innovations that came before it, followed by the guitar's need for volume to compete with louder instruments, particularly when soloing. In the 1930s, jazz and its various forms incorporated the guitar, but at the time there was no way for an acoustic guitar to compete with the volume of a trumpet or saxophone, let alone with an orchestra of trumpets and saxophones, such as in big band jazz. As a result, amplification of the guitar was born and the electric guitar has been evolving since, from a hollow bodied ES-150 arch-top with a pick-up used by Charlie Christian to the Les Paul played by Slash today. -
HTMA President's Notes
Volume 46, Issue 5 www.huntsvillefolk.org May 2012 Next Meeting May 20th TheHTMA Huntsville President’s Traditional NotesMusic Association meets on the third Sunday of 2:00 P.M. Huntsville/Madison Public Library As I write this eachI’m missingmonth the April HTMA coffeehouse –Our once next again meeting duty calledis: me out of HTMA town on Sunday,the wrong February week. I’m 21st getting pretty coffeehouse Music Series envious of all my friends in the association who 2:00 - 4:30 PM Presents has retired from their day jobs. Not that I mind working Huntsville/Madison so much, but PublicI’d sure Library like toAuditorium have a little more time to play. I haven’t totally missed out on music, though. Last weekend Ginny and I travelled over to my brother’s house for a “Tuneful Friday” celebration. http://www.bryanbowers.com/What a collection of terrific musicians came over that night! I spent a fair amount of time that night holding my guitar very quietly – no way I was going to keep up with some of th ose guys. As usual in a gathering of musicians, everyone was very supportive – the best players and the hacks like me all got a nice round of applause after every tune. All of a sudden it was past midnight and folks May 24th remembered that they weren’t going to be able to 7:00 PM sleep in Saturday, and we had to pack it in. I don’t know how the evening passed so quickly. (continued on page 4) Old Country Church Inside this Issue: Page 1: President’s Notes Page 2: May Area Events / Executive Board Page 3: The Berry Patch Page 4: President’s Notes Cont. -
Ryokoakamaexploringemptines
University of Huddersfield Repository Akama, Ryoko Exploring Empitness: An Investigation of MA and MU in My Sonic Composition Practice Original Citation Akama, Ryoko (2015) Exploring Empitness: An Investigation of MA and MU in My Sonic Composition Practice. Doctoral thesis, University of Huddersfield. This version is available at http://eprints.hud.ac.uk/26619/ The University Repository is a digital collection of the research output of the University, available on Open Access. Copyright and Moral Rights for the items on this site are retained by the individual author and/or other copyright owners. Users may access full items free of charge; copies of full text items generally can be reproduced, displayed or performed and given to third parties in any format or medium for personal research or study, educational or not-for-profit purposes without prior permission or charge, provided: • The authors, title and full bibliographic details is credited in any copy; • A hyperlink and/or URL is included for the original metadata page; and • The content is not changed in any way. For more information, including our policy and submission procedure, please contact the Repository Team at: [email protected]. http://eprints.hud.ac.uk/ EXPLORING EMPTINESS AN INVESTIGATION OF MA AND MU IN MY SONIC COMPOSITION PRACTICE Ryoko Akama A commentary accompanying the publication portfolio submitted to the University of Huddersfield in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy ! The University of Huddersfield School of Music, Humanities and Media April, 2015 Title: Exploring Emptiness Subtitle: An investigation of ma and mu in my sonic composition practice Name of student: Ryoko Akama Supervisor: Prof.