CA1172073A - Stringed musical instrument - Google Patents
Stringed musical instrumentInfo
- Publication number
- CA1172073A CA1172073A CA000370790A CA370790A CA1172073A CA 1172073 A CA1172073 A CA 1172073A CA 000370790 A CA000370790 A CA 000370790A CA 370790 A CA370790 A CA 370790A CA 1172073 A CA1172073 A CA 1172073A
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- instrument
- sound board
- damping means
- vibration damping
- back plate
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired
Links
Classifications
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G10—MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; ACOUSTICS
- G10D—STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; WIND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; ACCORDIONS OR CONCERTINAS; PERCUSSION MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; AEOLIAN HARPS; SINGING-FLAME MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G10D1/00—General design of stringed musical instruments
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G10—MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; ACOUSTICS
- G10D—STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; WIND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; ACCORDIONS OR CONCERTINAS; PERCUSSION MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; AEOLIAN HARPS; SINGING-FLAME MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G10D3/00—Details of, or accessories for, stringed musical instruments, e.g. slide-bars
- G10D3/02—Resonating means, horns or diaphragms
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G10—MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; ACOUSTICS
- G10D—STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; WIND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; ACCORDIONS OR CONCERTINAS; PERCUSSION MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; AEOLIAN HARPS; SINGING-FLAME MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G10D3/00—Details of, or accessories for, stringed musical instruments, e.g. slide-bars
- G10D3/046—Mutes; Mute holders
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G10—MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; ACOUSTICS
- G10D—STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; WIND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; ACCORDIONS OR CONCERTINAS; PERCUSSION MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; AEOLIAN HARPS; SINGING-FLAME MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G10D3/00—Details of, or accessories for, stringed musical instruments, e.g. slide-bars
- G10D3/22—Material for manufacturing stringed musical instruments; Treatment of the material
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G10—MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; ACOUSTICS
- G10H—ELECTROPHONIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; INSTRUMENTS IN WHICH THE TONES ARE GENERATED BY ELECTROMECHANICAL MEANS OR ELECTRONIC GENERATORS, OR IN WHICH THE TONES ARE SYNTHESISED FROM A DATA STORE
- G10H3/00—Instruments in which the tones are generated by electromechanical means
- G10H3/12—Instruments in which the tones are generated by electromechanical means using mechanical resonant generators, e.g. strings or percussive instruments, the tones of which are picked up by electromechanical transducers, the electrical signals being further manipulated or amplified and subsequently converted to sound by a loudspeaker or equivalent instrument
- G10H3/14—Instruments in which the tones are generated by electromechanical means using mechanical resonant generators, e.g. strings or percussive instruments, the tones of which are picked up by electromechanical transducers, the electrical signals being further manipulated or amplified and subsequently converted to sound by a loudspeaker or equivalent instrument using mechanically actuated vibrators with pick-up means
- G10H3/146—Instruments in which the tones are generated by electromechanical means using mechanical resonant generators, e.g. strings or percussive instruments, the tones of which are picked up by electromechanical transducers, the electrical signals being further manipulated or amplified and subsequently converted to sound by a loudspeaker or equivalent instrument using mechanically actuated vibrators with pick-up means using a membrane, e.g. a drum; Pick-up means for vibrating surfaces, e.g. housing of an instrument
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Acoustics & Sound (AREA)
- Multimedia (AREA)
- Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
- Stringed Musical Instruments (AREA)
Abstract
ABSTRACT
A stringed musical instrument comprises a body in which a sound board is mounted with a clearance between it and the body, the sound board being connected to the body by vibration damping means.
A stringed musical instrument comprises a body in which a sound board is mounted with a clearance between it and the body, the sound board being connected to the body by vibration damping means.
Description
~2~73 This invention relates to a musical instrument, more especially to such an instrument which is adapted for electrical amplification.
The conventional string instruments such as violins, violas, cellos, base violins and guitars give a sound of low volume, and at increasing distances from the instruments the full tonal qualities, particularly the more subtle qualities, are lost to the hearer.
Attempts have been made to amplify violins electrically, using electrical pick-ups attached to the bridge of the violin but these measures have not proved satisfactory as a poor and distorted sound is obtained.
The invention p.rovides an electro-acoustic instrument which is considered to have superior acoustic qualities and which lends itself particularly well to electrical amplification.
The present invention provides a stringed musical instrument comprising a body and a sound board on which is mounted a bridge over which the strings are stretched, the sound board being mounted with a clearance between it and the body, and the sound board being connected to the body by vibration damping means which are substantially non-transmissive of audio frequency vibrations. The vibration damping means may comprise one or more pads of resilient material, bonded to the sound board and the body. The pick-up, when attached, is connected to the underside of the sound board, and it picks-up the mechanical vibrations of the sound board. Electrical leads from the pick-up may return a conventional amplifier and speaker system.
An embodiment of the invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
~7;~)73 Fig. 1 is a perspective view from the front of an instrument in accordance with the invention.
Fig. 2 is a perspective view from the rear with the back of the instrument partially cut away.
Fig. 3 is a side view.
Fig. 4 is a sectional view through the plane 404 of Fig. 3.
Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3 with the sound board of the instrument shown in broken outline.
Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 illustrates a violin adapted for electrical amplification, comprising a body 12 having an exterior shape generally as shown with a narrow neck 14 and a narrow butt 16 which curve outwardly toward the mid-section, ter-minating in peaks at the shoulders 18 and hips 20 respectively.
A narrrow waist section 22 is formed at the mid-section which curves outwardly and terminates at the shoulders and hips respectively.
A side wall 26 encircling the body and defining a body cavity 27 is preferably formed of thin, curved wooden strips glued to wooden posts 30, 32 at the shoulder and hip positions respectively, and to posts 34 and 36 at the neck and butt positions respectively.
A thin wooden back plate 38, being fashioned to conform to the shape of the side wall, is removeably attached to the body by fastening means such as wood screws 40 located in the posts 30, 32, 34 and 36 respectively.
A layer of vibration absorbing material 42, such as felt is disposed between the back plate 38 and the side wall and may be attached, for example by gluing to the back plate. This acts as a cushion in the event of any tendency for the wood of the back plate 24 to rattle against the wood of the side wall 26.
Preferably the layer 42 covers the entire inner surface of the back plate, isolating the joined components from undesirable vibrations.
Turning to Fig. 4, it will be observed that a thin wooden sound board 44 fashioned to conform to the shape of the side wall is mounted on the body by means of resilient pads 46 (e.g.
resilient plastic foam such Styrofoam - trade mark - which is substantially non-transmissive of audio frequency vibrations) " ~
i~
~72073 - 2a -glued to the mounting posts, so that there is a clearance between the body and the side wall. The pads provide vibration damping means by isolating the sound board from vibrations originating the body and permit the sound board to vibrate freely and independently.
, ~72073 A membrane 48 forming an acoustically reflective barrier, e.g. an inelastic air tight tape, such as ducting tape, is attached for example by glue within the body cavity against the periphery of the side wall and sound board, sealing the clearance between them, and sealing the upper side of the body cavity.
The conventional neck 50 is glued to the neck post and to the inner sides of the side wall 26, as shown in Fig. 5. A
finger board 52 is attached to the upper side of the neck, and pegs 54 are journalled in the distal end of the neck on which four violin strings 56 are anchored, said strings being stretched over the finger board, and spanning the length of the body, to be anchored by a string holder 58 which is attached to the butt part by means of a loop 60 hooked around a stud 62 mounted on the butt part.
A conventional bridge 64, is positioned to stand erect between the taut strings and the sound board, contacting the sound board near its narrow waist 22. As is conventional the bridge 64 rests freely in the upper side of the sound board. It is precisely at this location, but on the inward facing side of the sound board that a pick-up 66 preferably of the flexible tape type (e.g. a C-Tape Developments flexible piezo electric transducer) is removably attached. The latter may be adjustably attached to the sound board so that it may be adjusted between various positions for optimal sound pick-up. An electrical lead wire 68 from the pick-up is channeled through an orifice 70 in the side wall, and may be connected to an apparatus adapted to amplify the vibrations detected in the pick-up.
The violin functions essentially as follows: The strings are made to vibrate by means of a conventional bow (or other means) and the vibrations are conducted through the bridge and onto the sound board, causing the latter to vibrate. Vibrations so produced are detected by the pick-up, and carried therefrom to an amplifier or similar apparatus for amplification and/or recording. The back plate may be detached from the body by ~7~)73 removing the screws 40, giving access to the body cavity, for purposes of adjusting or replacing the pick-up element. Electronic equipment e.g. battery-powered pre-amplifiers may be installed within the body, such equipment being connected electrically to the pick-up and mechanically to the back plate 38 or side wall 26 of the body.
The instrument as illustrated is characterized by excellent properties of frequency response, dynamic characteristics dynamic range and transient response. It will be observed that there are no f-holes in the sound board of the instrument, or any porting of the body, in order to acoustically pressurize the interior of the instrument and to minimize acoustic power emanating therefrom. This pressurization creates an ideal environment for a piezo-electric transducer to behave with maximum efficiency.
The mounting of the sound board on the body by means of resilient pads minimizes the intrusion of spurious resonances onto the sound board and reduces transmission of the line frequency and percussive vibrations to the sound board from the side wall, neck and finger board.
The surface area of the sound baard of the present instrument is approximately 2/3 that of a conventional instrument, while the overall length and body length are equal to that of a conventional instrument.
Of particular importance is the width of the sound board near the region of the waist, as well as the grain structure of the wood. Since the grain of the wooden sound board runs longitudinally down the length thereof, and perpendicularly to the bridge, vibrations produced in the bridge must necessarily pass through the sound board primarily in the region adjoining the bridge. It has been found that a relatively narrow waist, combined with a wood structure of low density, and containing few grains reduces resistance to sound being transmitted accross the grain of wood, the result of which contributes to the focus ~7;~73 and clarity of the fundamental tones of the instrument. A soft wood with wide grain e.g. spruce, is therefore preferred. The width of the sound board in the region of the bridge is preferably about 1/3.5 to 1/6, more preferably on the order of 1/4.5 of the length of the body.
The structure of the side wall is conveniently formed to be perpendicular to the back plate and sound board simplifying construction and permitting the back plate and sound board to be similarly shaped.
Although in the example illustrated the back plate is flat, the back plate may be concave with respect to the body cavity.
It will be appreciated that the above principles may also be applied to other bowed or plucked stringed instrument.
In the case of the viola, cello, or bass violin these may be formed with the same shape and proportions as the example illustrated.
The conventional string instruments such as violins, violas, cellos, base violins and guitars give a sound of low volume, and at increasing distances from the instruments the full tonal qualities, particularly the more subtle qualities, are lost to the hearer.
Attempts have been made to amplify violins electrically, using electrical pick-ups attached to the bridge of the violin but these measures have not proved satisfactory as a poor and distorted sound is obtained.
The invention p.rovides an electro-acoustic instrument which is considered to have superior acoustic qualities and which lends itself particularly well to electrical amplification.
The present invention provides a stringed musical instrument comprising a body and a sound board on which is mounted a bridge over which the strings are stretched, the sound board being mounted with a clearance between it and the body, and the sound board being connected to the body by vibration damping means which are substantially non-transmissive of audio frequency vibrations. The vibration damping means may comprise one or more pads of resilient material, bonded to the sound board and the body. The pick-up, when attached, is connected to the underside of the sound board, and it picks-up the mechanical vibrations of the sound board. Electrical leads from the pick-up may return a conventional amplifier and speaker system.
An embodiment of the invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
~7;~)73 Fig. 1 is a perspective view from the front of an instrument in accordance with the invention.
Fig. 2 is a perspective view from the rear with the back of the instrument partially cut away.
Fig. 3 is a side view.
Fig. 4 is a sectional view through the plane 404 of Fig. 3.
Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3 with the sound board of the instrument shown in broken outline.
Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 illustrates a violin adapted for electrical amplification, comprising a body 12 having an exterior shape generally as shown with a narrow neck 14 and a narrow butt 16 which curve outwardly toward the mid-section, ter-minating in peaks at the shoulders 18 and hips 20 respectively.
A narrrow waist section 22 is formed at the mid-section which curves outwardly and terminates at the shoulders and hips respectively.
A side wall 26 encircling the body and defining a body cavity 27 is preferably formed of thin, curved wooden strips glued to wooden posts 30, 32 at the shoulder and hip positions respectively, and to posts 34 and 36 at the neck and butt positions respectively.
A thin wooden back plate 38, being fashioned to conform to the shape of the side wall, is removeably attached to the body by fastening means such as wood screws 40 located in the posts 30, 32, 34 and 36 respectively.
A layer of vibration absorbing material 42, such as felt is disposed between the back plate 38 and the side wall and may be attached, for example by gluing to the back plate. This acts as a cushion in the event of any tendency for the wood of the back plate 24 to rattle against the wood of the side wall 26.
Preferably the layer 42 covers the entire inner surface of the back plate, isolating the joined components from undesirable vibrations.
Turning to Fig. 4, it will be observed that a thin wooden sound board 44 fashioned to conform to the shape of the side wall is mounted on the body by means of resilient pads 46 (e.g.
resilient plastic foam such Styrofoam - trade mark - which is substantially non-transmissive of audio frequency vibrations) " ~
i~
~72073 - 2a -glued to the mounting posts, so that there is a clearance between the body and the side wall. The pads provide vibration damping means by isolating the sound board from vibrations originating the body and permit the sound board to vibrate freely and independently.
, ~72073 A membrane 48 forming an acoustically reflective barrier, e.g. an inelastic air tight tape, such as ducting tape, is attached for example by glue within the body cavity against the periphery of the side wall and sound board, sealing the clearance between them, and sealing the upper side of the body cavity.
The conventional neck 50 is glued to the neck post and to the inner sides of the side wall 26, as shown in Fig. 5. A
finger board 52 is attached to the upper side of the neck, and pegs 54 are journalled in the distal end of the neck on which four violin strings 56 are anchored, said strings being stretched over the finger board, and spanning the length of the body, to be anchored by a string holder 58 which is attached to the butt part by means of a loop 60 hooked around a stud 62 mounted on the butt part.
A conventional bridge 64, is positioned to stand erect between the taut strings and the sound board, contacting the sound board near its narrow waist 22. As is conventional the bridge 64 rests freely in the upper side of the sound board. It is precisely at this location, but on the inward facing side of the sound board that a pick-up 66 preferably of the flexible tape type (e.g. a C-Tape Developments flexible piezo electric transducer) is removably attached. The latter may be adjustably attached to the sound board so that it may be adjusted between various positions for optimal sound pick-up. An electrical lead wire 68 from the pick-up is channeled through an orifice 70 in the side wall, and may be connected to an apparatus adapted to amplify the vibrations detected in the pick-up.
The violin functions essentially as follows: The strings are made to vibrate by means of a conventional bow (or other means) and the vibrations are conducted through the bridge and onto the sound board, causing the latter to vibrate. Vibrations so produced are detected by the pick-up, and carried therefrom to an amplifier or similar apparatus for amplification and/or recording. The back plate may be detached from the body by ~7~)73 removing the screws 40, giving access to the body cavity, for purposes of adjusting or replacing the pick-up element. Electronic equipment e.g. battery-powered pre-amplifiers may be installed within the body, such equipment being connected electrically to the pick-up and mechanically to the back plate 38 or side wall 26 of the body.
The instrument as illustrated is characterized by excellent properties of frequency response, dynamic characteristics dynamic range and transient response. It will be observed that there are no f-holes in the sound board of the instrument, or any porting of the body, in order to acoustically pressurize the interior of the instrument and to minimize acoustic power emanating therefrom. This pressurization creates an ideal environment for a piezo-electric transducer to behave with maximum efficiency.
The mounting of the sound board on the body by means of resilient pads minimizes the intrusion of spurious resonances onto the sound board and reduces transmission of the line frequency and percussive vibrations to the sound board from the side wall, neck and finger board.
The surface area of the sound baard of the present instrument is approximately 2/3 that of a conventional instrument, while the overall length and body length are equal to that of a conventional instrument.
Of particular importance is the width of the sound board near the region of the waist, as well as the grain structure of the wood. Since the grain of the wooden sound board runs longitudinally down the length thereof, and perpendicularly to the bridge, vibrations produced in the bridge must necessarily pass through the sound board primarily in the region adjoining the bridge. It has been found that a relatively narrow waist, combined with a wood structure of low density, and containing few grains reduces resistance to sound being transmitted accross the grain of wood, the result of which contributes to the focus ~7;~73 and clarity of the fundamental tones of the instrument. A soft wood with wide grain e.g. spruce, is therefore preferred. The width of the sound board in the region of the bridge is preferably about 1/3.5 to 1/6, more preferably on the order of 1/4.5 of the length of the body.
The structure of the side wall is conveniently formed to be perpendicular to the back plate and sound board simplifying construction and permitting the back plate and sound board to be similarly shaped.
Although in the example illustrated the back plate is flat, the back plate may be concave with respect to the body cavity.
It will be appreciated that the above principles may also be applied to other bowed or plucked stringed instrument.
In the case of the viola, cello, or bass violin these may be formed with the same shape and proportions as the example illustrated.
Claims (18)
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. A stringed musical instrument comprising a body and a sound board on which is mounted a bridge over which the strings are stretched, the sound board being mounted with a clearance between it and the body, and the sound board being connected to the body by vibration damping means which are substantially non-transmissive of audio frequency vibrations.
2. An instrument as defined in claim 1 wherein the vibration damping means comprises a resilient material.
3. An instrument as defined in claim 1 wherein the vibration damping means comprises one or more pads of resilient material.
4. An instrument as defined in claim 1 wherein the vibration damping means are bonded to the sound board and, to the body.
5. An instrument as defined in claim 1 in which the vibration damping means are disposed at discrete spaced points on the periphery of the sound board.
6. An instrument as defined in claim 5 in which the body has relatively narrow neck and butt portions and relatively wide shoulder and hip portions, and the damping means are disposed at the neck, shoulders, hips and butt.
7. An instrument as defined in claim 1, in which an acoustically reflective barrier is disposed in the cavity closing the clearance between the sound board and the body.
8. An instrument as defined in claim 7, in which the barrier is a membrane.
9. An instrument as defined in claim 1, which further comprises a back plate, and a side wall, which together with the sound board define a cavity.
10. An instrument as defined in claim 9 in which the back plate is removably attached to the side wall by fastening means.
11. An instrument as defined in claim 10 in which further vibration damping means are disposed between the side wall and the back plate.
12. An instrument as defined in claim 11 in which the further vibration damping means comprise a layer of vibration absorbing material.
13. An instrument as defined in claim 12 in which the layer covers the entire inward facing side of said back plate.
14. An instrument as defined in claim 1 in which a transducer is mounted on the underside of the sound board.
15. An instrument as defined in claim 14 in which the transducer is adjustably mounted.
16. An instrument as claimed in claim 1 wherein the ratio of the length of the sound board in the region of the bridge to the width of the sound board is at least 3.5:1.
17. An instrument as claimed in claim 16 wherein said ratio is in the range of 3.5:1 to 6:1.
18. An instrument as claimed in claim 17 wherein said ratio is about 4.5:1.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000370790A CA1172073A (en) | 1981-02-13 | 1981-02-13 | Stringed musical instrument |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000370790A CA1172073A (en) | 1981-02-13 | 1981-02-13 | Stringed musical instrument |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1172073A true CA1172073A (en) | 1984-08-07 |
Family
ID=4119187
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000370790A Expired CA1172073A (en) | 1981-02-13 | 1981-02-13 | Stringed musical instrument |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA1172073A (en) |
-
1981
- 1981-02-13 CA CA000370790A patent/CA1172073A/en not_active Expired
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| MKEX | Expiry |