EP2830038B1 - Musical instrument - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a novel musical instrument. For the purposes of this invention, “passive area” of a musical instrument is to be understood as meaning those components or areas of components which are not directly required for sound generation. Examples of such components are, for example, in a grand piano or upright piano the cast plate on which the strings are stretched, in a violin the neck, in a timpani the body on which the membrane is drawn, etc.

In contrast to this, the "active area" of a musical instrument in the context of this invention is to be understood as meaning those components or areas of components that are directly required for sound generation, such as the Strings of a piano or a violin, the reed of a clarinet, etc.

Furthermore, the terms "primary sound event" and "secondary sound event" are used below to explain the invention and should be understood as follows: A primary sound event is one that is caused by the oscillations or vibrations of the components of the active area or the active area of a component is triggered, in other words the sound event actually intended in the foreground for the sound of the musical instrument. In contrast, the secondary sound event is understood here to be the sound event generated by oscillations or vibrations in the components of the passive area of the musical instrument, which co-determines the overall sound by superimposing the primary sound event.

In traditional instrument making, the influence of secondary sound events on the primary sound event is understood as an essentially unavoidable component of the overall sound.

Using the example of pianos and grand pianos (compare Figs. 1 and 2 ) explained this means: The soundboard 13 is sound-conducting with the rest of the body (wing frame 6 and wall 7), and in this way connected to all components of the instrument. This means that all parts of the instrument are stimulated to resonate by the primary sound event, ie by the vibrations of the active area consisting of strings, bridge 14 and soundboard 13.

The same basic principle applies to all other musical instruments as well: e.g. with string and plucked instruments through the sound-conducting connection of the soundboard with the neck of the instrument, with wind instruments through the sound-conducting connection of the mouthpiece to the tube, with percussion instruments through the tensioning of the membrane on the frame, which in turn is sound-conductively connected to the body, etc.

This leads to very complex interference patterns and phase shifts due to the transit time differences and different resonance characteristics of the individual components. The end result is an overall sound which is dominated by the primary sound event emitted by the soundboard 13, but whose unadulterated purity, clarity and dynamics are distorted, masked and blurred by the countless, complex interferences.

In the past, especially in piano and grand piano construction, there have been repeated attempts to reduce disturbing sound events. For example, the cast plate 5 was provided with large sound openings, and cast plate spreads were eliminated in a trial manner. Wing rollers 11 or coasters were specially designed (mostly as spring or air cushion systems) in order to decouple the wing from the floor. Up to now, however, all components of the upright or grand piano have basically remained sound-conductive with one another.

The coupling of the musical instrument to its environment through contact with the floor through, for example, the rollers 11 on a grand piano or upright piano, the spike on one. Cello or double bass, the stands for drums, timpani or harps, etc. inevitably leads to further resonance phenomena.

Furthermore, in this context, the energy storage effects of the individual components are considered to be unavoidable. The following phenomenon is understood by the energy storage effect: When a sound event is triggered, the sound energy spreads as a temporal process throughout the instrument. Since the components are "at rest" up to this point, each component is soaked up with the sound energy flowing into it before the excess energy is emitted into sound-conducting components and the surrounding air. In the case of the active components (eg strings, bridge 14 and soundboard 13 in a piano / grand piano) this effect is desired and necessary. In the passive components, however, which are irrelevant for the primary sound event, the sound energy that has entered them, the proportion of which varies from component to component, leads to phase shifts and thus to interference with the primary sound event. To make matters worse, when a musical instrument is played normally, many independent and different primary sound events are triggered at very short time intervals. These events also overlap when playing with several voices. The components of the instrument are therefore normally not at rest when a new sound event occurs, but still oscillate from the previous event. If these events are still partially desired on the soundboard, since an immediate radiation of the entire sound energy to the medium air would only make the sound persist for an undesired short time, then these effects have extremely negative influences on all other (passive) components on the superimposed by the secondary sound events primary sound event.

It is therefore the object of the invention to specify a musical instrument with which the effect of secondary sound events on the primary event can be prevented or reduced by, in particular, the creation of secondary sound events is prevented, the latter are at least significantly reduced in their intensity.

This object is achieved in general by a musical instrument having the features of claim 1.

The essential aspect of the invention lies in the knowledge that it is possible to derive sound energy from a musical instrument with the aid of an effect referred to here as "kinetic disposal".

With kinetic disposal, in the context of this invention, the direct dissipation of the energy transferred from the active area of a musical instrument into the passive (ideally silent) areas (these are all other parts of the instrument) into the space surrounding the instrument, before energy storage effects occur in the instrument comes. The dissipation into the surrounding space is done by transforming the energy to a level that is no longer audible sound energy.

In a first aspect, the kinetic disposal can take place on a component that is allocated to the passive area of the musical instrument overall, in order to avoid energy storage effects occurring in this component and their negative repercussions on the current or possibly subsequent primary sound event.

The kinetic disposal is achieved by arranging a crystalline body made of a material with a high speed of sound in the solid body (speed of sound more than 8,000 m / s) on the components of the passive area of the instrument that are not required for the generation of the primary sound event in order to prevent their sound emission to the environment, to eliminate it as far as possible and to reduce or avoid its reverberation. The decisive factor for the effect of the crystalline body used according to the invention is that there must be a potential of the speed of sound between it and the material of the component to be disposed of kinetically. The material used for kinetic disposal must always have a higher speed of sound than the material to be disposed of. The greater the potential, the clearer the effect (see Table 1).

For the kinetic disposal of components of musical instruments, the degree of kinetic disposal (permeability factor) results from the ratio of the speed of sound of the two materials. When using a diamond to dispose of the cast plate of a wing (consisting of gray cast iron), for example, the result is a transmission factor of approx. 4: 1 (18,000 m / s: 4,500 m / s). Typically in musical instrument making The materials that are used kinetically to be disposed of are wood, gray cast iron, brass and the like, all of which have sound speeds between approx. 3,000 and 5,000 m / s. This means that there is sufficient potential for materials with a sound speed of at least 8,000 m / s so that they can have a kinetically disposable effect. Table 1: Degree of kinetic disposal, with air as a reference material Speed of sound Pass factor diamond approx. 18000 m / s approx. 50: 1 Boron carbide 14,400 m / s approx. 42: 1 Alumina approx. 10000 m / s approx. 30: 1 Spruce wood approx. 5000 m / s approx. 15: 1 Gray cast iron approx. 4500 m / s approx. 13: 1 Brass 3400 m / s 10: 1 water 1481 m / s approx. 4: 1 air 340 m / s 1: 1

The kinetic disposal makes it possible in a clear way to divert the body and air-borne sound energy that has entered the passive area of the instrument almost instantaneously and as inaudible energy into an area outside the entire instrument, so that only the active area can be seen as the acoustic and element of the instrument that determines the sound. The result is a more genuine, clearer and more dynamic primary sound event, free from those interferences and distortions that inevitably exist in any musical instrument that is not kinetically disposed of. However, this means that in this process of kinetic disposal nothing of the primary sound event is attenuated.

The kinetic disposal can also have a direct effect on the active area. The reed of a clarinet, for example, consists of an active (i.e. freely vibrating) section and a passive (i.e. fixed) section. The kinetic disposal by placing a crystalline body directly on the restraint reduces the repercussions of the post-oscillation of the fixed restraint on the active area of the reed. The active area thus returns to its energetically optimal starting state as quickly as possible, and the overlapping of sound events is avoided.

Kinetic disposal is also not attenuation of the secondary sound event, but rather a direct, almost instantaneous derivation of the sound energy that has entered the passive area, before it can be stored in the passive area and thus interferes with the primary sound event.

As mentioned, the crystalline bodies are arranged in the passive area of the musical instrument, the best positions for arranging the bodies being determined either in simulations or experimentally. In the case of a piano or grand piano, the mounting locations can be, for example, on the box bracket, on the plate wedge located between the cast plate and the box bracket, on the cast plate, on the feet, on the rollers, etc.

The crystalline body is preferably a crystal with a high crystalline order, and the best results can be achieved with single crystals. Basically, the effect of kinetic disposal is greater, the higher the speed of sound in the crystal of the selected body. The more ordered a crystal of a solid, the higher the speed of sound in it.

Materials that have the properties required for kinetic disposal are, for example, diamonds (real or synthetic, with a face-centered cubic crystal structure and a speed of sound of approx. 18000 m / s) or ceramic materials such as boron carbide, aluminum oxide, boron nitride, zirconium dioxide or the like . (with a speed of sound that is greater than 8000 m / s).

The simulations and test series carried out by the applicant show that the size of the crystalline body (or its volume) has no influence on the effect of kinetic disposal achieved. The aim is to aim for sizes that are as small and inconspicuous as possible in relation to the location at which the crystalline body is attached, which are preferably in the range of edge lengths or diameters of the body between a few nanometers and a few centimeters.

The crystalline bodies are preferably connected by a fixed, direct connection to the respective components of the musical instrument to be disposed of kinetically or to the passive areas of such components, in particular glued to them or embedded in them.

Fig. 1

eine dreidimensionale Darstellung eines Flügels als Musikinstrument;

Fig. 2

eine Darstellung des Korpus des in Fig. 1 gezeigten Flügels;

Fig. 3

die erfindungsgemäße Anordnung eines kristallinen Körpers zur kinetischen Entsorgung am Kastenwinkel des in Fig. 1 gezeigten Flügels, wobei der kristalline Körper in eine Passbohrung eingelassen ist;

Fig. 4

eine Darstellung wie in Fig. 3 mit dem Unterschied, dass hier der kristalline Körper auf die ebene Fläche aufgeklebt ist;

Fig. 5

die Anordnung eines kristallinen Körpers an einer Spreize der Gussplatte zur kinetischen Entsorgung an diesem Bauteil;

Fig. 6

schematisch den Verlauf (die Hüllkurve) des Gesamtklanges eines mit einem herkömmlichen Instrument erzeugten Tones (Schallereignisses); und

Fig. 7

schematisch den Verlauf (die Hüllkurve) des Gesamtklanges eines mit einem veränderten Instrument erzeugten Tones (Schallereignisses).

For the first time, kinetic disposal describes ways and means of how the primary sound event can be radiated undistorted and unadulterated by interference from secondary sound events, in that the sound energy introduced is immediately diverted from the components in which it is not desired, in order to achieve the described To avoid energy storage effects and the resulting interference. Further advantages of the invention emerge from the following description of an exemplary embodiment using the attached figures. Show:

Fig. 1

a three-dimensional representation of a grand piano as a musical instrument;

Fig. 2

a representation of the corpus of the in Fig. 1 shown wing;

Fig. 3

the inventive arrangement of a crystalline body for kinetic disposal at the box angle of the in Fig. 1 shown wing, wherein the crystalline body is embedded in a fitting bore;

Fig. 4

a representation as in Fig. 3 with the difference that here the crystalline body is glued to the flat surface;

Fig. 5

the arrangement of a crystalline body on a spreader of the cast plate for kinetic disposal on this component;

Fig. 6

schematically the course (the envelope curve) of the overall sound of a tone generated with a conventional instrument (sound event); and

Fig. 7

schematically the course (the envelope curve) of the overall sound of a tone produced with a modified instrument (sound event).

In the Figures 1 and 2 a grand piano or isolated its body is shown as a musical instrument.

The wing consists of a central main component, the rim, consisting of the wall 7 and the frame 6, which is set up on feet 10 with rollers 11 arranged thereon and closed on the top with a cover 8. On the underside of the front of the rim is the chair base or gaming table 9, on which the play mechanism required for striking the strings, consisting of a keyboard and a mechanism, is located. The central component of the rim is the soundboard 13 glued to the frame 6, usually made of spruce, with a cast plate 5, usually made of gray cast iron, on which the strings are stretched, and struts underneath that reinforce the body. The connection between the spreaders and the cast plate 5 consists of a box angle 4, the connection of the strings and the soundboard 13 is made by the bridge 14 firmly connected to the soundboard 13. The music stand 12 is located in the front upper part of the grand piano.

Only the following active components are in the wing for the actual generation of the primary sound event, that is for the vibrations desired for generating the sound Responsible: the strings, the bridge 14 and the soundboard 13. However, these parts with the other components of the passive area, such as the cast plate 5, the box bracket 4, the frame 6, the wall 7 and the feet 10, conduct sound connected.

In order to prevent energy storage effects occurring in these components of the passive area and also actively acting components (directly involved in the creation of the primary sound event) and to avoid this falsifying, secondary sound events through interference with the primary sound event, in the passive areas of the wing crystalline body 1 made of a material with a speed of sound in the solid body of more than 8,000 m / s, for example made of diamond, boron carbide or the like.

Such a crystalline body 1 must be combined with the section of the passive area to be disposed of kinetically (for example the box angle 4, the cover 8 or the cast plate 5, see FIG Figures 3 to 5 ) are connected in such a way that direct, full-surface contact is made with the component on one side and the other side is exposed. This can be done, for example, by a countersunk hole in the form of a fitting hole 2 (s. Fig. 3 ) or by bonding 3 on a flat surface (s. Fig. 4 ) can be achieved.

The size or volume of the crystalline body 1 applied for kinetic disposal depends on the one hand on the material used and the respective point of use and on the other requirements and can range in diameter from the nanometer range to several centimeters.

In the Figs. 6 and 7 the effect of kinetic disposal on the overall sound of an appropriately treated or equipped instrument is shown schematically. In these figures, the time course of the envelope curve of the overall sound of a sound event generated in an instrument is in Fig. 6 in conventional construction and in Fig. 7 shown in modified design.

While the sound structure in the phases "Attack" and "Decay" and the reverberation "Sustain" are identical in both cases, the described kinetic disposal and the associated elimination of energy storage effects ensure that the decay in the "Release" phase The phase is significantly shorter, in the theoretical ideal case instantaneous. In other words, the decay time approaches 0 ms, as shown in FIG Fig. 7 is indicated. The mode of operation of the kinetic disposal to minimize the influence of secondary sound events on the primary sound event was described here primarily using grand piano and piano construction. It can, however, be transferred analogously to other musical instruments:

Application example for the kinetic disposal of wind instruments and organs:

The sound event of a wind instrument consists of a vibrating column of air inside a pipe. The pipe should not influence the air column, since natural vibrations of the pipe or the mouthpiece lead to interference and thus to distortions of the sound event. Therefore, the pipe / housing of a wind instrument can also be disposed of kinetically, in which the material (diamond, boron carbide, etc.) with the pipe conducts sound is connected, e.g. immediately behind the mouthpiece, near the funnel or similar.

Application example for the kinetic disposal of bowed and plucked instruments:

The primary sound event of a bowed and plucked instrument consists of a vibrating string that is coupled to a soundboard via a bridge. This soundboard amplifies the sound of the strings. Vibrations of the passive components such as the neck with the fingerboard are undesirable here. This can also be disposed of kinetically in the manner already described.

The same applies, for example, to the sting of the cello and double bass.

Application example for the kinetic disposal of vibration exciters such as hammer handles (piano and grand pianos), bows (string instruments), picks (plucked instruments), mallets and sticks (percussion instruments), etc.:

By triggering a sound event, the respective vibration exciter is also set into vibration. At the time the next sound event is triggered, energy from the previous event can still be stored in the vibration exciter and have a falsifying influence on the following event. The kinetic disposal takes place in the manner already described.

The same procedure can be used for all other musical instruments: membranophones such as timpani and drums, in which the influence of housing or body vibrations on the membrane is minimized through kinetic disposal, as well as other percussion instruments), Orff's instruments, vibraphones, marimbas and much more

In the case of a use of the crystalline body (not shown here) to reduce the post-oscillation of a component on a musical instrument, which is directly implied by feedback from the passive area, which is to be assigned both to the active area and to the passive area (e.g. the reed of a Woodwind instrument, which consists of an active, i.e. freely vibrating and a passive, i.e. firmly clamped part), finally this must also be connected to the passive area of the kinetically disposed component in such a way that direct, full-surface contact is made with the component on one side and the other side is exposed. However, the position must be selected in such a way that the desired vibration ability of the component is not impeded. If, for example, the crystalline body of a reed is connected directly to the clamping, it does not hinder the free swinging of the reed, but has a kinetic disposal. The reed vibrates more freely and the tone response is more direct.

List of reference symbols

1

crystalline body

2

Fitting bore

3

Bonding

4th

Box angle

5

Cast plate

6th

frame

7th

wall

8th

cover

9

Chair base (gaming table)

10

foot

11

role

12

Music stand

13th

Soundboard

14th

web

Claims (1)

1. A musical instrument with a crystalline body (1) arranged on at least one of its components (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14) with a sound velocity in the solid body of more than 8 000 m/s, wherein the crystalline body (1) is a diamond, characterized in that the musical instrument is a piano or grand piano with an active region consisting of strings, bridge (14) and soundboard (13), which is directly required for sound generation, and a passive region not directly required for sound generation, which comprises the box angle (4), the plate wedge located between the cast plate (5) and the box angle (4), the cast plate (5), the feet (10) and rollers (11), and in that the at least one diamond is flatly bonded or embedded directly on the box angle (4) as a component of the passive region and the other side is exposed.

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