A simplified version of Dunnwald-; timbre parameters for violin sound [L (bass), ACD-B (nasality)... more A simplified version of Dunnwald-; timbre parameters for violin sound [L (bass), ACD-B (nasality), and DE-F (clarity)] is used to compare the sound of 15 violins by Antonio Stradivari and 15 by Giuseppe Guarneri del Gesii. The parameters were extracted from ?h-octave band long-time-average spectra obtained from CD recordings of the same musical excerpt played on each of these fine violins. A considerable spread in these parameters and the sound pressure levels (loudness) was found in both groups of Cremonese violins. A simple statistical analysis indicates that tbere seems to be a slight trade-off between overall sound power output and high values for the timbre parameters of the 30 violins. A weak trend was found between production year and parameter values. Guarneri violins tended toward less bass and more nasality, increasing clarity, and stronger sound, especially during the maker's later years. Stradivari's violins indicate an opposite trend over a longer time span: mor...
1 ABSTRACT While double bassists claim the importance of compliant floors for producing a warm an... more 1 ABSTRACT While double bassists claim the importance of compliant floors for producing a warm and nuanced sound, the scarce research focusing on this topic has left few conclusions. In the mean time stage floors are constructed with great spread in design and conviction. In the present project floors of several halls were analysed, including the Oslo Concert Hall and Oslo's new Opera House. It was found that in the range where the double bass radiates poorly, i.e., below 100 Hz, and in particular below its Helmholtz resonance at ca 60 Hz, a favourable coupling can take place when the floor is compliant. In such cases the velocity transfer from the instrument's bridge to the floor (via the corpus and end pin) may often rise significantly above zero dB. The coupling, bass to floor, was also seen to affect the bridge mobility and thus the playing properties of the instrument. In the same frequency range the power transfer was observed to boost from about 3 to 40%. It remains to investigate how noticeable this effect is to the audience. Our measurements indicate, however, that a coupling to the stage floor can make an audible difference to the player. 2 INTRODUCTION 2.1 Method of Measurements In this study floors of three concert halls, one orchestra-rehearsal hall, and one orchestra pit were analyzed with respect to their potential for being set in vibrations by a double bass through its endpin in the frequency range below 100 Hz. By use of force hammers and accelerometers their impedances were measured at the most and least mobile spots, normally between-and on joists, respectively. The endpin impedances of three double basses, a small, a big, and an even larger one (the latter a 5-string bass) were measured in a similar way, utilizing a small adapter attached the endpin to ensure clean hits with the force hammer, while the instrument was laying down on foam rubber. For the two smaller basses, two different adapters were used in order to compare angled impacts (30° with respect to the endpin) to inline ones. Apart from small shifts in resonance frequencies, the impedance trends in magnitude and phase remained the same at both angles, implying that sitting vs. standing does not make much of a difference as far as transmission is concerned-at least when the end pin is stiff and not drawn out too far. In the 5-string bass the bridge impedance was also measured while the instrument was: (1) lying down on foam rubber, (2) standing on a small plywood plate resting on a thick foam-rubber cushion, (3) standing directly on the floor. In the lowest register it could be seen that the bridge impedance varied with the foundation. Recordings were also done with a condenser studio microphone BK 4003 placed in the hall and on the podium of BwH (see below). Likewise, in order to acquire more information about radiation from the stage/pit-floors LiH and NOOP, measurements were done systematically over a number of seats in the audience with an impact machine drumming on the floors-on and between joists, respectively.
A simplified version of Dünnwalds timbre parameters for Old Italian Violin Sound; L (bass), ACD-B... more A simplified version of Dünnwalds timbre parameters for Old Italian Violin Sound; L (bass), ACD-B (unnasality) and DE-F (clarity) are used to compare the sound of 15 Stradivarius and 15 Guarnerius del Gesú violins. The parameters was extracted from 1/12 octave band played long time average spectra obtained from a CD-recording with the same musical piece played on each of these fine violins. A considerable spread in these parameters and the sound pressure levels were found in both groups of old violins. This spread is used for a direct correlation with the variation in thickness and other geometrical data of some 18 of these Golden age violins. In general, instruments with thinner plates and higher arc height have a statistical tendency of having higher values for L, ACD-B and DE-F and thus sound “more old Italian”. But these have a tendency of sounding less loud. In particular the border and average thickness of the back plate is lower for violins with high L and ACD-B and the tops ...
More than thousand years of bowed string instrument history has led to the violin. It was fully d... more More than thousand years of bowed string instrument history has led to the violin. It was fully developed in Italy with Andrea Amati (1511-1581) and Gasparo da Salò (1542-1609), and came to the acoustical peak of performance with Nicolò Amati (1596-1684), his pupil Antonio Stradivari (1644 – 1737) and Joseph Guarneri “del Gesù” (1698-1744). The years from 1700-1745 is called the “Golden Period” of violin making and “Strads” and “del Gesùs” from that time are still standards for superior violin quality! Professional and amateur makers, scientists, players and enthusiasts have ever since been trying to find “the secret” of making such good instruments. Early violin acoustics research is reported after Felix Savart (1791-1841) in co-operation with the French maker Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume (1798-1875). Later names like H. Helmholz (1821-1894), the Nobel price winner C. V. Raman (1888-1970), F. Saunders (1875-1963), H. Backhaus (1885-1958), H. Meinel (190419??), L. Cremer (1905-1990) and ...
Violin timbre is discussed and demonstrated in light of Heinrich Dünnwald"s work on parameters fo... more Violin timbre is discussed and demonstrated in light of Heinrich Dünnwald"s work on parameters for relative levels of certain frequency ranges of narrowband violin body spectra. He analyzed more than 700 violins and found some characteristic objective features in the spectra of Old Italian violins that differed from modern master and factory made violins. Using data from my impact hammer data set of violins and hardangers. I compare the spectra of instruments with low versus high values of these Dünnwald parameters and make "difference filters" between them. These filters are then used in modifications of a short played violin phrase demonstrating the effects as the Dünnwald parameters are varied. I will also present some preliminary results from a data mining project where I extract some simple significant correlations between construction details and these objective timbre parameters. Full paper Related documents: Violin Acoustics History -a brief introduction Can we hear the geometrical measures of a violin? Differences of sound spectra in violins by Stradivari and Guarneri del Gesú Operating deflection modes in five conventional and two unconventional violins Comparing the sound of golden age and modern violins: Long-time-average-spectra akuTEK navigation: Home Papers Title Index Stage Acoustics Concert Hall Acoustics
Talk: Impulse noise and vibrations in buildings are common from weight drops in gyms. There are a... more Talk: Impulse noise and vibrations in buildings are common from weight drops in gyms. There are a growing emphasis and literature on the matter, often supported by the floor or mat-industry. We will show measurements of impacts from free weights, and Olympic bar with bumper plates and insertion loss for mats and different designs of floating floors. Reference noise levels from weight drops of typical sources are given. Realistic potential energies and impact forces are discussed. The differences between impact sources like bumper plates, grip plates, hand manuals and kettlebells, as well as the physics and nature of some of the typical lifts are discussed, leading to suggestions for possible drop energies and noise levels from weight drops in gyms.
Talk from "Hardingfeleseminar" at Valdres Folkemuseum, Fagernes... more Talk from "Hardingfeleseminar" at Valdres Folkemuseum, Fagernes, Norway feb. 2012. Presentation of statistics from free plate data to assembled instruments based on Martin Schleskes Master thesis work and some own studies. Martin claimed that there were no or weak correlations between free plate tones and weights and the properties of the assembled instruments (14 working steps). However the data show clear correlations for many of the plate tones and the assembled violin if other than the typical ones are included. A lager data set show similar trends. The plate tones and weights does not explain all the variation, though, in assembled instruments. But a significant part. Part 3.
A simplified version of Dunnwald-; timbre parameters for violin sound [L (bass), ACD-B (nasality)... more A simplified version of Dunnwald-; timbre parameters for violin sound [L (bass), ACD-B (nasality), and DE-F (clarity)] is used to compare the sound of 15 violins by Antonio Stradivari and 15 by Giuseppe Guarneri del Gesii. The parameters were extracted from ?h-octave band long-time-average spectra obtained from CD recordings of the same musical excerpt played on each of these fine violins. A considerable spread in these parameters and the sound pressure levels (loudness) was found in both groups of Cremonese violins. A simple statistical analysis indicates that tbere seems to be a slight trade-off between overall sound power output and high values for the timbre parameters of the 30 violins. A weak trend was found between production year and parameter values. Guarneri violins tended toward less bass and more nasality, increasing clarity, and stronger sound, especially during the maker's later years. Stradivari's violins indicate an opposite trend over a longer time span: mor...
1 ABSTRACT While double bassists claim the importance of compliant floors for producing a warm an... more 1 ABSTRACT While double bassists claim the importance of compliant floors for producing a warm and nuanced sound, the scarce research focusing on this topic has left few conclusions. In the mean time stage floors are constructed with great spread in design and conviction. In the present project floors of several halls were analysed, including the Oslo Concert Hall and Oslo's new Opera House. It was found that in the range where the double bass radiates poorly, i.e., below 100 Hz, and in particular below its Helmholtz resonance at ca 60 Hz, a favourable coupling can take place when the floor is compliant. In such cases the velocity transfer from the instrument's bridge to the floor (via the corpus and end pin) may often rise significantly above zero dB. The coupling, bass to floor, was also seen to affect the bridge mobility and thus the playing properties of the instrument. In the same frequency range the power transfer was observed to boost from about 3 to 40%. It remains to investigate how noticeable this effect is to the audience. Our measurements indicate, however, that a coupling to the stage floor can make an audible difference to the player. 2 INTRODUCTION 2.1 Method of Measurements In this study floors of three concert halls, one orchestra-rehearsal hall, and one orchestra pit were analyzed with respect to their potential for being set in vibrations by a double bass through its endpin in the frequency range below 100 Hz. By use of force hammers and accelerometers their impedances were measured at the most and least mobile spots, normally between-and on joists, respectively. The endpin impedances of three double basses, a small, a big, and an even larger one (the latter a 5-string bass) were measured in a similar way, utilizing a small adapter attached the endpin to ensure clean hits with the force hammer, while the instrument was laying down on foam rubber. For the two smaller basses, two different adapters were used in order to compare angled impacts (30° with respect to the endpin) to inline ones. Apart from small shifts in resonance frequencies, the impedance trends in magnitude and phase remained the same at both angles, implying that sitting vs. standing does not make much of a difference as far as transmission is concerned-at least when the end pin is stiff and not drawn out too far. In the 5-string bass the bridge impedance was also measured while the instrument was: (1) lying down on foam rubber, (2) standing on a small plywood plate resting on a thick foam-rubber cushion, (3) standing directly on the floor. In the lowest register it could be seen that the bridge impedance varied with the foundation. Recordings were also done with a condenser studio microphone BK 4003 placed in the hall and on the podium of BwH (see below). Likewise, in order to acquire more information about radiation from the stage/pit-floors LiH and NOOP, measurements were done systematically over a number of seats in the audience with an impact machine drumming on the floors-on and between joists, respectively.
A simplified version of Dünnwalds timbre parameters for Old Italian Violin Sound; L (bass), ACD-B... more A simplified version of Dünnwalds timbre parameters for Old Italian Violin Sound; L (bass), ACD-B (unnasality) and DE-F (clarity) are used to compare the sound of 15 Stradivarius and 15 Guarnerius del Gesú violins. The parameters was extracted from 1/12 octave band played long time average spectra obtained from a CD-recording with the same musical piece played on each of these fine violins. A considerable spread in these parameters and the sound pressure levels were found in both groups of old violins. This spread is used for a direct correlation with the variation in thickness and other geometrical data of some 18 of these Golden age violins. In general, instruments with thinner plates and higher arc height have a statistical tendency of having higher values for L, ACD-B and DE-F and thus sound “more old Italian”. But these have a tendency of sounding less loud. In particular the border and average thickness of the back plate is lower for violins with high L and ACD-B and the tops ...
More than thousand years of bowed string instrument history has led to the violin. It was fully d... more More than thousand years of bowed string instrument history has led to the violin. It was fully developed in Italy with Andrea Amati (1511-1581) and Gasparo da Salò (1542-1609), and came to the acoustical peak of performance with Nicolò Amati (1596-1684), his pupil Antonio Stradivari (1644 – 1737) and Joseph Guarneri “del Gesù” (1698-1744). The years from 1700-1745 is called the “Golden Period” of violin making and “Strads” and “del Gesùs” from that time are still standards for superior violin quality! Professional and amateur makers, scientists, players and enthusiasts have ever since been trying to find “the secret” of making such good instruments. Early violin acoustics research is reported after Felix Savart (1791-1841) in co-operation with the French maker Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume (1798-1875). Later names like H. Helmholz (1821-1894), the Nobel price winner C. V. Raman (1888-1970), F. Saunders (1875-1963), H. Backhaus (1885-1958), H. Meinel (190419??), L. Cremer (1905-1990) and ...
Violin timbre is discussed and demonstrated in light of Heinrich Dünnwald"s work on parameters fo... more Violin timbre is discussed and demonstrated in light of Heinrich Dünnwald"s work on parameters for relative levels of certain frequency ranges of narrowband violin body spectra. He analyzed more than 700 violins and found some characteristic objective features in the spectra of Old Italian violins that differed from modern master and factory made violins. Using data from my impact hammer data set of violins and hardangers. I compare the spectra of instruments with low versus high values of these Dünnwald parameters and make "difference filters" between them. These filters are then used in modifications of a short played violin phrase demonstrating the effects as the Dünnwald parameters are varied. I will also present some preliminary results from a data mining project where I extract some simple significant correlations between construction details and these objective timbre parameters. Full paper Related documents: Violin Acoustics History -a brief introduction Can we hear the geometrical measures of a violin? Differences of sound spectra in violins by Stradivari and Guarneri del Gesú Operating deflection modes in five conventional and two unconventional violins Comparing the sound of golden age and modern violins: Long-time-average-spectra akuTEK navigation: Home Papers Title Index Stage Acoustics Concert Hall Acoustics
Talk: Impulse noise and vibrations in buildings are common from weight drops in gyms. There are a... more Talk: Impulse noise and vibrations in buildings are common from weight drops in gyms. There are a growing emphasis and literature on the matter, often supported by the floor or mat-industry. We will show measurements of impacts from free weights, and Olympic bar with bumper plates and insertion loss for mats and different designs of floating floors. Reference noise levels from weight drops of typical sources are given. Realistic potential energies and impact forces are discussed. The differences between impact sources like bumper plates, grip plates, hand manuals and kettlebells, as well as the physics and nature of some of the typical lifts are discussed, leading to suggestions for possible drop energies and noise levels from weight drops in gyms.
Talk from "Hardingfeleseminar" at Valdres Folkemuseum, Fagernes... more Talk from "Hardingfeleseminar" at Valdres Folkemuseum, Fagernes, Norway feb. 2012. Presentation of statistics from free plate data to assembled instruments based on Martin Schleskes Master thesis work and some own studies. Martin claimed that there were no or weak correlations between free plate tones and weights and the properties of the assembled instruments (14 working steps). However the data show clear correlations for many of the plate tones and the assembled violin if other than the typical ones are included. A lager data set show similar trends. The plate tones and weights does not explain all the variation, though, in assembled instruments. But a significant part. Part 3.
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