String Instruments

Violin

Viola

Cello

String Bass

Piano

Lute

Dulcimer

Banjo

Guitar

How does a String Make a Sound?

• When a string is made to vibrate by rubbing or plucking, it communicates a frequency to the surrounding air. When these vibrations reach the tympanum (eardrum), they are perceived as sound. Without a medium (air or water), sound cannot be propagated.

• Rubber Band Shoe Box Demonstration

What is Resonance

• When one object vibrating at the same natural frequency of a second object forces that second object into vibrational motion.

• The word resonance comes from Latin and means to "resound" - to sound out together with a loud sound.

• Resonance only occurs when the first object is vibrating at the natural frequency of the second object.

• Tuning Fork Demo

The Overtone Series

Fundamental Tone

First Harmonic- One Octave

Second Harmonic-One Octave + A Fifth

Third Harmonic-Two Octaves

Fourth Harmonic-Two Octaves + A Third

Fifth Harmonic- Two Octaves + Fifth

Sixth Harmonic – Two Octaves + Minor7th

Seventh Harmonic-Three Octaves

If the finger is placed at a whole fraction of the length of the string, the vibration produces a note in harmony with the fundamental note. This principle was discovered by Pythagoras already two thousand years ago.

Sympathetic Vibrations • Pythagoras discovered that if one string vibrates with twice the

frequency of an identical string, we hear the higher frequency as one octave higher in pitch than the lower frequency

• The vibrating systems on most musical instruments are made up of two or more vibrating systems working together to produce sounds loud enough to be heard by the human ear.

• Examples of instruments with two or more vibrating systems include the membranes of leather stretched across the tensioning loop of a drumhead, the strings and the sounding board of a piano.

• Other examples are the strings and the body of a guitar or violin, or the reed and air column of the air column of the clarinet.

• Demo On Piano

How Does a String Change Pitch?

• Length

• Thickness

• Tension

Violin Viola Violoncello

Bass Viol/ Double Bass

Middle C

Fretted Instruments

citernmandolin

Bowed psaltry

Pedal harp

Irish harp

Lute harp

Celtic harp

Keyboard instruments

clavichordharpsichord

String instruments of other cultures

Balalika-russia

Kora-africa

lute

Koto-japan

Sitar-india