The Physics & Mechanics of the Violin

Created by Cara Orji

String Instruments

• They are not ALL the same!!!!

• Don’t confuse violin with viola!

• Or viol with viola!• Or string/double bass with

bass guitar or bass fish!• Or cello with bass!

Violin vs. Viola

Viol

Cello

String/DoubleBass Bass

guitar

Bass fish

Sound

• Webster’s New World Dictionary, Third College Edition- Definition: “vibrations in air, water, etc. that stimulate the auditory nerves and produce the sensation of any auditory effect that is distinctive or characteristic of its source”

• # of vibrations per second = frequency

- measured in cycles per second or Hertz (Hz)

Construction of the Violin

This diagram showing the anatomy and nomenclature of the violin is provided by Atelier Labussiere.

Construction cont’d

Cross section at the bridge, seen from the tailpiece end.

A violin in the baroque style made by John McLennan.

How the Violin Works• The pitch of a vibrating string depends on these four

factors:- thickness - tension - length- mode of vibration

• The bridge – between the f holes- yes, they are called “f holes,”but not for the reason that you’re thinking

• The soundpost & bass bar (inside)- for movement and vibration

• The body- belly (top plate), back plate

• The bow- articulation and sound effects

Materials• Softwoods

- belly, bass bar, linings, purfling, soundpost- spruce, pearwood, willow

• Hardwoods- back plate, neck/fingerboard/scroll, chin rest, pegs, ribs, tailpiece, bow- maple, ebony, mahogany, oak, pine

• Resin- Definition: “any of various solid or semisolid, viscous, usually clear or translucent, yellowish or brownish, organic substances exuded from various plants and trees . . . And are used in varnishes and lacquers”

• Gut- Definition: “tough cord made from animal intestines, used for violin strings, surgical sutures, etc.”

- metal, nylon, silk, braided saltwater fishing line- synthetic core with aluminum/silver wound

• Horsehair• Hard plastics

- chin rest, tailpiece/fine tuners

The BowCol legno

Collé

Spiccato

Tremolo

The Bow cont’dSul ponticello Sul tasto

More Sound Effects

• Pizzicato

• Vibrato

Bibliography• http://www.phys.unsw.edu.au/jw.violintro.html

• The Strad. Aug. 2008.

• Stradivari’s Genius: Five Violins, One Cello, and Three Centuries of Enduring Perfection.

• Havighurst, Jay. Making Musical Instruments by Hand. 1998

• The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Musical Instruments

• Neufeldt, Victoria E. Webster’s New World Dictionary, Third College Edition. New York: Simon & Schuster, Inc., 1988.