Contribution
Effects of a modified tailpiece and bridge on vibrometer measurements of a violin
* Presenting author
Abstract:
The results of vibrometry measurements on a modified and unmodified violin are presented. In order to investig- ate this, cases involving a modified soundpost, bridge and tailpiece were compared to the unmodified instrument. The measurements with a modified bridge demonstrated a frequency shift of the bridge hill into a lower range, which was anticipated given that it had a lower mass than a regular bridge. The hypothesis that the bridge design affects the sound characteristics of the violin, as proposed by Woodhouse (2005), was therefore confirmed. Furthermore, an effect in the A0 region was observed when a modified tailpiece was involved. A tilting vibration of the tailpiece was found in the area of the A0, which was shifted to a higher frequency when it was modified. This resulted in a significant reduction in energy present in the original A0 position.