Investigating the optimal position of the bridge and soundpost when making and tuning a violin.

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K00225
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 01070:Theory of art practice-related
• Research Institution: National Institute of Technology, Kumamoto College
• Principal Investigator: Nishimura Yuya 熊本高等専門学校, 電子情報システム工学系CIグループ, 准教授 (60585199)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 楽器音響 / ヴァイオリン / 魂柱 / 放射特性 / 共振周波数 / 調整 / CTスキャン

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study focused on the directivity characteristics of the violin, which have been evaluated with consistent and stable evaluation over a wide range of violin tunings.In order to find out "how the directivity characteristics can be changed only by adjusting the bridge and the soundpost", the position of the soundpost was determined by a CT scan and the directivity characteristics were evaluated by recording the sound of a performance in an anechoic chamber.The results of the experiments with several violins showed that the radiation characteristics were significantly changed by the adjustment of the soundpost by the craftsman, and the conditions for a sharp (far-sounding) sound were selected from different positions of the soundpost.
In addition, theoretical calculations of the resonance frequency showed that there is a correlation between the generation of resonance frequency inside the violin body and sharpness.

Free Research Field

音楽音響

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は、バイオリンが調整によって生まれ変わる可能性を秘めていることを楽器職人は理解しているにもかかわらず、これまで研究されてこなかったという点に加え、調整技術は技術・伝統の継承や職人育成のため習熟の必要があることから社会的意義は極めて高い。
音響工学を専門とする研究代表者とバイオリン職人が職業的枠組みを超えて、工学理論と洗練された職人の感性とが有機的に結び付けば、17-8世紀に製作された銘器バイオリンの音響法則の解明と、その法則を反映したより優れたバイオリン製作・調整技術が開発される潜在的可能性を有している。本研究は可能性の一要素となり職人の技術継承を推進する意味でも学術的意義が高い。