Numerous studies on heritage violins have shown that there are a number of factors that contribute to the acoustic quality of old violins. Among them are the geometric shape of the violin, the thickness of the tiles, the arching of the tiles, the dimensions and position of the bass bar, the size and position of the acoustic holes. Thus, the paper aims to compare the structural and constructive elements of old violins made in various famous violin workshops (Stainer, Klotz, Leeb, Babos Bela), using nondestructive and noncontact techniques based on image analysis. The violins that were studied date from 1716 to 1920, being in good condition, most of them being used by artists from the Brașov Philharmonic of Romania. In the first stage of the study, the violins were optically analyzed and scanned to identify the structure of the resonant wood, using the WinDENDRO Density 2007 program. X-ray imaging and computed tomography (CT) were also used. Combining the types of analyses, capitalizing on the expertise of violin producers and the knowledge of researchers in the field, valuable data on the geometric and constructive characteristics of old violins were extracted.

This paper addresses the experimental and numerical dynamic analysis of curved bars used as percussion musical instruments. These structures are known as triangles, being made of various metal materials. The study was based on the experimental analysis of the dynamic response over time and the frequency of three types of triangles, different in material and size. Subsequently, finite element analysis of the same structures modeled with the SimCenter 12 program was performed. The results were compared, highlighting the contribution of material type and geometry in obtaining vibration modes, frequency spectrum, and structural damping coefficient. Between the experimental and the numerical analysis, the obtained errors were below 2.2% in terms of their natural frequencies. The study also highlights the complementarity of the two methods in understanding the vibration modes of triangles.

The paper aims to investigate old and new violins from the perspective of the correlation between the anatomical structure of spruce and maple wood, and the dynamic response of violins. Thus, in the first stage, for each violin, the characteristics of the annual rings were measured on the entire width of the top plate, determining the degree of symmetry of the face with respect to the longitudinal axis of the violin body. Then, each violin was dynamically tested with the impact hammer, determining its own frequency spectrum, mainly the so-called “signature” mode and quality factors. The most important findings consist of identification of the first five modes for old violins, (known as provenance), current new violins, and violins whose origin is unknown, but which could correlate with anatomical, constructive and dynamic characteristics, in order to be able establish origins, and also the measurement of anatomical features of top and back plates in the violins’ construction.

No abstract

The paper presents the interdisciplinary approach to assessing the acoustic quality of violins through a survey addressed to specialists in the field of music - instrumentalists, teachers, artists. Violins with modified geometric parameters in intermediate stages from a technological point of view were investigated, respectively unfinished violins (in white). The aim of the study was to classify the musical instruments heard according to five acoustic criteria considered relevant for violinists. Criteria such as: bright tone, clarity of sounds, warm/silky sound, amplitude of sounds and equal sound on all 4 strings were also established through a survey of artistic impressions among specialists, in a stage prior to the study presented in this article.