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Scan 269
Old Violins And Their Makers, 1883
2 lines. Read by computer on 27 September 2026. Printed page 255. See the scan on archive.org.
1was contrary to what the majority of musicians and violin makers expected, as they thought that thin vibrating surfaces were favourable to the production of shrill sounds, and thick ones to those of lower pitch. It was easy to conceive, however, that, all other things being equal except the thickness, which was double, the rigidity of the latter would be augmented, and, as a consequence, the sound shriller. The experiments proved this rigorously. What are called the excursions of the vibrations—that is, the distance or surface over which they extend—would in a thick plate be distinctly limited, whereas in a thin one the vibrations would extend in almost full activity to the very margin. This most favourable of thicknesses for reinforcement of tone would, of course, be in relation to the density of the wood, its natural elasticity, and the more or less advanced state of its seasoning. The too great arching of the bellies and backs of violins hinders the natural elasticity of the wood from having free play, because it gives an artificial rigidity and increased power of resistance, and the shrill, flute-like tone of the Stainer violins is corroborative of the accuracy of these conclusions in this regard. In almost all instruments there are certain notes distinguished above others by their purity and fullness. They vary in different violins, but they are caused in all by the circumstance that some part of the instrument is capable of perfectly reinforcing the tone of these notes, by yielding exactly the same number, or double, or half, &c., of the vibrations in a given time as the string which produces them. This variation in the quality of the sound of different notes is a proof that the form
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