Books › The Violin: A concise exposition of the general principles of construction.., 1871 › scan 126
Scan 126
The Violin: A concise exposition of the general principles of construction.., 1871
4 lines. Read by computer on 28 September 2026. No printed page number was found. See the scan on archive.org.
1ments displayed in the instruments of Stradivarius, &c., by their harmonious relationship of parts, unfolded themselves gradually to his master mind, and thus unhesitatingly compelled him to acknowledge that their proportions, &c., were the true standard for a perfect instrument, as they will ever continue to be.
3When fine dry sand is sprinkled upon a vibrating surface, it is thrown into various symmetrical forms, being collected always in the largest quantities upon the parts of the surface where there is the least vibration, and being thrown off those portions where the vibration is the strongest. Thus, if we sprinkle upon the surface of a violin some fine dry sand, we will find that, by playing on the instrument, some of it will remain undisturbed, and this will always happen to be upon the places where there is little or no vibration, and consequently those are the parts least capable of producing sound. We may readily discover the vibrating and non-vibrating parts by the following simple method:—Place upon the surface of the violin any small concave substance, a percussion-cap or button will be found to answer, sound one of the strings, when the cap or button will be seen to be violently agitated, and thrown up from the surface; and if, whilst making the experiment, we hold the instrument level with the face between us and the light, we can estimate the distance thrown, and thus we can vary the position on the surface, until the cap or button, being placed upon certain parts, will remain stationary, which of course are the portions of non-vibration.
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