Books › The Violin: A concise exposition of the general principles of construction.., 1871 › scan 59
Scan 59
The Violin: A concise exposition of the general principles of construction.., 1871
6 lines. Read by computer on 28 September 2026. No printed page number was found. See the scan on archive.org.
1while the grave sounds resemble those of the tenor. In many Stradivarius violins the air gives exactly 512 vibrations per second. It is easy to assure oneself if this condition is fulfilled, without which a violin has little value; it suffices to put the air in vibration by means of the conical tube described previously. Although one of the most important points in the construction of the violin is that which we have just examined, there are others to which we must have regard, and which we shall proceed to point out, persuaded that, by operating according to the conditions indicated, we shall be sure of obtaining in all cases, and at once, good instruments.
3What relation ought there to exist between the sounds of the two tables before being united? Ought they to give sounds in unison, or an octave apart, or what? We have constructed a violin of which both plates were of deal, and perfectly in unison when made to vibrate separately. The sound of this instrument was feeble, and of very ordinary quality. A back of maple was substituted for the deal one, but still in unison with the belly; the instrument was bad, and very feeble. Thus we see already that the two tables ought not to be in unison. And besides, if they were perfectly in unison at first, they would soon differ a little, and then we should have beats, and a very bad effect would be produced. It is necessary, therefore, to avoid the unison, and even to be a certain distance from it, so as to avoid the possibility of beats occurring.
5To determine the exact distance between the sounds of back and belly there was only one means, and that
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