Books › The violin : how to choose one, 1893 › scan 81
Scan 81
The violin : how to choose one, 1893
6 lines. Read by computer on 3 September 2026. Printed page 77. See the scan on archive.org.
1from the cheeks to the edges of the upper or button end; the back the same treatment in reverse, for position No. 4. Nos. 5 and 6 are dependent more on the cheeks and centre. The same rules apply to the breast. A singular thing in the back puzzles me—I am not sure whether the First string vibrates on the plate notes A or E; they are so mixed up on the back that it is very difficult to decide; but that may come out by and by. I don't think Nos. 1, 2, and 6 should be too near each other in tone, or their vibrations would be roused simultaneously, and the violin would not be capable of producing very soft or piano tones, or of being easily modulated in tone, as I think it is the back which gives this power to the violin. The Third string is more in sympathy with the back than is the Fourth, and thus the Fourth string may stand out and not partake of the character of the other strings at all, and this, I think, is due to the bass bar, which causes it to principally set in vibration the lower half of the breast; this string not being powerful enough in its vibrations to affect the back to any appreciable extent. The Cremona makers, I think, tuned their plates to the four strings, and that gives the tone of difference between their backs and breasts, with the resultant notes low. The Stainers and Klotzes started a Fifth lower than the sound of the open strings, with high resultant tones.
3The best modern violins are those which are tuned to concert pitch in course of construction; the old chapel pitch was nearly a tone lower. Whether I have given the most perfect notes or not, I am pleased to begin the work, and firmly believe that violin making will never be in such a rut again. I hope makers will direct all their powers to getting these notes—wood varies in density and resonance, so must thicknesses vary, but keep to the exact tones at the different stages of construction and the result can never be doubtful. I consider that I have only opened up this method, or School of Violin Tone, as it may be named, and I wish that all really scientific and enthusiastic violin makers whose hearts and souls are in the good work would take it up and carry it further, when they would find none more willing to learn than myself. Every personal feeling should be sunk; and, like a band of brothers, we should unite and work for the one grand purpose—to produce the best violin tone by the most certain method.
5Any violin maker who can get a grand-toned violin which
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