0 How String Instruments Produce Sound

How string instruments produce sound

The vibration of string is the basic of some of the oldest musical instruments. These instruments were very important in the development of music itself. This is because generally human find a great attraction to sounds that simultaneously contain harmonies of a fundamental tone.

String instruments have normal modes of oscillation, which are “TRANSVERSE VIBRATION” of frequency as well as “LONGITUDE VIBRATION”.

Type of string instruments

The radiating pattern of typical string instrument will therefore be that of the various modes of systems, which RESONATE, with the string modes. These are basically three types of string instruments, THE PLUCKED STRING, THE STRUCK STRING and THE BOWED STRING. When a string instrument is plucked or struck, it has many of the characteristics of a definite-pitch percussion instrument.  

Examples of ancient plucked string instruments 

• Lyre
• Lute
• Zither

Examples of ancient plucked string instruments

• Guitar
• Mandolin
• Banjo 
• Ukulele
• Harp 
• Harpsichord

Examples of modern struck string instruments 

piano perhaps the most prevalent of all musical instruments in the western world.

Bowed string instruments 

Bowed string instruments are the first in this sequence of considerations to represent a sustained tone generator.

The basic feedback mechanism at work in bowed string instruments depend on the property of RASIN which gives it a very high static friction and a very low kinetic friction. As the bow is pressed sideways, perpendicular to the string, the string will accompany the bow for a while until the force required to displace the string breaks the glue joint.

This sequence would normally be repeated with varying release times and intensities as the various regions of the bow, with varying amounts of glue etc. pass over string.

It can be seen that what is achieved is “A SAWTOOTH OSCILLATION” of a very definite frequency.

The individual members of the modern bowed string instruments 

1. The violin is an instrument with 4 strings tuned to G₃, D₄, A₄ and E_5.
2. The viola is somewhat like a large violin. The strings are tuned to C₃, G₄, D₄ and A₄.
3. The violoncello is again similar to the viola but even larger than the viola. Its strings are tuned to be exactly one octave down from the viola.
4. the contrabass. The four strings of this instrument are tuned t0 E₁, A₁, D₂ and G₂.