Bowed stringed instrument
Patent Information
- Application Number
- JP2025019907
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2020-01-28
- Filing Date
- 2025-02-10
- Publication Date
- 2025-08-21
- Estimated Expiration
- Not applicable · inactive patent
AI Technical Summary
Existing stringed musical instruments, particularly bowed instruments, face challenges in achieving optimal sound quality and ease of handling due to the limitations of conventional tailpieces, which often result in complex structures that do not significantly impact sound quality.
A bowed string instrument with a tailpiece featuring an asymmetric arcuate triangular shape made of multi-layer materials, including ebony and Kevlar, with a single-point attachment and chamfered holes for the strings, which allows for more uniform string elongation and reduced string resistance.
The new tailpiece design enhances sound sensitivity and control, producing a more relaxed and uniform sound with reduced string resistance, making the instrument easier to play and tune.
Smart Images

Figure 00000000_0000_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The object of the present invention is a stringed musical instrument having a body and a neck, the upper surface of the body being a top plate, at the bottom of which a tailpiece is fixed to the bottom of the instrument, and the strings being supported from below by a bridge between the tailpiece and the scroll of the neck and arranged under tension.
Background Art
[0002] There are several types of conventional stringed musical instruments. Among the members of the violin family, the tailpiece is a part carved from ebony or rosewood and is connected to a button fixed to the lower end rest by the force of the strings. In mandolins and certain acoustic guitars and electric guitars with metal strings, the tailpiece is made of metal and is screwed into the lower end rest or the body of the instrument. In guitars, for example in the case of classical guitars or flamenco guitars, the tailpiece and the bridge are often integrated (as a single piece). In ancient plucked instruments and ethnic instruments, the (notch type) string bridge also forms the tailpiece.
[0003] The strings are the main sound-generating components of stringed musical instruments. The strings are thin and flexible cords that can vibrate horizontally when stretched. They are usually made of animal gut, silk, plastic, or metal (the original meaning of the Hungarian word "hur" which represents string was "gut"). The characteristics of the sound of stringed musical instruments are basically determined by the strings, but the sound generated by the strings is radiated from the body of the instrument, so it also depends on the structure of the instrument.
[0004] The vibration of the strings is caused in various ways as follows. - Plucking (manually - using fingers - or applying a mechanism such as in the case of a manual pick or harpsichord), - Hitting (manually, like a piano, or applying a striking mechanism like in the case of a cimbalom), - Rubbing (applying a bow as in the case of stringed instruments, or applying a mechanism as in the case of a hurdy - gurdy), - Special cases where the vibration of the string is caused by an air flow (eolian harp).
[0005] For a string that produces a sound of a certain pitch, standing waves are generated: the cycle time of the string vibration is determined by its free length. The magnitude or amplitude of the vibration determines the volume, and the frequency of the vibration determines the pitch of the sound produced. Other characteristics of the string, such as its material, thickness, etc., and the touch of the string by the player affect the timbre. In most instruments, the adjustment of the height of the sound produced by the string ( "tuning") is done by changing the degree of stretching of the string.
[0006] When a stretched string fixed at both ends is deflected from its basic state at a specific point, it takes the form of an elongated triangle. After it is released, the corners of the triangle start to move in both directions along the string, running back and forth while the string tries to return to its original basic state and reversing direction at the end points. It is important to note that the characteristics of the string's movement depend greatly on the position of excitation, but this does not affect the frequency of the sound. In the case of plucking, the vibration subsides due to internal friction, but by bowing, the state characteristics at the moment of plucking can be continuously maintained.
[0007] For the string to be suitable for musical purposes, that is, to be able to produce musical sounds for as long as possible, the following conditions need to be met: - Sufficient tension is required to withstand the tension necessary for tuning, - It needs to be flexible enough to actually act as a string rather than as a vibrating flexible rod, - Therefore, when the material is harder or more rigid (e.g., steel), it is important that the ratio of length to diameter is sufficiently large. For example, silk strings wrapped in bronze cords have a relatively small ratio of length to diameter. - Its vertical mass distribution must be uniform. This does not exclude combinations of materials with different densities.
[0008] The first bowed string instruments were probably instruments called "idiocords". These were made from the stems of various plants, which had longitudinal slits cut into them, and the thus-separated fibrous bundles were made to extend at the ends by small wedges.
[0009] The next stage of improvement was the heterocord bow. This instrument included strings made by twisting fibers from animals and plants that met more stringent musical requirements. During the improvement of bowed string instruments, there were various materials available around the world for making musical strings: silk in the East, horsehair in the horse cultures of Asian nomads, various plant fibers in tropical regions, and animal intestines ("gut strings") in the West, which were mainly used for that purpose.
[0010] High-quality gut (gut string) strings are made from the intestines of sheep, goats, or lambs, but for more modest purposes, the intestines of calves, rabbits, or cats are also suitable. Intestines are mainly composed of muscle fibers, which explain their extraordinary elasticity. After washing, bleaching, etc., the intestines are cut into thin strings, the required number of strings are twisted together to make a string of the desired diameter, and then dried, polished, and given a sheen.
[0011] For thousands of years, gut strings were the most widespread type of string, but in the mid-20th century, they began to be replaced by plastics. The sound quality of nylon strings is equivalent to that of gut strings and they are more durable.
[0012] Metal strings also have a long history. The main materials for making them were formerly copper and bronze. Steel strings began to become popular in the 19th century and were first used on pianos and then on violins. In the 20th century, aluminum also became a material for making strings.
[0013] The violin is the smallest and highest-pitched member of the violin family of stringed instruments, with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. This violin family also includes the viola, cello (or violoncello), and double bass.
[0014] The lowest-pitched string is the "small g", which is tuned to G 3 and is followed by the "single D" (D 4 ), the "single A" (A 4 ), and the "double E" (E 5 ). The sound of the violin is usually notated in the key of violin (or, in other words, the key of G).
[0015] Due to the increasingly stringent requirements set for the instrument, it has become one of the most complex instruments requiring the most specialized knowledge in instrument making. A combination of careful manufacturing practices and the development of highly refined instrument techniques has resulted in a high-performance instrument that enables virtuosity, dynamics, and a range of tones that surpass other stringed instruments. The violin is perhaps the most popular, certainly the most widespread, and most beloved of all stringed instruments.
[0016] The current form of the violin was developed around the 15th century. Its main parts are the ribs (sides), the arched top plate, the front and back plates, the neck with a scroll at the end, the fingerboard, the tailpiece, the bridge, and the pegs. The design of the shape and size of the violin based on the golden ratio has proven to be very perfect, so the same configuration is still used today.
[0017] The shape, configuration, and structural parts of the violin have hardly changed in the past 300 years. Moreover, the composition of the adhesive applied to assemble the parts and the composition of the dyes and varnishes used for the surface treatment of the materials remain the same.
[0018] Figure 1 illustrates the structure of a conventional violin. The violin includes a body 2 that forms the resonance chamber of the instrument. Its function is to transmit the vibration of the strings and radiate it as sound into the surrounding space. When viewed from the front, it has a unique hourglass shape with a narrow "waist", so the movement of the bow for sounding any of the strings is not obstructed.
[0019] The upper plate of the body 2 is preferably cut into "quarters" and symmetrically joined together at the center, and is a top plate 4 consisting of two spruce pieces slightly carved into an arch shape. This is the part that has the greatest influence on the sound quality of the instrument in terms of material, shape, thickness, and finish. The bridge 13 is a particularly delicate component, adapted to transmit the vibration of the strings 14 to the top plate and is attached at the rear near the center. The so-called F - holes 10, on the one hand, are provided to lighten the top plate so that the bridge 13 can vibrate more freely, and on the other hand, are provided in the resonator, that is, the body 2, to provide a certain degree of openness to the cavity and are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the bridge 13. The top plate 4 is reinforced on the inside by longitudinally extending rods, so - called busbars, which are slightly asymmetrically arranged under the lower bass strings.
[0020] From the rear, the body 2 is terminated by a back plate 6 having a similar structure to the top plate 4, but it is made of a harder material, namely maple wood, and has no holes or reinforcing ribs. It can be made integrally or by joining two symmetrical parts like the top plate 4.
[0021] The top plate 4 and the back plate are joined to each other by ribs 5. Due to the special shape of the violin, the ribs are bent into various shapes and are composed of six individual maple wood plates so as to be fixed to each other by so-called blocks. On the inner side of both of their edges, so-called linings are extended to increase the adhesive surface area for attaching the top plate 4 and the back plate 6. A hardwood button 24 - from which the tailpiece 9 (optionally including a fine-tuning fixture) hangs down - is attached to the lower block. This component is applied to fix the end facing the string player.
[0022] The sound post of the violin (also called "ame" or "soul" in the European continent) is a small cylindrical rod placed inside the instrument, sandwiched between the top plate 4 and the back plate 6, and is located under the side of the bridge 13 and under the high-pitched strings. Since it is not fixed by adhesion, its position can be adjusted using a dedicated tool inserted into the F-hole 10. When removed, the instrument becomes completely silent, but even a shift of 1 millimeter will cause a significant change in the sound quality. This component is found in most bowed string instruments. Its main function is to convert the vibration (almost parallel to the plane of the top plate 4) caused by the bow of the string 14 into a vibration with a plane perpendicular to the top plate 4. This is achieved by the sound post by providing a relatively firm support (pivot point) under one of the "feet" of the bridge 13, and almost all the vibration energy is transmitted to the other "foot", and that energy is distributed throughout the top plate 4 by the busbar.
[0023] The neck 1 is attached to the upper end block of the body 2 and is slightly inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis of the body. It is made of maple wood, and on its upper surface, a fingerboard 3 that extends long above the top plate 4 is arranged. At one end, together with the scroll 8, a pegbox 7 equipped with a tuning head and pegs 12 is arranged. By pressing the strings downward against the fingerboard 3, the player generates sounds of different pitches, so the neck 1 is ergonomically shaped to fit into the palm of the player's hand. The fingerboard 3 is made of ebony and has a slightly convex cross-section corresponding to the curvature of the bridge 13. The nut 11, which forms one of the vibration end points of the string 14, is arranged at the distal end of the fingerboard 3.
[0024] The tuning head at the end is carved in a scroll shape and can be regarded as the "signature" of the luthier. This is respected in that when it is necessary to replace the neck 1 of a precious musical instrument, the tuning head can be detached from the original neck 1 and attached for replacement. The strings are stretched from the nut 11 to the trough-like depression in the pegbox 7, where they are wound around the pegs 12 inserted horizontally. The latter are made of ebony or grenadilla wood, and it is important that they fit very precisely into the holes in the head (applying a conical fit). This is because the accurate tuning of the musical instrument depends on the quality of this fit. The conical shape is important for properly fixing the pegs.
[0025] Regarding the materials used in the manufacture of the musical instrument, the top plate, busbar, sound post, block, and lining are made of coniferous trees, that is, spruce wood, while the back plate, ribs, neck, pegbox with scroll, and bridge are made of deciduous trees, that is, semi-hardwood made of maple. Ebony is used for the fingerboard because high loads and wear occur. The pegs, tailpiece, buttons, and chinrest can be made of rosewood, boxwood, ebony, or other tropical woods.
[0026] The strings of the musical instrument are arranged between the tailpiece and the tuning head. The configuration of a conventional tailpiece 9 that forms the lower attachment point of the string 14 is shown in FIG. 2. The tailpiece 9 is originally a small and hard metal plate, and four holes 15 are arranged along the wider upper end. And a small and narrow slit (not shown) is connected to the holes. The holes 15 and slits (GDAE) adapted to receive the string 14 are configured to be relatively narrow in order to facilitate the attachment and handling of the string 14. The nut of the conventional tailpiece 9 has an edge machined into a hemispherical shape. It is important to round all parts of the tailpiece.
[0027] Over the centuries, the tailpiece has been changed many times. For example, in response to such changes, the upper end of the tailpiece was fixed, the slits were replaced with holes, and the strings passing through them were fixed with knots. The intention was to increase the resistance of the strings and achieve regular vibrations of the strings.
[0028] To attach the tailpiece 9 to the button, a thick string fragment has been conventionally applied (see O.P. PainBennewith: A hegedii epftes alapismeretei (Indispensable for violin making), Emh Friedr Voight Kiado 1892, Hungarian translation was reissued in 1992 and published privately in 2004).
[0029] To further improve the tailpiece of a bowed string instrument, many technical solutions have been proposed. Such solutions are disclosed in documents DE 19515166 Al, EP0242221 A2, DE 29712635 U1, US 5883318, DE 2845241 Al, WO 2012 / 150616, and EP 0273499 Al.
[0030] The inventions of EP 1,260,963 and HU 225,320 disclose a tailpiece that essentially retains the shape shown in Figure 2. A tailpiece body is attached to the tailpiece, on which a string holding mechanism is arranged, which has an engagement loop forming an engagement arch adapted to be fixed to the musical instrument.
[0031] To simplify the operation, the body of the tailpiece is provided with an adjustment mechanism adapted to adjust the distance of the apex of the engagement arch of the engaged string from the tailpiece, and the adjustment mechanism can be operated from the direction of the side surface of the tailpiece.
[0032] In the case of the tailpiece disclosed in document US 2012 / 0285311, the openings adapted to receive the strings are arranged along an asymmetric arcuate opening, and as a result, the strings have different lengths.
[0033] Document US 2017 / 0278489 discloses a tailpiece for a plucked string instrument mainly configured as a multi-layer hollow tailpiece, and the openings adapted to receive the strings are arranged along an arcuate side surface. The tension of the string is adjusted using pegs.
[0034] Document US 2003 / 0217633 discloses a tailpiece for a bowed string instrument that is arranged on the top plate of the musical instrument and fixed to the top plate by the lower part of the musical instrument, and is adapted to receive the lower part of the string. This known tailpiece can be regarded as a shorter variant of the conventional tailpiece, and the elongated leg part of the conventional tailpiece (the upper part of which includes a hole for receiving the strings of the instrument) is omitted.
[0035] Known technical solutions, on the one hand, have a complex structure, and on the other hand, although they are essentially variants of the conventional tailpiece, they do not have a great impact on the sound of the musical instrument.
Disclosure of the Invention
[0036] The object of the present invention is to provide a bowed string instrument including a tailpiece that eliminates the drawbacks of known technical solutions and provides easier handling and a significantly improved and more enjoyable sound.
[0037] The present invention provides a conventional elongated upper arcuate configuration adapted to receive the strings of the tailpiece and fixes the strings to the upper part of the tailpiece at different heights, thereby improving the free movement of the resonator body and the strings. As a result, the sound of the instrument becomes a more "sensitive" sound. This is because the resistance of the strings is significantly reduced, enabling control of the resonance of the strings. In addition, the movement (vibration) of strings with different elongations becomes more uniform, greatly improving the sound of the instrument.
[0038] In the present invention, further, in the case of a bowed string instrument including the tailpiece of the present invention, the strings have different lengths, and due to the configuration of the tailpiece, their elongations are more uniform. Therefore, the strings can produce sound more easily and produce a more relaxed sound.
[0039] The object according to the present invention is achieved by providing a bowed string instrument comprising a body and a neck, wherein the upper surface of the body is a top plate, and a tailpiece is fixedly arranged at the bottom of the body at the bottom of the instrument. The strings are arranged under tension supported from below by a bridge between the tailpiece and the scroll of the neck. A bowed string instrument including a tailpiece adapted to hold the bottom of the strings has an arcuate triangular, asymmetric-shaped body made of a multi-layer material, rounded along the perimeter of the body, and holes suitable for fixing the tailpiece to the bottom of the bowed string instrument are arranged at the lower corners and adapted to receive the strings arranged along an arcuate portion extending between its two upper corners.
[0040] In a preferred embodiment of the bowed string instrument according to the present invention, the tailpiece is a multilayer body formed of a core portion, at least one reinforcing layer adapted to border the core portions on both sides, and at least one layer of cover layer adapted to border the reinforcing layers on both sides, wherein the core portion is made of at least the following woods, namely, ebony, mahogany, mengga, iroko, afromosia, cabreuva, lapacho, teak, rosewood, jatoba, merbau, mutenye, wenge, pangapanga, kempas, bangkirai, kaya, and the reinforcing layer is made of at least one of the following materials, namely, Kevlar, carbon fiber, graphene.
[0041] In another preferred embodiment of the bowed string instrument according to the present invention, there is an adhesive bond between the layers of the multilayer body of the tailpiece, and the adhesive bond layer is formed of a cyanide-containing adhesive and / or a thermosetting resin adhesive.
[0042] In a further preferred embodiment of the bowed string instrument according to the present invention, the holes in the tailpiece adapted to receive the strings have a chamfered edge configuration.
[0043] In an advantageous embodiment of the bowed string instrument according to the present invention, the function of explaining the arcuate portion extending between the corners of the upper arcuate portion of the tailpiece adapted to receive the lower ends of the strings is a functional portion defined by the following formula and values:
[0044]
Equation
[0045] A further advantageous embodiment of the bowed string instrument according to the present invention further includes one or more spacer members disposed between the bridge and the tailpiece and adapted to be displaced vertically along the strings. Here, the spacer member has a block-like configuration and is provided with grooves adapted to receive the strings formed on the side surfaces of the block. The values of the string lengths applicable to the bowed string instrument according to the present invention are specified in Table I.
Brief Description of the Drawings
[0046]
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 4
Figure 5
Figure 6
Figure 7
Figure 8
Figure 9
Figure 10
Figure 11
Figure 12
Figure 13
Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention
[0047] Figure 3 shows a side view of a bowed string instrument - in this case a violin - according to the present invention. The configuration of the bowed string instrument according to the present invention is essentially the same as that of the conventional instrument shown in Figure 1, and in particular, the configurations of the body 2 and the neck 3 have not been changed.
[0048] The role of the bridge 13 is taken over by the bridge 25. However, the configuration of the tailpiece 16 located at the bottom of the instrument is completely different from known technical solutions. The configuration of the tailpiece 16 will be described in detail below. The tailpiece 16 is adapted to receive the lower ends of the strings 14, and the tailpiece 16 is attached to the bottom of the instrument at a single point by the button 24.
[0049] Figure 4 is a front view of the bowed string instrument according to Figure 3, showing the strings, and a spacer member 26 adapted to move up and down along the string 14 is arranged in the portion between the tailpiece 16 and the bridge 25 for the purpose of eliminating unwanted out-of-tune sounds. The spacer members 26 are only included optionally and they are omissible.
[0050] Figure 5 shows, in perspective view, the configuration of the tailpiece 16 of the bowed string instrument according to the present invention. The tailpiece 16 has a shape with a body that spreads upward, and its upper right end is formed symmetrically with respect to the axis 17 and has a longer length. The tailpiece 16 originally has a shape with a body in an asymmetric arcuate triangular shape, with its corner c located higher than corner a, and corners b and c are interconnected by an arcuate portion 19 (see Figure 6), and the arcuate portion 19 constitutes the upper side of the tailpiece 16.
[0051] The soundhole 18 is arranged on the tailpiece 16 above its bottom corner, adapted to attach the tailpiece 16 to the button 24 at the bottom of the bowed string instrument - for example, a violin (see Figure 3).
[0052] It should be noted that usually it is sufficient to attach the tailpiece 9 to the instrument by a single soundhole, but in some cases, an attachment applying two soundholes may also be considered. Such an attachment can be implemented by applying through-holes or hidden holes.
[0053] Single-point attachment has a more favorable effect on the resonance of the musical instrument. In the case of two-point attachment, the above resonance can be reduced, and as a result, the vibration of the lower part of the string (located under the bridge 25) becomes more dominant.
[0054] Four bores 20 adapted to receive the strings are arranged along an arcuate portion 19 interconnecting the upper corners b and c of the tailpiece 16 (the latter is not shown, see FIG. 6). The bores 20 have a chamfered / chamfered edge configuration.
[0055] The G string and the E string are respectively attached to the bore 20 located under the corner b and the bore 20 located under the corner c, and the D string and the A string are attached along both sides of the shaft 17 along the arcuate portion 19 interconnecting the corners b and c.
[0056] FIG. 7 shows a rear view of the tailpiece 16 of the bowed musical instrument according to the present invention. It should be noted that if permitted by the characteristics of the musical instrument, the tailpiece 16 can also be attached to the musical instrument in this configuration. In that case, of course, the G string and the E string are respectively attached to the bore 20 located under the uppermost corner c of the tailpiece 16 and the corner b.
[0057] In FIGS. 8 and 9, the tailpiece 16 is shown in a top view and a bottom view, respectively. As can be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, in FIGS. 5 to 9, the tailpiece 16 has a configuration without sharp edges and corners along its sides, that is, all surfaces are chamfered. It should be noted that the tailpiece 16 can have a convex or flat configuration.
[0058] FIG. 10 shows a cross-sectional view taken along the section I-I of FIG. 6. The tailpiece 16 is a solid body composed of a plurality of layers. Depending on the type of material applied and the characteristics of the musical instrument, the number of layers varies between 7 and 14.
[0059] In this embodiment, the tailpiece 16 is the tailpiece of a violin, and the tailpiece 16 is composed of an inner core part 21, a reinforcing layer 22, and a cover layer 23. The inner core part 21 is made of ebony. The core 21 is surrounded on both sides by a reinforcing layer 22 preferably made of Kevlar on each side, and both sides thereof are covered by two cover layers 23 made of ebony, mahogany, afzelia, iroko, afromosia, cabreuva, lapacho, teak, rosewood, jatoba, merbau, mutenye, wenge, pangapanga, kempas, bangkirai, kaya.
[0060] Instead of the reinforcement by Kevlar, carbon fabric and graphene can also be applied. The layers can be bonded together by applying a cyanide-containing adhesive and / or a thermosetting resin adhesive.
[0061] In the case of the musical instrument including the tailpiece 16, the tailpiece 16 is attached at a single point to the button 24 at the bottom of the musical instrument, and as a result, the tailpiece 16 can be inclined with respect to the strings 14.
[0062] In the case of a violin, the axis of this inclination is parallel to the strings, but in the case of a double bass and a viola, the inclination angle is preferably 3.7°, and in the case of a cello, 7.8°. This inclination has a good effect on the sound of the musical instrument.
[0063] Figure 11 shows the curve of a function (polynomial function) explaining the arc connecting the points Y and Z of the tailpiece 16 to each other.
[0064]
Number
[0065]
Number
[0066] The part of the function that defines the value of the arc-shaped portion 19 is obtained by the value calculated for the approximate point (x, y). It should be noted that the function describing the arc-shaped portion 19 is also a group of parametric functions.
[0067] Now, returning to the configuration of the tailpiece 16, as already described, the tailpiece 16 has no sharp corners or edges, and all its surfaces are chamfered (at any angle) / chamfered (at a specified angle). And as can be seen from FIG. 1, like the stringed instrument itself, the layers constituting it are made to be "invisible". A cover is attached to its outer part, which can be integrated or composed of a plurality of interconnected parts.
[0068] Here, by default, the tailpiece can be attached without a fine tuner, but if required due to the characteristics of a specific instrument, a fine tuner can also be included.
[0069] For fine adjustment and to eliminate possible out-of-tune sounds, the stringed instrument according to the present invention includes a spacer member (or a plurality of spacer members) 26 that is disposed between the strings 14 and can be displaced vertically between the tailpiece 16 and the bridge 24 (see FIG. 4).
[0070] The configuration of the spacer member 26 can be observed in FIGS. 12 and 13. The spacer member 26 is essentially a rectangular block-shaped member and has a groove 27 formed on its side surface and adapted to receive the string 14.
[0071] As can be seen from the configuration of the tailpiece 16 of the stringed instrument according to the present invention, unlike the instrument with a conventional tailpiece attached (see FIG. 1), the strings have different lengths. The length of the lower part (E string) of the string attached to the bore 20 at the corner C is the smallest, but the length of a specific string is different from the length of the string applied to an instrument with a conventional tailpiece. This results in a significant difference in sound and makes the handling of the instrument easier.
[0072] Regarding the configuration of the musical instrument according to the present invention and the tailpiece applied thereto, the application in a conventional violin has been described with reference, but it should be noted that the tailpiece can be applied to other bowed string instruments, and the string length varies according to the characteristics of a specific musical instrument.
[0073] The string tuning arrangement of bowed string instruments is as follows (from thickest string to thinnest string). - Violin: GDAE - Viola: CGDA - Cello: CGDA, in the case of a 5-string baroque cello: CGDAE - Double bass: EADG, in the case of a 5-string double bass: EADGB
[0074] The values of the string lengths applied to the bowed string instruments constituting the tailpiece 16 according to the present invention are summarized in the following table.
[0075]
Table I
[0076] The tailpiece of the bowed string instrument according to the present invention has the following advantages: - It functions as a resonance control means, - By its application, a larger, more resonant sound and a wider sound range can be achieved, - The sound decay time is not so much longer than that of a conventional tailpiece, but by applying appropriate bowing techniques, a much richer and more dynamic sound can be achieved, and the impression is as if there is an additional "layer" of resonance available for shaping the sound, - It makes daily instrument practice more enjoyable, - The resistance feeling of semitones generated during instrument performance is reduced and becomes more uniform, and the volume difference becomes larger, - The vibration of the lower string section (located below the bridge) helps to form a new frequency range. In addition, by reducing or completely eliminating vibrations that are not naturally compatible, it makes it easier to manage the "wolf tone" (seen in almost all high-quality bowed string instruments). - Subjectively, the playing of the instrument becomes much easier. This is first and foremost manifested by the left hand being able to apply the strings more flexibly. In the case of the right hand (the bow hand), the vibration of the strings using the bow can be achieved more easily. - Vibrato (i.e., periodically changing the pitch of the sound played by the performer's left hand) also becomes more dynamic. - The spectral range of the vibrating sound becomes wider. - It exhibits unprecedented additional qualities, opening up completely new possibilities for acoustic production. It may also bring a new direction for progress in instrument practice. - During the education for playing bowed string instruments, it becomes easier (more audible) for students to tune the instrument.
[0077] List of reference numbers: 1. Neck; 2. Body; 3. Fingerboard; 4. Top plate; 5. Rib; 6. Back plate; 7. Pegbox; 8. Scroll; 9. Tailpiece; 10. F-hole; 11. Nut; 12. Peg; 13. Bridge; 14. String; 15. Hole; 16. Tailpiece; 17. Axis; 18. Bore; 19. Arc; 20. Bore; 21. Core part; 22. Reinforcement layer; 23. Cover layer; 24. Button; 25. Bridge; 26. Spacer member; 27. Groove
Claims
1. a main body (2) whose upper surface is a top plate (4); a plurality of strings (14); a tailpiece (16) fixed to the bottom of the main body (2) and for fixing one end of each of the plurality of strings (14); a neck (1) attached to the top of the body (2) and having a peg box (7) formed together with a scroll (8) to support a plurality of pegs (12) for winding the other ends of the plurality of strings (14) strung on the top plate (4); a bridge (25) disposed on the top plate (4) for supporting and tensioning the plurality of strings (14) stretched between the tailpiece (16) and the plurality of tuning pegs (12) from below; The tailpiece (16), when attached to the main body (2), is a substantially triangular body having a lower corner (a) on the bottom side of the main body (2) and two upper corners (b, c) on the top side of the main body (2), and the tailpiece (16) extends asymmetrically toward the top of the main body (2), and the two upper corners (b, c) are connected to each other by a curved arc-shaped portion (19) based on a polynomial function that curves toward the bottom side of the main body (2). The tailpiece (16) has a single engagement bore (18) at a position near the lower corner (a) for engaging with the bottom of the main body (2), and multiple string fixing bores (20) for fixing one ends of the multiple strings (14) at multiple positions along the edge of the arc-shaped portion (19) between the two upper corners (b, c). the positions of the plurality of string fixing bores (20) are determined so that the lengths of the plurality of strings (14) stretched between the plurality of string fixing bores (20) and the plurality of pegs (12) supported in the peg box (7) are different from one another; The bowed string instrument is characterized in that the arc-shaped portion (19) between the two upper corner angles (b, c) is shaped based on a polynomial function defined by the following equation of a parametric function and the coordinates (x, y) of an approximation point: [Equation 1]
2. 2. The bowed string instrument according to claim 1, wherein the tailpiece (16) is a multi-layer body comprising a core portion (21), at least one reinforcing layer (22) surrounding the core portion (21), and at least one cover layer (23) covering the reinforcing layer (23).
3. 3. The bowed string instrument according to claim 2, characterized in that the material of the core (21) of the tailpiece (16) is at least one of the following wood materials: ebony, mahogany, menga, iroko, afromosia, cabreuvá, lapacho, teak, rosewood, jatoba, merbau, mutenie, wenge, panga-panga, kempas, bangkirai, and kaya.
4. 3. A bowed string instrument according to claim 2, characterized in that the material of the reinforcing layer (23) of the tailpiece (16) is one of Kevlar, carbon fiber and graphene.
5. 5. The bowed string instrument according to claim 2, wherein the core part (21), the reinforcing layer (22) and the cover layer (23) of the tailpiece (16) are bonded together with a tacky adhesive.
6. 6. A bowed stringed instrument according to claim 5, characterized in that the bond between the adhesively bonded core (21), reinforcing layer (22) and cover layer (23) of the tailpiece (16) is formed by a cyanide-containing adhesive and / or a thermosetting resin adhesive.
7. 7. A bowed string instrument according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the string fixing bores (20) of the tailpiece (16) have a chamfered edge configuration.
8. In the plurality of strings (14) arranged between the tailpiece (16) and the plurality of pegs (12) supported by the peg box (7) of the neck (1), the total length (mm) of each string of GDAE of a violin, CGDA of a viola, CGDA of a cello, and EADG of a double bass, the length (mm) of the part that engages with the tailpiece (16), the length (mm) of the part that is used for playing, and the length (mm) of the part that is wound around the pegs (12) are each specified in Table I below. 【Table I】 8. A bowed string instrument according to any one of claims 1 to 7.