String musical instrument excitation device and string musical instrument excitation system

Abstract

To provide a string musical instrument excitation device and a string musical instrument excitation system capable of producing high-quality sound from string musical instruments.SOLUTION: A string musical instrument excitation device 100 that divides strings of a string musical instrument into two groups, transmits vibrations from a vibration device to each group, and causes the string musical instrument to resonate comprises: a first main body plate that contacts the upper end of a string at a position either in front of or behind a bridge, on one of the two groups; a second main body plate 112 that contacts the upper end of the string at a position opposite the first main body plate 111 on the other of the two groups; engagement plates 120 that individually contact the lower end of the string where the first main body plate and the second main body plate contact; intermediate portions 140 for biasing the first and second main body plates and the respective engagement plates to approach toward each other; and a connection portion 110b connecting the vibration device to one end side of the first main body plate and one end side of the second main body plate. The intermediate portion is formed of an elastic member and positioned opposite the side edge of the string.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a stringed instrument excitation device and a stringed instrument excitation system. [Background technology]

[0002] Generally, stringed instruments such as violins have a resonating body made up of a top plate (body), a back plate, and side plates, with a sound hole formed in the top plate. Furthermore, stringed instruments have a plate-shaped bridge base member fixed to the top plate with adhesive, and a bridge attached to the bridge base member that extends in a direction perpendicular to the length of the strings to support the strings. One end of each string extends beyond the top of the bridge and is anchored to a bridge pin attached to the bridge base member. The other end of each string is tensioned by a tension adjustment mechanism located on the head side, pressing the string against the top surface of the bridge and defining its effective position by the bridge. A system has been proposed that uses such a stringed instrument to vibrate the bridge of the stringed instrument from the outside using vibration means such as a piezoelectric vibrator or a speaker.

[0003] Patent document 1 describes a violin and speaker superimposition playback device that includes a piezoelectric vibration transmission unit that has a piezoelectric vibrator that vibrates due to the output of an automatic violin amplifier, a fixing jig for the piezoelectric vibrator, and a vibration transmission body, an automatic violin that produces sound by vibrating the bridge, a speaker amplifier connected to a speaker line, and a dynamic speaker connected to the speaker amplifier.

[0004] Patent Document 2 describes a device for vibrating a stringed instrument with a bridge, comprising: a base member with a point of application that is to come into contact with the bridge; and a vibration generator attached to the base member that converts an electrical signal into mechanical vibration; the base member having a fulcrum that engages with the upper surface of at least one string of the stringed instrument; a force point that engages with the underside of the at least one string at a position intermediate between the point of application and the fulcrum; and means for displacing at least one of the fulcrum and the force point in a direction that urges the point of application toward the bridge.

[0005] Non-Patent Document 1 reports the results of a study using a spherical speaker to clarify the acoustic characteristics of Stradivarius violins. For example, it was revealed that the radiation directivity strength patterns expressed as a function of frequency are similar among Stradivarius violins. Here, radiation directivity strength is an index of spatial radiation characteristics that indicates a higher value the more the sound is concentrated in a specific direction. Furthermore, with regard to the radiation directivity strength patterns, the frequencies of the peaks that appear in the mid-range (around 1 kHz) and high-range (around 3 kHz) are said to be different between Stradivarius violins and other violins (old, modern, and contemporary).

[0006] Non-Patent Document 2 reports radiation directivity patterns calculated from the strength of radiation directivity when various violins are played on a scale. It is considered that acoustic characteristics appear in the peak and dip frequencies of the radiation directivity pattern and their frequency ratio. Patent Document 3 proposes a vibration device for vibrating a stringed instrument. This vibration device is configured to clamp two strings between a first plate portion and a second plate portion by tightening a bolt as a force applying portion. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-35851 [Patent Document 2] WO2014199613A1 publication [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-61728 [Non-patent literature]

[0008] [Non-Patent Document 1] "Elucidating the Acoustic Characteristics of Antique Violins," 2016 Fiscal Year Research-status Report, Katsuhiro Maki et al., [online], [Retrieved November 1, 2018], Internet <URL: https: / / kaken.nii.ac.jp / en / report / KAKENHI-PROJECT-16K00255 / 16K002552016hokoku / > [Non-patent document 2] "Radiation Directivity of the Stradivarius Violin," Proceedings of the Autumn Meeting of the Acoustical Society of Japan (September 25-27, 2017), Katsuhiro Maki et al., [online], [Retrieved November 1, 2018], Internet <URL: http: / / www.asj.gr.jp / annualmeeting / pdf / 2017autumn_timeschedule.pdf> Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0009] However, the device described in Patent Document 1 involves incorporating a vibrator into the body of the violin, which must be done during the manufacturing process, and the violin cannot be treated as a normal violin. While it is possible to modify an existing violin to incorporate a vibrator, such modifications to expensive violins are often unacceptable.

[0010] In addition, in the vibration device described in Patent Document 2, the fulcrum and force point engage with the string, and the application point engages with the bridge, making it possible to press the application point against the bridge with a sufficiently strong force. However, the musical sounds reproduced from stringed instruments do not reach the quality of ordinary HiFi speakers.

[0011] As described in Non-Patent Documents 1 and 2, the acoustic characteristics of old violins, including Stradivarius violins, have been studied, but no device capable of producing high-quality sound from stringed instruments has been realized. Furthermore, because the vibration device described in Patent Document 3 uses bolts, there is a high possibility that a gap will form between the bolts and the screw holes formed in the first and second plate parts into which the bolts are screwed, preventing smooth transmission of vibrations. In particular, with string instruments such as double basses, violins, and violas, the strings have different thicknesses, so the first and second plate parts cannot be fastened in parallel with the bolts, and the state of contact between the bolts and the first and second plate parts is not uniform around the threaded surfaces of the bolts, making it highly likely that the string instruments will not be able to produce high-quality sound.

[0012] From this perspective, an object of the present invention is to provide a stringed instrument excitation device and a stringed instrument excitation system that can produce high-quality sound from a stringed instrument. [Means for solving the problem]

[0013] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a stringed instrument vibration excitation device that divides a stringed instrument that uses a plurality of strings that contact a bridge into two groups, with the same number of strings if the number of strings is even and one more string if the number of strings is odd, and transmits vibrations from a vibration device to each of the groups to make the stringed instrument resonate, and includes a first main body substrate that contacts the upper ends of the strings in one of the two groups at a position either before or after the bridge in the longitudinal direction of the strings, a second main body substrate that contacts the upper ends of the strings at a position opposite to the first main body substrate in the other of the two groups, and a vibration device that transmits vibrations from a vibration device to each of the groups to make the stringed instrument resonate, the first main body substrate being a first main body substrate that contacts the upper ends of the strings in one of the two groups at a position either before or after the bridge in the longitudinal direction of the strings, and a second main body substrate that contacts the upper ends of the strings in the stringed instrument excitation device includes: an engagement plate attached to the first body substrate and the second body substrate opposite to the engagement plate and the second body substrate, and abutting against the lower ends of the strings where the first body substrate and the second body substrate abut; an intervening portion that biases the first body substrate and the engagement plate in a direction bringing them closer to each other between the first body substrate and the engagement plate and that biases the second body substrate and the engagement plate in a direction bringing them closer to each other between the second body substrate and the engagement plate; and a connecting portion that connects the vibration device to one end side of the first body substrate and one end side of the second body substrate, the intervening portion being formed of an elastic member and located at a position facing the side ends of the strings. Note that the stringed instrument excitation device may also have a clamping portion that clamps the string and the intervening portion located between the first body substrate and the engagement plate, and between the second body substrate and the engaging portion.

[0014] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the stringed instrument excitation system according to the present invention is configured to include the stringed instrument excitation device described above, a vibration device attached to the connection part of the stringed instrument excitation device and converting an input signal into vibration, and a sound source device that sends a signal to the vibration device. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a stringed instrument excitation device and a stringed instrument excitation system that can produce high-quality sound from a stringed instrument. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1]1 is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of a stringed instrument excitation system according to an embodiment; [Figure 2] 1 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which a stringed instrument excitation device according to an embodiment is attached to a stringed instrument. [Figure 3] 3 is a plan view showing the positional relationship between the stringed instrument excitation device and the bridge in FIG. 2. FIG. [Figure 4] 3A is a front view showing the stringed instrument excitation device of FIG. 2, FIG. 3B is a plan view showing the stringed instrument excitation device of FIG. 2, and FIG. 3C is a bottom view showing the stringed instrument excitation device of FIG. 2. [Figure 5] 4(a) is a cross-sectional view of the stringed instrument excitation device taken along line VV in FIG. [Figure 6] 6(a) is a front view showing a first modified example of the stringed instrument excitation device, (b) is a plan view showing the stringed instrument excitation device of FIG. 6(a), (c) is a bottom view showing the stringed instrument excitation device of FIG. 6(a), and (d) is an end view of the VID-VID line in the stringed instrument excitation device of FIG. 6(a). [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a front view showing a second modified example of the stringed instrument excitation device. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a front view illustrating a third modified example of the stringed instrument excitation device. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a front view illustrating a fourth modified example of the stringed instrument excitation device. [Figure 10] 10(a) is a front view illustrating an example of the state in which a wedge member used in a fifth modified example of a stringed instrument excitation device is arranged, (b) is a plan view of FIG. 10(a), and (c) is a perspective view illustrating the wedge member. [Figure 11] 1 is a graph showing the state of the fundamental tone of a violin. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In addition, common parts in the drawings are given the same reference numerals, and duplicated explanations will be omitted. This embodiment can be applied to stringed instruments such as a cello or a viola, but here we will explain it as an example where it is applied to a violin. [Overall configuration] As shown in FIG. 1, the string instrument excitation system S includes a string instrument excitation device 100 that transmits vibrations from a speaker 30, which is a vibration device, to a violin 1 (string instrument) to make the violin 1 (string instrument) sound with high sound quality, a speaker (vibration device) 30 that excites the string instrument excitation device 100, and a sound source device 50 that sends a sound signal to the speaker 30. The speaker 30 vibrates in response to the sound signal output from the sound source device 50. The sound source device 50 is a sound source that reproduces a sound signal, and the output sound signal is input to the speaker 30. The sound signal input to the speaker 30 is transmitted to the string instrument excitation device 100 as acoustic vibrations. The string instrument excitation device 100 transmits the acoustic vibrations of the speaker 30 to the violin 1 to make the violin 1 resonate. Each component will be described below.

[0018] The violin 1 is a general example, and is also applicable to stringed instruments other than the violin (for example, a cello or a viola). Violin 1 comprises a body 5 consisting of a top 2, a back 3, and side panels 4; a fingerboard 6 extending from above the top 2 toward the head; and a neck 7 fixed to the top of the body 5 on the head side and to the back of the fingerboard 6. A head 8 of the neck 7 forms a scroll 9 and is equipped with tuning pegs 10. A tailpiece 11 is fixed to the tail side of the top 2, and an adjuster 12 is attached to the tailpiece 11. A pair of f-holes 13 opening into the body 5 are formed in the top 2. The body 5 thus constitutes a Helmholtz resonator.

[0019] A bass bar (not shown) on the underside of the top 2 reinforces the top 2 and strengthens and stabilizes the bass resonance. A cylinder called a sound post (not shown) is installed inside the body 5, and transmits vibrations that reach the top 2 through the bridge 20 to the back 3. When viewed from the front, the strings 15 are bass on the left and treble on the right, with the strings being E, A, D, and G. The four strings 15e, 15a, 15d, and 15g (see Figure 1) run from the tailpiece 11 fixed to the body 5, over the bridge 20, and are hooked onto the nut 16 at the end of the fingerboard 6, and then wound onto the tuning pegs 10 beyond.

[0020] <Piece 20> Bridge 20 supports four strings 15e, 15a, 15d, and 15g in predetermined positions via string grooves 20a (see Figure 2) and transmits the vibrations of strings 15e, 15a, 15d, and 15g to top 2. Bridge 20 is installed on top 2 between fingerboard 6 and tailpiece 11 so as to be approximately perpendicular to top 2, and is removable. In the following explanation, two strings 15e and 15a, two strings 15d and 15g, or four strings 15e, 15a, 15d, and 15g will be referred to collectively as strings 15. The bridge 20 has a gently curved upper surface 20b (see Figure 2) that supports the strings 15. The bridge 20 is not symmetrical, but has different heights on the G string (low-pitched string 15g) side and the E string (high-pitched string 15e) side. By making the heights asymmetrical, each of the four strings 15 is positioned to be easy to handle when bowing and holding the instrument.

[0021] The bridge 20 has a central opening 20f penetrating through its thickness at its central upper end, and an opening 20g at the center of the bridge 20's height, with notched grooves at both ends. The central opening 20f is formed in a spiral shape, with the lower portions of the left and right elliptical holes connected. The opening 20g is also formed in a spiral shape, with a narrow groove extending to the side end face below the central opening 20f, forming an elliptical shape. The bridge 20 has one foot 20h and the other foot 20h disposed below the opening 20g. A flat bottom 20j is formed between the foot 20h. Furthermore, a circular recess 20i is formed at the side end of the one foot 20h and the other foot 20h.

[0022] In the case of a bridge 20 attached to a violin 1, the height of the bridge 20 (the height from the bottom surface of the foot 20h to the highest surface on the top end) is generally about 30 mm, and the width of the bridge 20 is generally about 45 mm. In such a bridge 20, the length of the side edge 20d from the corner 20c of the top surface 20b of the bridge 20 to the top of the spiral-shaped opening 20g is about 6 mm.

[0023] The bridge 20 also has a gradually changing thickness, with the foot 20h being thicker than the side end 20d. For example, in the case of the bridge 20 of a typical violin 1, the bridge 20 is approximately 30mm high, the side end 20d is approximately 2mm thick, and the foot 20h (bottom) is 4.5mm thick. Furthermore, the bridge 20 has one flat surface and the other opposing surface formed into a curved surface with a convex bulge. As an example, maple wood is used for the bridge 20. Maple wood has a high density that allows for effective sound transmission, and its wood fibers are regularly packed, making it suitable for use as the bridge 20 of a stringed instrument.

[0024] [Stringed instrument excitation device configuration] The configuration of the stringed instrument excitation device 100 will be described mainly with reference to Figures 3 to 5. In Figures 4(a) to 4(c) and 5, the first main body substrate 111 and the second main body substrate 112 have the same configuration, so the same reference numerals will be used to denote components that are common to both configurations. When the first main body substrate 111 and the second main body substrate 112 are collectively referred to, they will be described as the main body substrate 110. In addition, since the violin 1 has an even number of strings 15, the strings 15 are divided into groups so that one group has the same number of strings 15 as the other group, and the strings 15 of each group are engaged by being sandwiched between the first main body substrate 111 and the engagement plate 120 and the second main body substrate 112 and the engagement plate 120. The stringed instrument excitation device 100 is provided in front of and behind a bridge 20 installed on the top plate 2 (see FIG. 1) of the violin 1. The first main body substrate 111 abuts on the upper ends of two strings 15 of one group of strings 15, and the second main body substrate 112 abuts on the upper ends of two strings 15 of the other group of strings 15. The first main body substrate 111 and the second main body substrate 112 are attached opposite to the lower end surfaces of the first main body substrate 111 and the second main body substrate 112, and are respectively attached to the lower ends of the two strings 15. The substrate 110 includes engaging plates 120, 120 that abut against each other, intervening portions 140, 140 that urge the first main body substrate 111 and the engaging plates 120, 120 in a direction in which they approach each other, intervening portions 140, 140 that urge the second main body substrate 112 and the engaging plates 120, 120 in a direction in which they approach each other, and a connecting portion 110b that connects a speaker 30, which is a vibration device, to one end side of each of the first main body substrate 111 and the second main body substrate 112.

[0025] Here, the stringed instrument excitation device 100 has a clamping portion 150 in addition to the interposition portion 140. Anti-slip members 160 are arranged on the main body substrate 110 and the engagement plates 120, 120 at positions that come into contact with the two strings 15. Furthermore, the first main body substrate 111 and the second main body substrate 112 each have two engagement plates 120, but because they have the same configuration, the configuration will be described for one engagement plate 120.

[0026] <Main board 110> The main body substrate 110 is a rectangular parallelepiped member that abuts against the upper ends of the two strings 15. If the violin has four strings 15, as in the violin 1, the main body substrate 110 has a first main body substrate 111 and a second main body substrate 112. The first main body substrate 111 and the second main body substrate 112 have the same configuration and are attached to the strings 15 from opposite directions. That is, the first main body substrate 111 is attached from the side of string 15g, which is the G string, and the second main body substrate 112 is attached from the side of string 15e, which is the E string, but they have the same configuration. The first main body substrate 111 and the second main body substrate 112 are preferably made of a material that transmits vibrations easily, such as the same material as the bridge 20 (e.g., maple). The first main body substrate 111 and the second main body substrate 112 may also be made of other woods, resins, or other materials that transmit vibrations easily (i.e., lightweight materials with appropriate density and rigidity).

[0027] The first main substrate 111 has a contact surface 110a on its underside that contacts the upper ends of the two strings 15g and 15d, and a connection portion 110b on one end that connects the speaker 30. The first main substrate 111 has a contact surface 110a that includes a central curved contact surface 110a1 and flat end contact surfaces 110a2, 110a2 on both sides of the central curved contact surface 110a1. The central curved contact surface 110a1 is, for example, formed concavely so as to be concave upward. A member 160, such as a silicone rubber sheet, that has a higher frictional force than the first main substrate 111 is disposed on the contact surface 110a. The member 160 may be disposed by spraying silicone rubber or the like onto the contact surface 110a, by painting it with a brush, or by attaching a sheet. The friction-enhancing member 160 comes into direct contact with the strings 15g and 15d.

[0028] One end of the intervening portion 140 is connected to a part of the contact surface 110a, and openings for inserting the clamping portion 150 are formed so as to penetrate from the contact surface 110a and the member 160 to the upper end surface. The openings for inserting the clamping portion 150 are formed at a position between the string 15g and the intervening portion 140 and at a position between the string 15d and the intervening portion 140. The first main substrate 111 is formed so as to have an area larger than the area of ​​the engagement plates 120, 120 in a plan view. The first main substrate 111 is formed so that the end abutment planes 110a2, 110a2 portions are larger than the upper surfaces of the engagement plates 120, 120 in a plan view. The connection portion 110b of the first main substrate 111 is formed on a flat surface on which the speaker 30 is attached. In this embodiment, the diaphragm of the speaker 30 is attached to the connection portion 110b via a diaphragm connection portion 31. Note that the connection portion 110b may be configured so that the diaphragm of the speaker 30 is directly attached.

[0029] Second main substrate 112 has a contact surface 110a on its underside that contacts the upper ends of string 15a, which is the A string, and string 15e, which is the E string, and is also provided with a connection portion 110b on one end for connecting speaker 30. The second main substrate 112 has an abutment surface 110a that includes a central abutment curved surface 110a1 and end abutment planes 110a2, 110a2 on either side of the central abutment curved surface 110a1. The central abutment curved surface 110a1 is, for example, concavely curved upward. A member 160, such as a silicone rubber sheet, that has a higher frictional force than the second main substrate 112 is disposed on the abutment surface 110a. The member 160 may be disposed by spraying silicone rubber or the like onto the abutment surface 110a, or by painting it with a brush or by attaching a sheet. The friction-increasing member 160 directly abuts against the strings 15a, 15e.

[0030] One end of the intervening portion 140 is connected to a part of the contact surface 110a, and openings for inserting the clamping portion 150 are formed so as to penetrate from the contact surface 110a and the member 160 to the upper end surface. The openings for inserting the clamping portion 150 are formed at a position between the string 15a and the intervening portion 140 and at a position between the string 15e and the intervening portion 140. The second main substrate 112 is formed so as to have an area larger than the area of ​​the engagement plates 120, 120 in a plan view. The second main substrate 112 is formed so that the end abutment planes 110a2, 110a2 portions are larger than the upper surfaces of the engagement plates 120, 120 in a plan view. The connection portion 110b of the second main body substrate 112 is formed on a flat surface on which the speaker 30 is attached. In this embodiment, the diaphragm of the speaker 30 is attached to the connection portion 110b via a diaphragm connection portion 31. Note that the connection portion 110b may also be configured to directly attach the diaphragm of the speaker 30.

[0031] <Engagement plate 120> 3 and 4, the engagement plates 120 are attached to the contact surface 110a of the main body substrate 110 via the interposing portion 140, or via the interposing portion 140 and the clamping portion 150. The engagement plates 120 are arranged so as to abut against the lower ends of the strings 15. In this example, since the violin 1 has four strings 15, two engagement plates 120 are arranged on the first main body substrate 111 and two are arranged on the second main body substrate 112. As an example, the engagement plates 120 are formed in a rectangular shape in a plan view. The engagement plates 120 are smaller in area than the main body substrate 110 and are formed in a size that allows them to be placed inside both ends of the main body substrate 110 in the longitudinal direction of the strings 15.

[0032] Furthermore, the engagement plates 120 are sized to be spaced apart from adjacent engagement plates 120 when attached to the string 15. The engagement plates 120 are positioned so that the interposing portion 140 and the clamping portion 150 are on one side of the string 15. The engagement plates 120 are formed with a cylindrical convex curved surface, with the abutment surface 120a that abuts against the string 15 being convex upward. An inclined surface 120a1 is formed on one end of the abutment surface 120a, on the side where the string 15 is inserted. The presence of the inclined surface 120a1 on the engagement plate 120 makes it easier to guide the string 15 between the main substrate 110 and the engagement plate 120 when the string 15 is sandwiched between the engagement plate 120 and the main substrate 110. As an example, a member 160 having a higher frictional force than the abutment surface 120a of the engagement plate 120 is disposed on the abutment surface 120a of the engagement plate 120. The members 160 may be placed on the contact surface 120a by spraying silicone rubber or the like onto the contact surface 120a, or by painting it with a brush or attaching a sheet. The members 160 that increase friction come into direct contact with each string 15.

[0033] The engagement plate 120 is attached from the outer string 15g (string 15e) toward the inner string 15d (string 15a) so that the inclined surface 120a1 at one end faces the outer string 15g (string 15e). The distance between the engagement plate 120 and the main substrate 110 is such that the string 15 can be sandwiched between the abutment surface 120a of the engagement plate 120 and the abutment surface 110a of the main substrate 110. Therefore, it is preferable that the distance between the engagement plate 120 and the main substrate 110 be individually set so that the string 15 can be appropriately sandwiched depending on its thickness. The lower end surface of the interposition portion 140, which is located on one side of the string 15, is joined to the abutment surface 120a of the engagement plate 120. A support hole for supporting the clamping portion 150 is formed between the string 15 and the interposition portion 140. The support hole for supporting the clamping portion 150 may or may not penetrate the engagement plate 120. Both ends of the clamping portion 150 are fixed in the support holes of the engagement plate 120 with an adhesive or the like, so that the clamping portion 150 is disposed between the string 15 and the interposition portion 140 .

[0034] The thickness of the engagement plate 120 is not particularly limited, but is preferably equal to or thinner than the bridge 20 as long as it maintains a suitable rigidity. The thickness of each engagement plate 120 may also be different; for example, the thickness of one engagement plate 120 arranged on the first main body substrate 111 and the other engagement plate 120 arranged on the second main body substrate 112 may be different, or the thickness may be gradually reduced from the thick end to the thin end of the string 15. The engagement plate 120 is preferably made of a material that transmits vibrations easily, such as the same material (for example, maple) as the material of the bridge 20. However, the engagement plate 120 may also be made of other woods or resins, as long as it is made of a material that transmits vibrations easily (a material that is lightweight and has appropriate density and rigidity).

[0035] <Intervening part 140> The interposing portion 140 is made of an elastic material and is bonded between the main substrate 110 and the engagement plate 120. The interposing portion 140 biases the main substrate 110 and the engagement plate 120 in a direction that brings them closer to each other. The interposing portion 140 is disposed in a position facing one side surface of the string 15. The interposing portion 140 is formed of an elastic material, such as silicone rubber or synthetic silicone rubber, in a rectangular parallelepiped shape. The upper end surface is bonded to the contact surface 110a of the main substrate 110 and the lower end surface is bonded to the contact surface 120a of the engagement plate 120. The interposing portion 140 is bonded to the main substrate 110 and the engagement plate 120 via an adhesive. The height of the interposing portion 140 is set according to the thickness of the string 15 at the attachment position. The interposition portion 140 is formed to a height that is equal to or smaller than the diameter of the string 15 and that allows the string 15 to be sandwiched between the main substrate 110 and the engagement plate 120. Therefore, it is preferable that the height of the interposition portion 140 be varied depending on the position of the string 15 sandwiched between the main substrate 110 and the engagement plate 120. In other words, the height of the interposition portion 140 facing string 15g is greater than the others, and the height of the interposition portion 140 corresponding to string 15e is smaller than the others.

[0036] <Holding part 150> The clamping portion 150 is attached so as to bias the main substrate 110 and the engagement plate 120 in a direction that brings them closer together. The clamping portion 150 is disposed between the string 15 and the interposing portion 140. The clamping portion 150 is a linear or wide band-like elastic member, such as a thread or string, and is formed, for example, from a linear member made of silicone. The clamping portion 150 is disposed in a state in which it is fixed with an adhesive or the like to two support holes formed in the engagement plate 120 that penetrate the main substrate 110 at two locations. The clamping portion 150 is installed with a length that allows the string 15 to sandwich the main substrate 110 and the engagement plate 120. In other words, the clamping portion 150 is disposed so that the distance between the main substrate 110 and the engagement plate 120 is smaller than the thickness of the string 15 to be sandwiched. Note that the strings sandwiched between the main substrate 110 and the engagement plate 120 have different thicknesses, and therefore the length of the clamping portion 150 also varies depending on the thickness of the string 15. The clamping portion 150, together with the interposing portion 140, makes it possible to more firmly clamp the string 15 between the main substrate 110 and the engagement plate 120. The clamping portion 150 is disposed between the string 15 and the interposing portion 140 so as not to come into contact with the string 15, and by clamping the string 15 together with the interposing portion 140, it becomes possible to transmit vibrations from the main substrate 110 more accurately.

[0037] A violin 1 (stringed instrument) equipped with a stringed instrument vibration excitation device 100 can be placed on a horizontal surface as shown in Fig. 1, or it can be leaned against a wall or the like, held in the hand, or mounted on a vehicle or other means of transportation. Even in such usage, the stringed instrument vibration excitation device 100 is provided with the clamping portion 150 and the interposing portion 140, thereby reliably preventing the main body substrate 110 from falling off or shifting. Furthermore, even when the stringed instrument vibration excitation device 100 is used or installed for a long period of time, the clamping portion 150 and the interposing portion 140 can effectively prevent the main body substrate 110 from shifting.

[0038] <Connection portion 110b> The connection portion 110b is a portion that connects the speaker 30 and transmits the vibrations (sound vibrations) of the speaker 30 to the strings 15. Here, as an example, the connection portion 110b is a portion where one end surface of the main body substrate 110 is formed flat. Here, the connection portion 110b is formed so as to have a flat surface that is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the main body substrate 110. The connection portion 110b is intended to attach the speaker 30 via the diaphragm connection portion 31, for example, and may have a plurality of projections and recesses.

[0039] <Speaker 30> The speaker 30 includes a voice coil that vibrates an electric signal in the front-to-rear direction and a diaphragm (both not shown) directly connected to the voice coil. When the diaphragm vibrates, sound with a waveform equivalent to the sound signal is emitted into the air. The diaphragm is made of a circular cone paper. In this embodiment, diaphragm connection part 31 is directly attached with adhesive to a circular cone paper that is the diaphragm of speaker 30. As a result, vibrations of the diaphragm (cone paper) of speaker 30 are transmitted directly to connection part 110b of main body substrate 110 via diaphragm connection part 31.

[0040] Here, in consideration of the purpose of obtaining acoustic vibrations from the speaker 30, it is preferable to use a speaker 30 with a diaphragm having increased strength. Furthermore, since vibration transmission characteristics are generally affected by the distance over which vibrations are transmitted, it is preferable to attach the speaker 30 to the connection part 110b of the main body substrate 110. For this reason, if the speaker diaphragm has a small diameter, the diaphragm connection part 31 may be omitted. Note that in this embodiment, the speaker 30 is attached to the connection part 110b via the diaphragm connection part 31, but the diaphragm of the speaker 30 may also be attached directly to the connection part 110b.

[0041] <Sound source device 50> As shown in FIG. 1 , the sound source device 50 outputs a sound signal (input signal) to the speaker 30. The sound source device 50 may be any electronic device capable of outputting a sound signal to the speaker 30. For example, the sound source device 50 may be a computer including a CPU 51, a memory 52, an input unit 53, and an output unit 54. The sound source device 50 preferably includes a phase inversion circuit 60 that inverts the phase of the sound signal from the sound source device 50. The sound source device 50 preferably also includes a keyboard 55 for input via the input unit 53 and a display screen 56 that allows visual confirmation of the status of the sound signal output via the output unit 54. The sound source device 50 stores the sound of a stringed instrument such as a violin as a sound source in the memory 52, and outputs the sound to the speaker 30 via a string vibration sound program or the like.

[0042] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , the sound source device 50 simultaneously sends the same sound signal, representing the vibration of one of the strings 15, to two opposing speakers. The sound signal is, for example, a sound signal recorded from a violin 1, and is intended to reproduce the sound of one of the strings 15 vibrating. For example, when the strings 15 vibrate during an actual performance of a single violin 1, one or two strings 15 are plucked with the bow at a time, and the resulting sounds are sent as sound signals to both speakers 30, 30 simultaneously. When multiple violins 1 are performed, sounds from all four strings 15 are sent as sound signals to both speakers 30, 30 simultaneously, thereby vibrating all four strings 15 to produce sound. When the sound of a stringed instrument is output as a sound source using sound signals from the sound source device 50, highly realistic musical sounds that are close to those of a live performance can be reproduced.

[0043] In this embodiment, a phase inversion circuit 60 is connected to the sound source device 50. This phase inversion circuit 60 can synchronize the phase of the sound signal sent to the two speakers 30, 30, or send the sound signal with a different phase. The phase inversion circuit 60 can be operated by a signal output by operating the keyboard 55 of the sound source device 50.

[0044] The sound source device 50 includes an internal filter that divides the frequencies of the sound signals output to the speakers 30, 30 into, for example, frequencies below 1 KHz (low-mid frequency vibration) and frequencies above 1 KHz (mid-high frequency vibration). That is, it is possible to send a sound signal with a frequency above 1 KHz to one speaker 30 (on the side of strings 15e and 15a) and a sound signal with a frequency below 1 KHz to the other speaker 30 (on the side of strings 15d and 15g). In other words, by using a filter, it is possible to divide the frequency band and send sound signals separately to one speaker 30 and the other speaker 30.

[0045] The following describes the effects of the stringed instrument excitation device 100 configured as described above. <When installing> As shown in FIG. 2, the stringed instrument excitation device 100 is attached by, with the speaker 30 installed, pushing the string 15 between the openings of the main substrate 110 and the engagement plate 120 against the elastic forces of the interposition portion 140 and the clamping portion 150 to sandwich the string 15. That is, the first main substrate 111 is pushed in between the first main substrate 111 and the engagement plates 120, 120 from right to left in FIG. 2 so as to sandwich the string 15g and the string 15d. The second main substrate 112 is pushed in between the second main substrate 112 and the engagement plates 120, 120 from left to right in FIG. 2 so as to sandwich the string 15e and the string 15a. When sandwiching the string 15, the inclined surface 120a1 formed on one end of the engagement plate 120 makes it easier to smoothly guide the string 15 between the main substrate 110 and the engagement plate 120. As shown in Figure 3, the first main body substrate 111 and the second main body substrate 112 are attached in a state where a portion of them covers the upper surface portion 20b of the piece 20, and their respective engagement plates 120 are spaced apart from the piece 20 but are close to each other and do not come into contact with the piece 20.

[0046] <After installation> 2 and 3, in the stringed instrument excitation device 100, the upper surface 20b of the bridge 20 is covered by a portion of the first main body substrate 111 and a portion of the second main body substrate 112, and the engagement plate 120 is positioned away from the bridge 20, facing the speakers 30, 30 attached to the strings 15. In the first main body substrate 111, the upper ends of the strings 15g and 15d abut against the member 160 of the abutment surface 110a, and the lower ends of the strings 15g and 15d abut against the member 160 of the abutment surfaces 120a of the engagement plates 120. In the second main body substrate 112, the upper ends of the strings 15a and 15e abut against the member 160 of the abutment surface 110a, and the lower ends of the strings 15a and 15e abut against the member 160 of the abutment surfaces 120a of the engagement plates 120. As a result, the stringed instrument excitation device 100 is stably attached to the respective strings 15 in the vicinity of the bridge 20 such that the first main body substrate 111 and the second main body substrate 112 face each other on a substantially straight line in a plan view.

[0047] <Effects> (1) Basic effects According to a prototype experiment conducted by the inventor, it was confirmed that transmitting sound vibrations from the diaphragm of the speaker 30 to the connection portion 110b (see FIG. 3) of the main substrate 110 in response to a sound signal from the sound source device 50 can produce high-quality sound from the violin 1, a stringed instrument. The inventors considered the following reasons for this. Specifically, sound vibrations from the diaphragm of the speaker 30 are first transmitted to the connection portion 110b of the main substrate 110, then transmitted from the main substrate 110 to the upper ends of the strings 15, and then from the engagement plate 120 to the lower ends of the strings 15 via the interposition portion 140. By applying vibrations to the strings 15 similar to those produced by bowing when playing the violin, the violin 1 (a stringed instrument) can be made to resonate. In particular, because the engagement plate 120 is configured to abut against each string 15, the vibrations of each individual string 15 can be more accurately reflected. The inventors speculate that the frequency components of the sound vibrations transmitted to the string 15, which vibrate from the bridge 20 of the stringed instrument along the top board 2, are similar to the behavior of frequency components in actual performance of a stringed instrument. For example, they speculate that it is possible to increase the directivity of a certain frequency, like the radiation directivity pattern described in Non-Patent Document 2.

[0048] (2) Direct transmission of sound vibrations From the viewpoint of vibration transmission, the main substrate 110 of the stringed instrument excitation device 100 abuts against a plurality of (for example, two) strings 15, and the engagement plate 120 abuts against each individual string 15. As a result, the entire sound vibration from the speaker 30 is transmitted directly to the upper end of the strings 15 through the main substrate 110, and the sound signal of each string 15 is transmitted from the lower end of the string 15 from the engagement plate 120 via the intervening portion 140, thereby improving the tracking of sound vibration transmission (frequency characteristics of each vibration component). As described above, the sound vibration transmitted directly to the stringed instrument strings 15 causes the frequency components that vibrate along the top plate 2 of the stringed instrument to behave similarly to the frequency components of an actual performance of the stringed instrument, thereby enabling the production of a natural sound. Furthermore, the interposed portion 140 reduces abnormal noise (buzzing noise) that occurs when sound vibrations are transmitted to the string 15, thereby enabling a clear tone to be produced.

[0049] (3) Transmission of sound vibrations to the string 15 via the engagement plate 120 The engagement plate 120 of the stringed instrument excitation device 100 is engaged so as to abut against each string 15 of the violin 1, which is a stringed instrument. In this case, the engagement plate 120 abuts against the underside of the string 15 via the intervening portion 140, and further contacts the string 15 along the length of the engagement plate 120. Therefore, sound vibrations from the speaker 30 vibrate one string 15 that is in contact via the engagement plate 120, and are not easily affected by the other strings 15. This results in uniform vibration transmission characteristics, enabling the production of natural sound.

[0050] (4) Transmission of sound vibrations without damping effect The stringed instrument excitation device 100 sandwiches the string 15 between the main substrate 110 and the engagement plates 120, 120 via an interposing portion 140 and a clamping portion 150, which are elastic members. The interposing portion 140 and the clamping portion 150, which are elastic members, are intended to bias the main substrate 110 and the engagement plates 120, 120 in a direction toward each other, and are not intended to attenuate vibration. The interposing portion 140 and the clamping portion 150 of this embodiment are formed of a material (e.g., silicone rubber) and a shape (linear or block-shaped) that does not reduce the high-frequency characteristics during sound vibration transmission and has appropriate flexibility. Therefore, there is no risk of vibration attenuation (mute effect), no damping effect occurs, and a sufficient sound can be produced.

[0051] As described above, the stringed instrument excitation device 100 of this embodiment is placed on the strings on the front or rear side of the bridge 20 installed on the top plate 2 of the violin 1, and can produce high-quality music by vibrating the strings 15 using sound signals from the speaker 30. In particular, the stringed instrument excitation device 100 transmits acoustic vibrations from the speaker 30 from both the top and bottom sides of the string 15, so that the string 15 exerts an action on the bridge 20 similar to the behavior of the string 15 vibrating the bridge 20 during playing, thereby making the violin 1 (stringed instrument) resonate. The stringed instrument excitation device 100 vibrates the violin 1 itself, and therefore the stringed instrument excitation device 100 vibrates the strings 15, causing them to resonate through the bridge 20, just like a live performance of the violin 1, and can reproduce high-quality musical sounds that are full of realism.

[0052] It also significantly reduces the mute effect, improves the tracking of sound vibration transmission (frequency characteristics of each vibration component), and enables stable and sufficient transmission of sound vibrations. The results of a listening test of violin playback showed that the system produced well-balanced sound from low to midrange and midrange to high ranges, reproducing the rich, beautiful tone inherent to the violin and achieving an excellent sense of realism comparable to a live violin performance. In a violin performance, the scales played by the G, D, A, and E strings are defined as the fundamental notes of each string. In other words, as shown in Figure 11, the fundamental notes originally played by each of the strings 15 overlap in part, and the higher harmonics generated by fundamental tone playing also overlap in part between the strings.

[0053] In this way, by simultaneously sending the same signal that vibrates one of the strings 15 to both speakers 30, 30 so that the fundamental tones overlap, it is possible to reproduce a higher quality sound, as if playing an actual violin 1. Furthermore, if the stringed instrument is a four-string instrument such as the violin 1, low-mid frequency vibrations are applied to the G string 15g and D string 15d, which make up one group of strings 15, by a sound signal from the sound source device 50 via a filter from one vibrating device, the speaker 30, and mid-high frequency vibrations are applied to the A string 15a and E string 15e, which make up the other group of strings 15, by a sound signal from the sound source device 50 via a filter from the other vibrating device, the speaker 30. In this way, the violin 1 can reproduce sounds with higher quality.

[0054] Furthermore, the one speaker 30 and the other speaker 30 vibrate in response to a sound signal output from the sound source device 50. The sound source device 50 is a sound source that reproduces a sound signal, and the output sound signal is input to the one speaker 30 and the other speaker 30 via a phase inversion circuit 60. The phase inversion circuit 60 inverts one polarity signal of the sound signal and outputs it to either the one speaker 30 or the other speaker 30. The one speaker 30 and the other speaker 30 reproduce the sound signal input from the sound source device 50 via the phase inversion circuit 60. When the one speaker 30 and the other speaker 30 transmit vibrations to the connection portion 110b of the stringed instrument excitation device 100 in a push-pull manner, both speakers 30, 30 push and pull at the same timing. Furthermore, the phase inversion circuit 60 may be set so that one speaker 30 and the other speaker 30 are push and pull at the same timing, resulting in a system with high driving capability, responsiveness, and a wide dynamic range, allowing for high-quality reproduction of stringed instruments.

[0055] [Variations] Next, a configuration of a stringed instrument excitation device according to a modified embodiment of the present invention will be described. <Variation 1> As shown in FIGS. 6(a) to 6(d), the stringed instrument excitation device 100A of the first modification includes a bent portion 113 at the center of the main body substrate 110. That is, the first main body substrate 111A and the second main body substrate 112A each have a bent portion 113 at the center in the longitudinal direction, and the contact surfaces 110a, which are on one side and the other side, are inclined from the bent portion 113 toward each other. The angle of the bent portion 113 is set in accordance with the curvature of the upper surface portion 20b of the bridge 20. Specifically, the angle is set so that the contact surfaces 110a contact the two strings 15 at approximately the same position. That is, the lower surfaces of the strings 15 contact the bridge 20, and the contact surfaces 110a are angled so that they contact the upper surfaces of the opposing strings 15. Since the curved state of the upper surface 20b of the bridge of the violin 1 is not symmetrical from the center, the bending angle of the bending portion 113 may be different between the first main body substrate 111A and the second main body substrate 112A. Also, the engaging plate 120, the interposing portion 140, and the clamping portion 150 that respectively contact the two strings 15, 15 have the same configurations as those already described.

[0056] This allows the stringed instrument vibration excitation device 100A to be stably attached to the string 15 in close proximity to the front of the bridge 20, preventing the stringed instrument vibration excitation device 100A from falling off or becoming displaced during use. Modification 1 can more reliably prevent the stringed instrument excitation device 100A from falling off and from shifting position over time compared to the stringed instrument excitation device 100 in Fig. 2. Furthermore, since the main body substrate 110A and the engagement plate 120 are positioned to abut against the upper and lower sides of the strings 15 when they are in contact with the bridge 20, it is possible to apply vibrations from the speakers 30, 30 to the strings 15 in a state that is closer to an actual performance.

[0057] <Variation 2> As shown in Fig. 7, the stringed instrument excitation device 100B according to this embodiment has the same basic configuration as the stringed instrument excitation device 100, except that the orientation of the one engagement plate 120B is different from that of the other engagement plate 120. In other words, the other engagement plate 120B is arranged so that the open sides that receive the strings 15 face the first engagement plate 120B. The other configuration of the stringed instrument excitation device 100B is the same as that already described, and the same reference numerals are used, and further description will be omitted. In this way, by arranging the open sides of the one engagement plate 120 and the other engagement plate 120B that clamp the strings 15 facing each other, high-quality sound reproduction is maintained, and the stringed instrument excitation device 100B is more unlikely to come off the strings 15.

[0058] <Variation 3> As shown in FIG. 8, the stringed instrument excitation device 100C according to this embodiment has a basic configuration similar to that of the stringed instrument excitation device 100A, but the orientation of the other engagement plate 120B is different from that of the one engagement plate 120. That is, the other engagement plate 120B is arranged so that the open side for receiving the string 15 faces the one engagement plate 120, with the bent portion 113 at the center. The other configuration of the stringed instrument excitation device 100C is the same as that already described, and the same reference numerals are used and their explanations are omitted. In this way, by arranging the open sides of the one engagement plate 120 and the other engagement plate 120B for clamping the string 15 facing each other, high-quality sound reproduction is maintained, and the stringed instrument excitation device 100B becomes less likely to come off the string 15.

[0059] <Variation 4> 9, a stringed instrument excitation device 100D showing the configuration of Modification 4 is configured by connecting a first main body substrate 111C and a second main body substrate 112C of the stringed instrument excitation device 100C described above via a connecting portion 170. That is, the main body substrate 110 includes a first main body substrate 111C that contacts the upper ends of one of two strings 15 of the violin 1, and a second main body substrate 112C that contacts the upper ends of the other of two strings 15 of the violin 1, and the first main body substrate 111C and the second main body substrate 112C are connected at positions facing each other via the connecting portion 170, which is an elastic member. The bent portions 113, 113 of the first main body substrate 111C and the second main body substrate 112 are formed at angles that allow the contact surfaces 110a to contact the upper ends of the strings 15, 15 along the curvature of the upper surface portion 20b of the bridge 20. The bent portions 113 may each have the same angle, but it is more preferable that the angles of the bent portions 113, 113 are different in accordance with the curvature of the upper surface portion 20b of the bridge 20. The connecting portion 170 used here is preferably made of the same material as the intervening portion 140, but may be made of a different material.

[0060] Furthermore, in the stringed instrument excitation device 100D, the speakers 30 may be installed at both the connecting portions 110b, 110b, or at only one of them. Even with a single speaker 30, the stringed instrument excitation device 100D can reproduce high-quality sound because the engagement plates 120, 120B are in contact with each string 15 individually. Furthermore, the speakers 30, 30 may be connected to the connecting portions 110b, 110b via the diaphragm connecting portion 31. When using two speakers 30, 30, as already explained, the sound signal from the sound source device 50 may be separated by a filter and transmitted, or the sound source device 50 may simultaneously transmit the same signal that vibrates one of the strings 15.

[0061] <Variation 5> 10(a) to 10(c), a stringed instrument excitation device 100E showing the configuration of Modification 5 may be configured, for example, in the configuration of the stringed instrument excitation device 100 described above, such that the clamping section 150 of the first main body substrate 111 and the clamping section 150 of the second main body substrate 112 each clamp the string 15 via a wedge member 180. Note that in the stringed instrument excitation device 100E, assuming that the wedge member 180 is used, the clamping section 150 is attached so as to leave a space in which the wedge member 180 can be attached.

[0062] The wedge member 180 may be formed from the same material as the piece 20, or may be formed from resin. The wedge member 180 has, for example, first engagement grooves 182a to third engagement grooves 182c spaced apart on an inclined surface 181 of the wedge body. The wedge member 180 also has legs 183a and 183b on the underside of the wedge body to facilitate movement on the upper surface of the main substrate 110. The legs 183a and 183b are formed from a member having a rectangular cross section in a direction perpendicular to positions that are both ends in the longitudinal direction. The legs 183a and 183b may be formed from the same material as the wedge body, or may be formed from resin. The presence of legs 183a and 183b reduces the contact area of ​​wedge member 180 with main substrate 110, making it easier to move when inclined surface 181 is pressed between clamping portion 150 and the upper surface of main substrate 110, and facilitating the installation operation.

[0063] The wedge member 180 has an inclination angle set so that the inclined surface 181 brings the first main substrate 111 and the engagement plate 120 closer to each other, and also brings the second main substrate 112 and the engagement plate 120 closer to each other. The inclined surface 181 is formed in a cylindrical shape. The first to third engagement grooves 182a to 182c are formed at intervals in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the inclined surface 181. On the first main substrate 111 side, for example, the clamping portion 150 is used to engage with the first engagement groove 182a to more securely hold the string 15g, and the clamping portion 150 is used to engage with the second engagement groove 182b to more securely hold the string 15d.

[0064] Furthermore, on the second main substrate 112 side, for example, the clamping portion 150 is used to engage with the third engagement groove 182c to more securely hold the string 15e, and the clamping portion 150 is used to engage with the second engagement groove 182b to more securely hold the string 15a. In other words, the wedge member 180 uses the first engagement groove 182a when the string 15 is thick, and the third engagement groove 182c when the string 15 is thin. In this way, in the stringed instrument excitation device 100E, by using the wedge member 180, the string 15 can be more reliably clamped by the clamping portion 150, and vibrations from the speaker 30 can be transmitted to the string 15 accurately.

[0065] In addition, when the sound reproduced on a violin 1 using the stringed instrument excitation device according to the present invention was confirmed, a well-balanced sound was obtained from the low to mid-range and from the mid-range to the high range. The rich and beautiful sound unique to the violin could be reproduced, and an excellent sense of realism comparable to a live violin performance was achieved. It is presumed that the directivity of a certain frequency can be further improved, as in the radiation directivity pattern described in Non-Patent Document 2.

[0066] The present invention is not limited to the configurations described in the above embodiments and variants, and the configurations can be modified as appropriate without departing from the gist of the present invention as described in the claims. For example, the contact surface 110a of the main substrate 110 and the contact surface 120a of the engagement plate 120 may be convex curved surfaces that sandwich the string without providing a member 160 such as silicone rubber or an elastic member for anti-slip purposes. Also, the contact surface 110a of the main substrate 110 and the contact surface 120a of the engagement plate 120 may be flat surfaces, with the member 160 provided to sandwich the string.

[0067] Furthermore, the contact surface 110a of the main substrate 110 and the contact surface 120a of the engagement plate 120 may be flat, with the string 15 directly contacting the flat surface and clamped via the interposition portion 140 and the clamping portion 150. The surfaces of the contact surfaces 110a and 120a may be roughened to provide a non-slip effect. Furthermore, although the contact surface 110a has been described as a concave surface and the contact surface 120a as a convex surface, the contact surface 110a may also be formed as a convex surface that is convex downward, and the contact surface 120a as a concave surface that is concave downward. Furthermore, the high-friction member 160 on the contact surfaces 110a and 120a may be disposed only at the position where the string 15 contacts, or may be disposed over the entire surface.

[0068] The above-described embodiments and modifications have been described in detail to clearly explain the present invention, and are not necessarily limited to those including all of the configurations described. Furthermore, it is possible to replace part of the configuration of one embodiment with the configuration of another embodiment, or to add the configuration of another embodiment to the configuration of one embodiment. Furthermore, it is possible to add, delete, or replace part of the configuration of each embodiment with another configuration.

[0069] Furthermore, in each embodiment, a configuration including the clamping portion 150 has been described, but it is also possible to have only the interposition portion 140 and no clamping portion 150. Also, the wedge member 180 may be used in Modifications 1 to 4. The inclined surface of the wedge member 180 may be formed flat. Although a violin has been used as an example of a stringed instrument, other stringed instruments may be used, and the number of strings may be five, six, or more. If the number of strings 15 is even, the group can be divided into equal halves, and each of the divided strings can be clamped and engaged by a stringed instrument excitation device. If the number of strings is odd, one group can have one more string than the other, and the strings of each group can be clamped and engaged by a stringed instrument excitation device.

[0070] The sound source device 50 may also be configured to send sound signals by dividing the frequencies into low-mid frequency vibrations and mid-high frequency vibrations that vibrate one and the other of two groups of strings, whether the number of strings 15 of the stringed instrument is odd or even. That is, the low-mid frequency vibrations may be sent via the speaker 30 to a first main body substrate that holds the strings of the first group, using a filter in the sound source device 50, and the mid-high frequency vibrations may be sent via the speaker to a second main body substrate that holds the strings of the second group, using a filter in the sound source device 50. Furthermore, the sound source device 50 may send a signal that will be the left channel of a stereo signal to one of the two vibration devices, and a signal that will be the right channel of the stereo signal to the other of the two vibration devices. In this embodiment, the names "string instrument excitation device" and "string instrument excitation system" are used for the sake of convenience of explanation, but they may also be called "string instrument vibration device" or "string instrument playback system." [Explanation of symbols]

[0071] 1. Violin (string instrument) 2. Top plate 15 strings 20 pieces 20a string groove 20b Top part 20c corner 20d side end 20e side end surface 50 Sound source device 60 Phase Inverter 100, 100A, 100B, 100C, 100D, 100E Stringed Instrument Exciter 110 Main board 111 First main body board 112 Second main body board 110a Contact part 110b Connection 120 Engagement plate 140 Interposition part 150 Clamping part 160 parts 170 Connection section 180 Wedge member S String Instrument Excitation System

Claims

1. A stringed instrument excitation device for a stringed instrument that uses a plurality of strings that contact a bridge, wherein the strings are divided into two groups, with the same number of strings when the number of strings is even, and one extra string when the number of strings is odd, and vibrations from a vibrating device are transmitted to each of the groups to make the stringed instrument resonate, a first main body base plate that abuts against the upper end of the string in one of the two groups at a position either before or after the bridge in the longitudinal direction of the string; a second main body substrate in the other of the two groups, the second main body substrate being in contact with the upper end side of the string at a position opposite to the first main body substrate; engagement plates attached to the first main body substrate and the second main body substrate so as to face each other and abut against the lower end sides of the strings on which the first main body substrate and the second main body substrate abut; an intervening portion that biases the first main body substrate and the engaging plate in a direction to bring them closer to each other between the first main body substrate and the engaging plate, and that biases the second main body substrate and the engaging plate in a direction to bring them closer to each other between the second main body substrate and the engaging plate; a connection portion that connects the vibration device to one end side of the first main body substrate and one end side of the second main body substrate, The interposing portion is formed of an elastic member and is disposed at a position facing the side end of the string.

2. 2. The stringed instrument excitation device according to claim 1, further comprising a clamping portion disposed between the string and the interposition portion, which biases the first main body substrate and the engagement plate in a direction that brings them closer to each other, and the second main body substrate and the engagement plate in a direction that brings them closer to each other.

3. 2. The stringed instrument excitation device according to claim 1, wherein the contact surfaces of the first main body substrate and the engagement plate that contact the strings, and the contact surfaces of the second main body substrate and the engagement plate that contact the strings, are curved surfaces that change from flat to convex or concave.

4. 2. The stringed instrument excitation device according to claim 1, wherein members having a higher frictional force than the first main body substrate and the engaging plate, and the second main body substrate and the engaging plate are disposed at positions where the first main body substrate and the engaging plate contact the strings, and at positions where the second main body substrate and the engaging plate contact the strings.

5. the clamping portion is a linear or band-shaped elastic member, and is disposed via wedge members respectively installed on the upper end of the first main body substrate and the upper end of the second main body substrate; 3. The stringed instrument excitation device according to claim 2, wherein the wedge member has an inclined surface that tightens the first main body substrate and the engagement plate, and the second main body substrate and the engagement plate, so as to bring them closer to each other depending on the thickness of the string, and the inclined surface has a plurality of engagement grooves that are spaced apart along the inclined surface and into which parts of the clamping portion engage.

6. 2. The stringed instrument excitation device according to claim 1, wherein the first main body substrate and the second main body substrate are formed to have a larger area than the engagement plate, and when the engagement plate is positioned close to either the front or rear of the bridge, the first main body substrate and the second main body substrate are sized to cover the top of the bridge.

7. 2. The stringed instrument excitation device according to claim 1, wherein each of the first main body substrate and the second main body substrate has a bent portion bent at a position between the strings, and the bent portion causes the contact surfaces of the strings to be inclined in directions approaching each other.

8. A stringed instrument excitation device according to any one of claims 1 to 7; a vibration device attached to the connection portion of the stringed instrument vibration excitation device to convert an input signal into vibration; a sound source device that sends a signal to the vibration device.

9. 9. The stringed instrument excitation system according to claim 8, wherein the sound source device simultaneously sends the same signal to one of the vibration devices and the other of the vibration devices to vibrate any one of the strings.

10. 9. The stringed instrument excitation system according to claim 8, wherein, when the stringed instrument to be excited has four strings, the sound source device excites low-mid frequency vibrations from one of the vibration devices via a filter to the G string and D string, which constitute one of the string groups, and excites mid-high frequency vibrations from the other of the vibration devices via a filter to the A string and E string, which constitute the other of the string groups.

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