Vibration device
Technical Background
Aging devices for wooden musical instruments are known. For example, a device consists of a hygroscopic, soundproof, and sound-absorbing insulation material made of cellulose fiber with small voids or a material with equivalent properties, layered with an inner wall material that has sound-absorbing properties sufficient to avoid emphasizing standing waves due to internal dimensions and permeability. The outer wall material is wood-based or has equivalent properties with waterproofing, permeability, and soundproofing. The surrounding structure is formed by a composite wall with an openable door made of a wall material with properties equivalent to the composite wall, containing a storage space maintained at a higher temperature than the outside with a heater. Inside, it houses objects like wooden musical instruments or items made of natural plant or animal materials, while music is played through an acoustic device to perform acoustic excitation.
Current Issues
Historical Development of Violins
It is well known that violins and other string instruments made in the village of Cremona in northern Italy between the late seventeenth and eighteenth centuries have been passed down through generations of great musicians. Even after more than three hundred years, they still captivate modern ears and hearts. Stradivari-made violins are called Stradivarius, and Guarneri-made violins are called Guarneri del Gesù. It is said that no violins superior to those made by these two craftsmen have ever existed. Stradivari made about two thousand violins in his lifetime, of which about six hundred remain, with only about one hundred of these still used in performances.
The remaining four hundred violins are either displayed in famous museums or memorial halls worldwide, kept in vaults of public facilities, or held in collections by wealthy individuals. However, many musicians have lamented that violins stored without being played for hundreds of years take years to bring out their original magnificent tones. This suggests that managing these instruments by temperature and humidity alone may not be sufficient for instruments like the Stradivarius or Guarneri del Gesù.
Unique Structure of Violins
Many books on violins note that “the violin is the closest instrument to a human.” The body of the violin, called the resonator, generates unique resonance frequencies associated with the f-holes on the soundboard. Each handmade violin is unique, making it practically impossible to create identical resonators. Therefore, each string instrument, not just violins, has its distinct, individual tone. The most unique part of a violin’s structure is the sound post, a 6mm thick spruce rod sandwiched between the soundboard and the backboard. It is not glued but amplifies the vibrations of the soundboard and backboard. The sound and resonance can change dramatically based on the precise position of the sound post. The position is determined by the experience of the violin maker and skilled musicians. The bass bar, a thin strip attached to the back of the soundboard, and the arch-shaped soundboard and backboard are designed to produce the best resonance sound when shaped into a violin.
Characteristics of Violins as Instruments
In Masayuki Nakazawa’s book “The Truth and Lies of Stradivarius,” he notes on pages 56 and 57 that “violins, assembled from about fifty-five parts, are living beings made mostly of organic materials.” This sentiment is shared not only by makers but also by many musicians who have played a famous instrument for the first time. It is not an exaggeration to say that violins labeled as masterpieces fulfill their life as living beings through the playing of great musicians. However, many violins, masterpieces though they are, are stored in conditions akin to dark coffins, managed only by temperature and humidity. Many musicians have stated that even if these violins were fortunately passed to great musicians years or centuries later, it took considerable time to revive the sound characteristic of the era when they were made.
Solution to the Problem
To achieve the above objective, a vibration imparting device is provided. This device comprises a bone conduction speaker, a placement part for the vibrating body, and a vibration transmission part that transmits the inherent vibrations generated by the bone conduction speaker to the placement part. This arrangement helps to suppress the deterioration of the performance of the vibrating body.
Claims
[Claim 1]
Bone conduction speaker,
A mounting portion on which a vibrated body is mounted;
A vibration transmission unit configured to transmit natural vibration generated by the bone conduction speaker to the placement unit; and
A control unit configured to change a frequency of the natural vibration generated by the bone conduction speaker based on a determination result of whether or not an appropriate vibration is applied to the vibrated body with reference to a natural vibration at which a stringed instrument resonates; and
The vibration imparting device according to claim 1, wherein
[Claim 2]
The vibration imparting device according to claim 1, further comprising an airtight portion that covers the stringed instrument placed on the placement portion and keeps an inside thereof airtight.
[Claim 3]
The vibration imparting device according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a portable handle.
[Claim 4]
The vibration imparting device according to claim 1 or 3, wherein the object to be vibrated is a stringed instrument or wood which is a material of the stringed instrument.