In Italy during the 17th & 18th centuries (knowns as the Cremonese-era), classical music’s popularity and profundity were reaching a feverish pitch. Fortunately for the Vivaldi’s and Cherubini’s of that era, instrument makers like Amati, Stradivari and Guarneri had also reached the pinnacle of their abilities. As a testament to their skill, their instruments are still played by the most accomplished musicians and retail for millions of dollars a piece.
While the value of and quality of these instruments has long been above scrutiny, one question remained: Did Cremonese-era violin makers know why their instruments were so extraordinary?
To answer that question, MIT’s researchers sifted through and analyzed the drawings, X-rays and CAT scans of hundreds of Cremonese violins. Intensively comparing each violin’s most critical features and acoustic resonances.
Researchers found that the shape and length of the “f-holes” that adorn each violin’s face had a profound effect on it’s sound. While they only use a small amount of real estate on a violin’s face, these specially sculpted crevasses produce a full-throated, complete sound that wasn’t evident in the violins, rebecs and lutes of previous centuries.
Another piece that played a major role in creating the unique sound of these instruments was the wooden backplate opposite the violin’s f-holes, which vibrates in response to the air vibrations created by each string’s hum. Researchers discovered that the finest violins have a thicker backplate that boosts to the instrument’s sound.
But the real question is: Did these virtuosos understand the physics and engineering behind their methods? Unfortunately, it appears they did not.
After running the measurements of a host of violins through an evolutionary model, researchers agreed that while Cremonese craftsman knew what layout would work best for their violins, it was craftsmanship error that brought about the evolution of the era’s finest instruments.
“People had to be listening, and had to be picking things that were more efficient, and were making good selection of what instrument to replicate,” said Nicholas Makris, a professor at MIT. "Whether they understood 'Oh, we need to make [the sound hole] more slender', we can’t say. But they definitely knew what was a better instrument to replicate."
Although the 17th and 18th century’s masters may not have known the engineering minutia that caused their masterpieces to sing, that doesn’t really matter to me.
While there’s no doubt that better products can be created by understanding the reason why Nature acts one way or another, sometimes it’s good to let your eyes, ears, gut and even your mistakes direct your designs. Provided those aren’t the guiding principle for rockets, roller coasters or anything remotely dangerous.
Source: MIT