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Sound post
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ina string instrument, the sound post or soundpost is a small dowel
inside the instrument under the treble end of the bridge, spanning the
space between the top and back plates and held in place by fiiction. It
serves as a structural support for an archtop instrument, transfers sound,
from the top plate to the back plate and alters the tone of the instrument
by changing the vibrational modes of the plates.
The sound post is sometimes referred to as the ame, a French word
meaning soul’, The bow has also been referred to as the soul of these
instruments. The Italians use the same term, anima, for this."
Sound posts are used:
= Inall members of the violin family;
= Insome members of the viol family;
= In some archtop guitars;
= In other string instruments.
Contents
1 Sound post adjustment
2 Effect of position on the instrument
3 See also
4 References
5 Extemal links
Sound post adjustment
The position of the sound post inside a violin is critical, and moving it by
very small amounts (as little as 0.5mm or 0.25mm, or less) can make a
big difference in the sound quality and loudness of an instrument.
Specialized tools for standing up or moving a sound post are
commercially available. Often the pointed end ofan S-shaped setter is
sharpened with a file and left rough, to grip the post a bit better.
‘The sound post is the piece n°S.
& i
Sound post setting tool
Soundpost adjustment is as much art as science, depending on the ears, experience, structural sense, and sensitive
touch of the luthier. The rough guidelines in the following section outline the effects of various moves, but the
interaction of al the factors involved keeps it from being a simple process. Moving the sound post has very
complex consequences on the sound. In the end, its the car of the person doing the adjusting that determines the
desired location of the post.
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1emia ‘Sound post- Wiipodia, to tr eneylopada
Effect of position on the instrument
Moving the sound post towards the fingerboard tends to increase brilliance and loudness. Moving the sound post
towards the tail piece decreases the loudness and adds a richness or hollowness to the tonal quality of the
instrument. Moving it towards the outside of the instrument increases brightness and moving in towards the middle
of the instrument increases the lower frequencies. There is very little room to move the post fom side to side
without fitting a new post (or shortening the existing one) since tension (how firmly the post is wedged between top
and back) plays an important role in tone adjustment. Perfect wood-to-wood fit at both ends of the post is critical
to getting the desired sound.
Darkens tone,
May intensify middle
and lower strings,
Volume and eemcsiicanscilltll] Volume and
frequency brilliance
fine tuning More direct
Richer
sound,
Brighter tone for higher strings
‘May intensify top register
See also
= Bass bar
References
1. * David D. Boyden. "Ame", Grove Music Online, ed. L. Macy (accessed May 20, 2006), grovemusie.com
(hutps/www.grovemusic.com/) (subscription access).
External links
= How to Set a Sound Post (http://www. violins.on.ca/luthier/soundpost.html) (contains introduction to and
theory of the sound post)
= Musical Instrument Makers Forum (http:/www.mimfcom)
* Violin Discussion Forum (http //www.fiddleforum.confiddleforunvindex. php?board~31.0/) Section on
building and maintaining violins
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Categories: String instrument construction
= This page was last modified on 10 March 2013 at 20:24.
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