Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Problem-Solving: Tuning of a Guitar String

Problem-Solving: Tuning of a Guitar String

In the case of stringed instruments like the guitar, the elastic property that determines the speed of the sound produced is its linear mass density or the mass per unit length. This is simply called the linear density. If the string's linear density is constant along the string, then the linear density is simply the total mass divided by the total length.
The string's wave speed can be regulated by varying the linear density. Tension is the other property that determines the speed of...

Bending and Torsional Moments

Bending and Torsional Moments

Bending and torsional moments are two fundamental concepts in structural engineering. They play an important role in understanding the behavior of materials and structures under different loading conditions.
The reaction developed in a structural element when subjected to an external force causes the element to bend. When a structural element bends upwards, it creates compressive normal forces on the top and tensile normal forces on the bottom, resulting in a couple that determines the bending...

Bending of Curved Members - Strain Analysis

Bending of Curved Members - Strain Analysis

The mechanics of deformation in curved members, such as beams or arches, under bending moments, involve complex responses. When such a member, symmetric about the y-axis and shaped like a segment of a circle centered at point C, is subjected to equal and opposite forces, its curvature and surface lengths change significantly. This alteration results in the shift of the curvature's center from C to C', indicating a tighter curve.
The important part of bending analysis for such a member is the...

Speed of a Transverse Wave

Speed of a Transverse Wave

The speed of a wave depends on the characteristics of the medium. For example, in the case of a guitar, the strings vibrate to produce the sound. The speed of the waves on the strings and the wavelength determine the frequency of the sound produced. The strings on a guitar have different thicknesses but may be made of similar material. They have different linear densities, and the linear density is defined as the mass per length.
One of the key properties of any wave is the wave speed. Light...

Deformations in a Transverse Cross Section

Deformations in a Transverse Cross Section

When a material is subjected to uniaxial stress, it elongates or contracts in the direction of the applied force, and also undergoes changes in the perpendicular directions. This behavior is crucial for understanding how materials behave under stress and is governed by mechanical properties such as Poisson's ratio v, which measures the ratio of transverse strain to axial strain.
As the material stretches, it expands or contracts in orthogonal directions to the load. This phenomenon varies...

Torsional Pendulum

Torsional Pendulum

A torsional pendulum involves the oscillation of a rigid body in which the restoring force is provided by the torsion in the string from which the rigid body is suspended. Ideally, the string should be massless; practically, its mass is much smaller than the rigid body's mass and is neglected.
As long as the rigid body's angular displacement is small, its oscillation can be modeled as a linear angular oscillation. The amplitude of the oscillation is an angle. The role of mass is played by the...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Acoustic characterisation of string instruments by internal cavity measurements.

The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America·2021

Same author

The violin bridge-island input filter.

The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America·2018

Same author

Violin plate modes.

The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America·2015

See all related articles

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 26, 2026

Dendrochronological Dating and Provenancing of String Instruments

Dendrochronological Dating and Provenancing of String Instruments

Published on: October 6, 2022

The violin bow: taper, camber and flexibility.

¹School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Birmingham, B15 2TT, United Kingdom. profgough@googlemail.com

The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America

|January 10, 2012

Summary

This study introduces a simplified violin bow model to analyze bending profiles and strength under tension. It reveals how bow hair tension significantly impacts flexibility and stability, preventing buckling.

Area of Science:

Physics of Musical Instruments
Mechanical Engineering
Acoustics

Background:

The behavior of a violin bow under tension is crucial for musical performance.
Existing models may not fully capture the complex interplay of forces and deformations.

Purpose of the Study:

To develop a simplified analytical model for the modern violin bow.
To describe bending profiles and strength as a function of bow hair tension.
To investigate the critical buckling loads and large deformation behavior.

Main Methods:

Introduction of an analytic, small-deflection model for a uniform cross-section stick.
Consideration of illustrative bending profiles (cambers).
Extension of analysis using non-linear, large deformation, finite element computations.

More Related Videos

Biomechanical Analysis Methods to Assess Professional Badminton Players' Lunge Performance

Biomechanical Analysis Methods to Assess Professional Badminton Players' Lunge Performance

Published on: June 11, 2019

Practical Considerations for the Design, Execution, and Interpretation of Studies Involving Whole-Bone Bending Tests of Rodent Bones

Practical Considerations for the Design, Execution, and Interpretation of Studies Involving Whole-Bone Bending Tests of Rodent Bones

Published on: September 1, 2023

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 26, 2026

Dendrochronological Dating and Provenancing of String Instruments

Dendrochronological Dating and Provenancing of String Instruments

Published on: October 6, 2022

Biomechanical Analysis Methods to Assess Professional Badminton Players' Lunge Performance

Biomechanical Analysis Methods to Assess Professional Badminton Players' Lunge Performance

Published on: June 11, 2019

Practical Considerations for the Design, Execution, and Interpretation of Studies Involving Whole-Bone Bending Tests of Rodent Bones

Practical Considerations for the Design, Execution, and Interpretation of Studies Involving Whole-Bone Bending Tests of Rodent Bones

Published on: September 1, 2023

Generalization of the Tourte bow taper model for various string instruments.

Main Results:

Demonstrated strong dependence of bow flexibility on longitudinal forces.
Showed forces comparable to critical buckling loads, risking excessive sideways buckling.
Extended analysis to tensions exceeding the critical buckling strength for straight sticks.

Conclusions:

The simplified model accurately describes bow bending profiles and strength.
Bow hair tension is a critical factor influencing bow stability and performance.
The generalized taper model provides a framework for analyzing different string instrument bows.