Page 13: Maximum Loudness Bowing Test
G3
D4
A4
E5
110db
100db
80db
...The Red line is the maximum bowing loudness of 'good' Stradivarius violin of 1713 ('the Physics of violins' by C. Hutchins in Scientific American magazine 11/1962)
Black line on graph above is maximum bowing loudness of our Opus # 10 on 7/26/2003.
... What may be noteable is the good power (91db average) and very even strength throughout the entire range. I would imagine the power to pick up somewhat as the varnish dries more (instrument was only 2 1/2 months old at time of this test).
'G' string,
first position
'D' string,
first position
'A' string,
first position
'E' string
end of the
fingerboard
...The "Maximum Loudness Bowing Test" is simply bowing the violin as loudly as possible while recording the loudness on a sound meter 14" from the bridge. I record the four open strings and then the first position notes on all four strings, and then play up the fingerboard on the 'E' string recording the sound meter at each note. This results in the chart above which is useful to show the strengths of a particular instrument. We are fortunate to have a good 'base-line' in a Stradivari violin with which to compare.
...I believe this information is directly comparable to the ability of the instrument's sound to 'carry' during a performance.
...This is the sound meter I used to record the data for the chart above.
...The meter is showing a reading of 87 decibels loudness.
...The yellow colored string hanging down is attached to the base of the meter and is 14" long. I use this string to gage the distance to the bridge of the violin being tested for consistency of results.
Reviewed 7/2017
Page LBC_13
<<Material from 2003....It is left as originally written for background information.>>
