Re: [math-fun] 3D printers & musical instruments
It also occurred to me that one could build a "smart" tuning "peg" for stringed instruments that would measure the tuning of that particular string and adjust itself to always be in proper tune. While tuning for 4 strings isn't that much work, keeping a piano constantly in tune might be a significant advantage. I don't know the going rate for piano tuning, but it isn't cheap, but it is amazingly difficult to schedule if you've got an upcoming concert. -----Original Message-----
From: Hilarie Orman <ho@alum.mit.edu> Sent: Jul 24, 2018 4:30 PM To: math-fun@mailman.xmission.com Subject: Re: [math-fun] 3D printers & musical instruments
There are 3D printed violins, but they are indeed too heavy. There are electric violins with lovely 3D printed pieces, and there is some hope for customizing such instruments to the anatomy of the artist, and that might be worth the cost of the instrument (for jazz or country musicians).
Let me note (a 441 A) in passing that the mystique of a Strad is largely due to marketing hype from a couple of hundred years ago. Yes, they are generally very good instruments, but they have been modified from their original construction to meet modern demands (and to repair them from sometimes awful injuries!). Newly minted instruments from a master luthier can sound equally good.
In considering design alternatives based on "aesthetics", it is important to consider the artist as part of that. The instrument must respond to control by the artist, it must be predictable, it must have a range of dimensions and an intuitive interface with tactile feedback. I think that this might be achieved with nanomaterials and active control. I've no idea how to do this, nor if it amounts to "reinvent wood."
Hilarie
On Mon, 16 Jul 2018 at 09:22:19 -0400 Richard Howard contended:
Airplanes don't have feathers. Given 3D printing and full acoustic simulation, why would you make a "violin". That design came from another set of constraints (properties of wood, available configuration tools, etc.). New instrument would be based on other constraints, which could use principles of aesthetics.
--R
On Mon, Jul 16, 2018 at 3:34 AM, Simon Plouffe <simon.plouffe@gmail.com> wrote:
âHello,
they made one experiment once to make a violin from scratch using a design based on acoustic and physics only, they actually âsucceeded in making one, the sound was good, even comparable to a Stradivarius, it worked, the only thing is that the violin was ugly. The article was on Scientific American a long time ago.
I think that 3D printing is about the same, we probably could print a violin, it could also sound pretty good, but it won't replace the look and feel and lightness of a wooden real model. Does anybody ever saw the film : The Red Violin ?
Best regards, Simon Plouffe
This is already a thing: http://www.gibson.com/Products/Min-ETune.aspx It doesn't have a great reputation amongst musicians. On Tue, Jul 24, 2018 at 8:52 PM hbaker1 <hbaker1@pipeline.com> wrote:
It also occurred to me that one could build a "smart" tuning "peg" for stringed instruments that would measure the tuning of that particular string and adjust itself to always be in proper tune.
While tuning for 4 strings isn't that much work, keeping a piano constantly in tune might be a significant advantage.
I don't know the going rate for piano tuning, but it isn't cheap, but it is amazingly difficult to schedule if you've got an upcoming concert.
-----Original Message-----
From: Hilarie Orman <ho@alum.mit.edu> Sent: Jul 24, 2018 4:30 PM To: math-fun@mailman.xmission.com Subject: Re: [math-fun] 3D printers & musical instruments
There are 3D printed violins, but they are indeed too heavy. There are electric violins with lovely 3D printed pieces, and there is some hope for customizing such instruments to the anatomy of the artist, and that might be worth the cost of the instrument (for jazz or country musicians).
Let me note (a 441 A) in passing that the mystique of a Strad is largely due to marketing hype from a couple of hundred years ago. Yes, they are generally very good instruments, but they have been modified from their original construction to meet modern demands (and to repair them from sometimes awful injuries!). Newly minted instruments from a master luthier can sound equally good.
In considering design alternatives based on "aesthetics", it is important to consider the artist as part of that. The instrument must respond to control by the artist, it must be predictable, it must have a range of dimensions and an intuitive interface with tactile feedback. I think that this might be achieved with nanomaterials and active control. I've no idea how to do this, nor if it amounts to "reinvent wood."
Hilarie
On Mon, 16 Jul 2018 at 09:22:19 -0400 Richard Howard contended:
Airplanes don't have feathers. Given 3D printing and full acoustic simulation, why would you make a "violin". That design came from another set of constraints (properties of wood, available configuration tools, etc.). New instrument would be based on other constraints, which could use principles of aesthetics.
--R
On Mon, Jul 16, 2018 at 3:34 AM, Simon Plouffe < simon.plouffe@gmail.com> wrote:
​Hello,
they made one experiment once to make a violin from scratch using a design based on acoustic and physics only, they actually ​succeeded in making one, the sound was good, even comparable to a Stradivarius, it worked, the only thing is that the violin was ugly. The article was on Scientific American a long time ago.
I think that 3D printing is about the same, we probably could print a violin, it could also sound pretty good, but it won't replace the look and feel and lightness of a wooden real model. Does anybody ever saw the film : The Red Violin ?
Best regards, Simon Plouffe
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Interesting idea. It is necessary for the adjustment mechanism to be fairly small and lightweight. How about a "smart string"? The sensing of the tone has to be done some distance from the instrument, so I foresee a phone app for that. Bluetooth comms to the string molecules. On command from the conductor (the orchestra leader, not the electrical wiring). Imagine tuning the entire string section in one second! Hilarie Harmoniously, on Tue, 24 Jul 2018 at 20:51:53 -0700 (GMT-07:00) hbaker1 intoned:
It also occurred to me that one could build a "smart" tuning "peg" for stringed instruments that would measure the tuning of that particular string and adjust itself to always be in proper tune.
While tuning for 4 strings isn't that much work, keeping a piano constantly in tune might be a significant advantage.
I don't know the going rate for piano tuning, but it isn't cheap, but it is amazingly difficult to schedule if you've got an upcoming concert.
-----Original Message-----
From: Hilarie Orman <ho@alum.mit.edu> Sent: Jul 24, 2018 4:30 PM To: math-fun@mailman.xmission.com Subject: Re: [math-fun] 3D printers & musical instruments
There are 3D printed violins, but they are indeed too heavy. There are electric violins with lovely 3D printed pieces, and there is some hope for customizing such instruments to the anatomy of the artist, and that might be worth the cost of the instrument (for jazz or country musicians).
Let me note (a 441 A) in passing that the mystique of a Strad is largely due to marketing hype from a couple of hundred years ago. Yes, they are generally very good instruments, but they have been modified from their original construction to meet modern demands (and to repair them from sometimes awful injuries!). Newly minted instruments from a master luthier can sound equally good.
In considering design alternatives based on "aesthetics", it is important to consider the artist as part of that. The instrument must respond to control by the artist, it must be predictable, it must have a range of dimensions and an intuitive interface with tactile feedback. I think that this might be achieved with nanomaterials and active control. I've no idea how to do this, nor if it amounts to "reinvent wood."
Hilarie
On Mon, 16 Jul 2018 at 09:22:19 -0400 Richard Howard contended:
Airplanes don't have feathers. Given 3D printing and full acoustic simulation, why would you make a "violin". That design came from another set of constraints (properties of wood, available configuration tools, etc.). New instrument would be based on other constraints, which could use principles of aesthetics.
--R
On Mon, Jul 16, 2018 at 3:34 AM, Simon Plouffe <simon.plouffe@gmail.com> wrote:
âHello,
they made one experiment once to make a violin from scratch using a design based on acoustic and physics only, they actually âsucceeded in making one, the sound was good, even comparable to a Stradivarius, it worked, the only thing is that the violin was ugly. The article was on Scientific American a long time ago.
I think that 3D printing is about the same, we probably could print a violin, it could also sound pretty good, but it won't replace the look and feel and lightness of a wooden real model. Does anybody ever saw the film : The Red Violin ?
Best regards, Simon Plouffe
participants (3)
-
hbaker1 -
Hilarie Orman -
Tom Duff