On Timbre Parameters and Sound Levels of Recorded Old Violins
Anders B Uen · 2007
A simplified version of Dunnwald-; timbre parameters for violin sound [L (bass), ACD-B (nasality), and DE-F (clarity)] is used to compare the sound of 15 violins by Antonio Stradivari and 15 by Giuseppe Guarneri del Gesii. The parameters were extracted from ?h-octave band long-time-average spectra obtained from CD recordings of the same musical excerpt played on each of these fine violins. A considerable spread in these parameters and the sound pressure levels (loudness) was found in both groups of Cremonese violins. A simple statistical analysis indicates that tbere seems to be a slight trade-off between overall sound power output and high values for the timbre parameters of the 30 violins. A weak trend was found between production year and parameter values. Guarneri violins tended toward less bass and more nasality, increasing clarity, and stronger sound, especially during the maker's later years. Stradivari's violins indicate an opposite trend over a longer time span: more bass, less nasality, and slightly less loud with time. The brilliance of Stradivari violins (in the set of 15) seems to be unaltered with production year.