String Instruments—Plucked
Jim Woodhouse · Oxford University Press eBooks · 2022
Abstract This chapter provides an introduction to the scientific study of plucked-string instruments, concentrating on aspects that are of direct relevance to performers. Points of similarity and contrast with bowed-string instruments are discussed. A key similarity is in the question of what governs the loudness of any acoustical string instrument. The key contrast is in the manner in which a plucked string vibrates: this is governed by simpler physics than the vibration of a bowed string, so that scientific understanding is more complete. The chapter ends with a discussion of the physics underlying the selection of strings for a plucked instrument. Because of the nature of the subject matter, the organization of the chapter does not separate the background science from the implications for performance. As each successive topic is discussed, implications for performers and teachers are discussed in an integrated way.