Air and tap resonances align with open-string fundamentals that differ across instrument sizes

Evidence

There are basic differences between the members of the orchestral string family (violin, viola, cello and dou­ ble bass). They differ from each other acoustically in that the size of the body of each instrument becomes smaller relative to the f0 values of the open strings (e.g., Hutchins, 1978). The air and tap resonances approximately coincide as follows: for the violin with f0 of the D4 (2nd string) and A4 (3rd string) strings respectively, for the viola with f0 values approximately Figure 4. — David Howard, Jamie Angus, coustics and Psychoacoustics, 1151

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Resonance placement differences explain each string instrument’s characteristic tone — David Howard, Jamie Angus, coustics and Psychoacoustics, 1153; Air and top-plate resonances dominate violin low-frequency response — David M. Howard, Jamie Angus, Acoustics and Psychoacoustics, 1116; An instrument’s playability depends on many cooperating, accurately tuned resonances — Eric J. Heller, Why You Hear What You Hear- An…, 1555 (+2 more)

Broader Connections

• Resonance placement differences explain each string instrument’s characteristic tone #expands (0.92) — David Howard, Jamie Angus, coustics and Psychoacoustics, 1153
• Air and top-plate resonances dominate violin low-frequency response #corroborates (0.85) — David M. Howard, Jamie Angus, Acoustics and Psychoacoustics, 1116
• Luthiers’ informal tap testing is an impulse response probing the full string-to-air chain #exemplifies (0.82)
• An instrument’s playability depends on many cooperating, accurately tuned resonances #corroborates (0.80) — Eric J. Heller, Why You Hear What You Hear- An…, 1555