The inharmonicity of real strings is a desirable feature, not a defect

Evidence

A string is essentially a one-dimensional object. We will find that the ideal string possesses a perfectly harmonic (equally spaced in frequency; all frequencies an integer multiple of the fundamental) series of modes. Real strings have some thickness, ruining the perfectly harmonic frequencies we shall derive here. Far from a bug, the mistuned partials of real strings are a feature that we have grown to love and expect. A piano sounds artificial without them. — Eric J. Heller, Why You Hear What You Hear- An…, 762

Categorization

Category: Contrarian or Surprising Claims

• XREF: Links to the reader’s general interest in why we hear what we hear — the timbre/perception question connects to ideal vs. real physical models across instruments.

Related

• Real strings’ slightly mistuned partials are a loved feature, not a flaw. (similarity 0.92)
• String-instrument inharmonicity is testable as contributing to sound quality (similarity 0.87)
• A string’s stiffness raises its higher-frequency modes above the ideal values (similarity 0.87)
• Slightly inharmonic spectra are musically preferred over strictly harmonic ones (similarity 0.86)
• String instrument inharmonicity may be not merely unavoidable but perceptually desirable (similarity 0.86)
• Real strings show slightly sharp partials because tight curvature stiffens them like bars (similarity 0.85)
• Slightly mistuned piano strings produce richer, longer-lasting sound (similarity 0.85)
• String instruments naturally produce inharmonic partial spectra. (similarity 0.85)
• String stiffness raises the frequency of a piano’s higher modes relative to the fundamental. (similarity 0.84)
• Higher modes of a lumped bead string are not equally spaced, ruining periodicity (similarity 0.84)
• Inharmonic strings would sound like chimes regardless of frets or fingering (similarity 0.83)
• Octave stretching on pianos emerges directly from string inharmonicity (similarity 0.82)
• A tiny extra mass ruins a string’s harmonic spacing and makes it sound sour (similarity 0.82)
• Real piano strings force a stretched tuning to avoid audible beats (similarity 0.82)
• Harmonic spectra never occur exactly in real objects (similarity 0.82)

Broader Connections

• Slightly inharmonic spectra are musically preferred over strictly harmonic ones #corroborates (0.95) — Professor Dr.-Ing. Hugo Fastl, Professor Dr.-Ing. Eberhard, Psychoacoustics- Facts and Models, 2049
• The harmonic overtone series of strings is a lucky gift, not a fixable property #corroborates (0.90) — Eric J. Heller, Why You Hear What You Hear- An…, 837
• Slightly mistuned piano strings produce richer, longer-lasting sound #corroborates (0.85) — David Howard, Jamie Angus, coustics and Psychoacoustics, 1127
• Gamelan avoids perfect octaves because bell partials are inharmonic #corroborates (0.80) — Eric J. Heller, Why You Hear What You Hear- An…, 2415
• Octave stretching on pianos emerges directly from string inharmonicity #expands (0.75) — David M. Howard, Jamie Angus, Acoustics and Psychoacoustics, 1096
• Higher modes of a lumped bead string are not equally spaced, ruining periodicity #exemplifies (0.75) — Eric J. Heller, Why You Hear What You Hear- An…, 851
• String stiffness makes higher frequencies travel faster, changing timbre #complicates (0.70) — David Howard, Jamie Angus, coustics and Psychoacoustics, 84