GIANNA VIOLINS VOICING
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While the top and back are still thick, I tap them all over. I listen to the character of the tone, to how quickly the sound comes
off the wood. I press and flex the wood to feel how strong it is. After a while, I begin to have a vision of how the violin could
be. Some want to have a deep, mournful tone. Some wish to sing brilliantly. All must be coaxed to act like a violin across
the entire range while highlighting that particular character.
While no clear consensus exists on how to make a violin sound good, a systematic approach is required to get a consistent
sound. I have a system I follow for our various models that makes my job of making violins sound as I intend much easier.
In general, the shape of the arching determines the character of the violin, with appropriate thicknessing of the top and back
bringing that character into focus and assuring quick, even, and powerful response. Proper thicknessing ensures even
response across the strings and in all positions, a consistent tone across the strings, ability to play softly, and brilliant
projection.
I follow a systematic and comprehensive approach for voicing the entire violin, beginning with thicknessing the top and back
for a clear, focused sound. Each violin’s wood seems to want to work a slightly different way. Simply measuring thicknesses
will not allow the violin to perform optimally. Unfortunately, most violins are simply carved to a measured thickness. Once the
violin is assembled and varnished, I manipulate various body resonances to get a powerful and balanced response. For
example, violins often have very stiff fingerboards that badly impact the pitch or heavy tailpieces that fail to vibrate at an
appropriate pitch. To counter this, I generally thin the fingerboards and necks.
I use elements of four different thicknessing systems for the top of violins. Depending on the violin model I’m working on or
the particular piece of wood I may mix and match elements. The primary system is the nearly uniform top thickness as seen
in later Stradivari violins. Another system producing a darker tone has a thicker center and thinner edges. A third system
uses specific thin and thick areas to control the vibration modes of the top. Finally, recent research shows that the very
center of the top is often thin on old Italian violins. Sometimes I adopt this approach.
I use several techniques to help me understand the top. I tap on the interior surface systematically using a method
developed by Isaac Vigdorchik. I also check the overall tone of certain areas of the top using a system invented by Keith
Hill. These are somewhat exclusive of each other. One or other will start to work and I will go with it. I also check the
response of the edges all the way around. Sometimes I will vibrate the top with sound waves and watch glitter placed on the
surface show me the nodal points and the frequencies at which they occur. Eventually I will get the top ringing nicely.
Once the top is working well, I fit the bass bar. The bass bar is a longitudinal brace supporting the top on the bass side.
This bar is important to maintain structural integrity and to provide bass response. Unfortunately, the bar can damp certain
frequencies giving an irregular response. I have developed a tuning system that allows me to keep the bar in tune with the
top along its length. This prevents dead spots and ensures even, powerful response.
For the back, I follow a relatively simple thick-center, thin-edge approach.
The bridge supporting the strings above the top is the most crucial piece of the violin to tune. A finely made violin will not
sound good with a badly done bridge. First, the feet must fit perfectly. I then cut the bridge into a lens shape, with most of
the bulge on the fingerboard side. At this point, I also compensate the bridge, leaving the E string a little closer to the finger
board. I leave it a little thick, then play the violin to determine how well the bridge is working. I reduce the width of the feet
little by little until I can hear that the power of the strings matches the power handling abilities of the violin. I gradually reduce
the top thickness until I get just the right amount of filtering. Then I thin portions of the bridge to balance the string. Finally I
set the overall roll-off frequency of the bridge to bring out the formant overtones.
Other elements of the violin affecting tone include the neck and fingerboard, the tailpiece, and the chinrest. I may work with
one or more of these to improve the tone or balance.
Stephen Perry, Luthier Gianna Violins
off the wood. I press and flex the wood to feel how strong it is. After a while, I begin to have a vision of how the violin could
be. Some want to have a deep, mournful tone. Some wish to sing brilliantly. All must be coaxed to act like a violin across
the entire range while highlighting that particular character.
While no clear consensus exists on how to make a violin sound good, a systematic approach is required to get a consistent
sound. I have a system I follow for our various models that makes my job of making violins sound as I intend much easier.
In general, the shape of the arching determines the character of the violin, with appropriate thicknessing of the top and back
bringing that character into focus and assuring quick, even, and powerful response. Proper thicknessing ensures even
response across the strings and in all positions, a consistent tone across the strings, ability to play softly, and brilliant
projection.
I follow a systematic and comprehensive approach for voicing the entire violin, beginning with thicknessing the top and back
for a clear, focused sound. Each violin’s wood seems to want to work a slightly different way. Simply measuring thicknesses
will not allow the violin to perform optimally. Unfortunately, most violins are simply carved to a measured thickness. Once the
violin is assembled and varnished, I manipulate various body resonances to get a powerful and balanced response. For
example, violins often have very stiff fingerboards that badly impact the pitch or heavy tailpieces that fail to vibrate at an
appropriate pitch. To counter this, I generally thin the fingerboards and necks.
I use elements of four different thicknessing systems for the top of violins. Depending on the violin model I’m working on or
the particular piece of wood I may mix and match elements. The primary system is the nearly uniform top thickness as seen
in later Stradivari violins. Another system producing a darker tone has a thicker center and thinner edges. A third system
uses specific thin and thick areas to control the vibration modes of the top. Finally, recent research shows that the very
center of the top is often thin on old Italian violins. Sometimes I adopt this approach.
I use several techniques to help me understand the top. I tap on the interior surface systematically using a method
developed by Isaac Vigdorchik. I also check the overall tone of certain areas of the top using a system invented by Keith
Hill. These are somewhat exclusive of each other. One or other will start to work and I will go with it. I also check the
response of the edges all the way around. Sometimes I will vibrate the top with sound waves and watch glitter placed on the
surface show me the nodal points and the frequencies at which they occur. Eventually I will get the top ringing nicely.
Once the top is working well, I fit the bass bar. The bass bar is a longitudinal brace supporting the top on the bass side.
This bar is important to maintain structural integrity and to provide bass response. Unfortunately, the bar can damp certain
frequencies giving an irregular response. I have developed a tuning system that allows me to keep the bar in tune with the
top along its length. This prevents dead spots and ensures even, powerful response.
For the back, I follow a relatively simple thick-center, thin-edge approach.
The bridge supporting the strings above the top is the most crucial piece of the violin to tune. A finely made violin will not
sound good with a badly done bridge. First, the feet must fit perfectly. I then cut the bridge into a lens shape, with most of
the bulge on the fingerboard side. At this point, I also compensate the bridge, leaving the E string a little closer to the finger
board. I leave it a little thick, then play the violin to determine how well the bridge is working. I reduce the width of the feet
little by little until I can hear that the power of the strings matches the power handling abilities of the violin. I gradually reduce
the top thickness until I get just the right amount of filtering. Then I thin portions of the bridge to balance the string. Finally I
set the overall roll-off frequency of the bridge to bring out the formant overtones.
Other elements of the violin affecting tone include the neck and fingerboard, the tailpiece, and the chinrest. I may work with
one or more of these to improve the tone or balance.
Stephen Perry, Luthier Gianna Violins
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