Effects of hollowed neck designs on sound radiation and loudness of baglama

Abstract

A limited number of studies investigate the effects of the neck design on the loudness and radiation of string instruments. In the related literature, it is assumed that the neck serves as a fingerboard and has little or no impact on sound production and radiation for string instruments, although there is no scientific evidence. By redesigning the neck of string instruments, we increased the air volume of the soundbox and vibrating surface area of string instruments. This study investigated the effects of two experimental (patented) neck designs on sound radiation and the perceived loudness of the baglama, a stringed instrument. The primary hypothesis of this research is that compared to traditional neck, the experimental neck designs increase the stringed instrument’s air volume and vibrating surface area, thereby contributing to sound production and radiation efficiency, and perceived loudness. Sound radiation analysis based on acoustic modal analysis and psychoacoustic analysis were conducted. First, sound radiation measurements were made in an experimental setup. The data were then examined using the Frequency Response Function (FRF). The results revealed that the experimental necked baglamas’ sound produced and radiated better than the traditional one. Second, listening (N=38) and playability (N=26) tests were conducted in focus group interviews. The participants listened to or played traditional and experimental necked baglamas and rated their loudness. The Friedman and Wilcoxon signed-rank test on the scores indicated that the participants perceived the experimental necked baglamas as significantly louder than the traditional one. Most participants stated that the experimental necked baglamas sounded higher and had better quality than the traditional one. Psychoacoustic findings corroborated the results of sound radiation analysis.

Keywords

• Baglama
• Guitar
• Psychoacoustics
• Sound radiation analysis
• Stringed instruments

Effects of hollowed neck designs on sound radiation and loudness of baglama

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of two experimental (patented) neck designs on sound radiation and the perceived loudness of the baglama, a stringed instrument. The primary hypothesis of this research is that compared to traditional neck, the experimental neck designs increase the stringed instrument's air volume and vibrating surface area, thereby contributing to radiation efficiency and perceived loudness. Sound radiation analysis based on acoustic modal analysis and psychoacoustic analysis were conducted. First, sound radiation measurements were made in an experimental setup. The data were then examined using the Frequency Response Function (FRF). The results revealed that the experimental necked baglamas’ sound radiated better than the traditional one. Second, listening (N=38) and playability (N=26) tests were conducted in focus group interviews. The participants listened to or played traditional and experimental necked baglamas and rated their loudness. The Friedman and Wilcoxon signed-rank test on the scores indicated that the participants perceived the experimental necked baglamas as significantly louder than the traditional one. Most participants stated that the experimental necked baglamas sounded higher and had better quality than the traditional one. Psychoacoustic findings corroborated the results of sound radiation analysis.

Keywords

• Loudness
• Psychoacoustics
• Sound radiation analysis
• Stringed instruments
• Guitar

References

1. Bader, R. (2012). Radiation characteristics of multiple and single sound hole vihuelas and a classical guitar, The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 131(1), 819- 828.
2. Brauchler, A., Ziegler, P., & Eberhard, P. (2021). An entirely reverse-engineered finite element model of a classical guitar in comparison with experimental data. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 149(6), 4450-4462.
3. Brezas, S., Katsipis, M., Orphanos, Y., Kaselouris, E., Kechrakos, K., Kefaloyannis, N., Papadaki, H., Sarantis-Karamesinis, A., Petrakis, S., & Theodorakis, I. (2023). An Integrated Method for the Vibroacoustic Evaluation of a Carbon Fiber Bouzouki. Applied Sciences, 13(7), 4585-(4596).
4. Corradi, R., Liberatore, A., & Miccoli, S. (2016). Experimental modal analysis and finite element modelling of a contemporary violin, in ICSV 2016-23rd International Congress on Sound and Vibration: From Ancient to Modern Acoustics (International Institute of Acoustics and Vibrations), pp. 1-7.
5. Curtin, J. (2009). Measuring violin sound radiation using an impact hammer. The Journal of the Violin Society of America. VSA Papers 22, 186-209.
6. Czajkowska, M. (2014). Subjective assessment of classical guitars tonal quality in relation to spectral analysis, European Acoustics Association, Krakow.
7. Değirmenli, E. (2017). Türk müziği telli çalgılarının akustik analizlerinde kullanılan yöntemler (the methods used for the acoustic analysis of the Turkish stringed instruments). Gazi Üniversitesi Fen Bilimleri Dergisi Part C: Tasarım ve Teknoloji, 5(2), 23-35.
8. Duerinck, T., Verberkmoes, G., Fritz, C., Leman, M., Nijs, L., Kersemans, M., & Van Paepegem, W. (2020). Listener evaluations of violins made from composites, The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 147(4), 2647-2655.

9. Elejabarrieta, M. J., Ezcurra, A., & Santamaria, C. (2002). Coupled modes of the resonance box of the guitar. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 111(5), 2283- 2292.
10. Elwali, W., Satakopan, H., & Shauche, V. (2010). Modal parameter estimation using acoustic modal analysis. IMAC-XXVIII, Florida USA.
11. Eroğlu, S.C. (2012). Bağlamanın akustik özelliklerinin çözümlenmesi. Porte Akademik, 2, 140-151.
12. Fletcher, H., & Munson, W. A. (1933). Loudness, its definition, measurement and calculation. Bell System Technical Journal, 12(4), 377-430.
13. Fletcher, N.H., & Rossing, T.D. (1998). The physics of musical instruments. Springer Science & Business Media. French, M., & Lewis, K. (1995). Modal Analysis of an Acoustic Guitar. Proceedings of the 13th International Modal Analysis Conference, Vols 1 and 2, 2460, 808-814.
14. Fritz, C., & Dubois, D. (2015). Perceptual evaluation of musical instruments: State of the art and methodology. Acta Acustica united with Acustica, 101(2), 369-381.
15. Lercari, M., Gonzalez, S., Espinoza, C., Longo, G., Antonacci, F., & Sarti, A. (2022). Using mechanical metamaterials in guitar top plates: a numerical study. Applied Sciences, 12(17), 8619.
16. Limkar, B., & Chandekar, G. (2022). Dynamic Analysis of Psychoacoustic Parameters to Evaluate Sound Quality of an Indian String Instrument Sitar. In Technology Innovation in Mechanical Engineering: Select Proceedings of TIME 2021 (pp. 83-90). Singapore: Springer Nature Singapore.
17. Marshall, K.D. (1985). Modal-Analysis of a Violin. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 77(2), 695-709.
18. Meinel, E., & Jansson, E.V. (1991). On the Influence of the Neck on The Guitar Body Vibrations. STL-QPSR, 32(4), 11-18.
19. Meyer, J. (1972). Directivity of the bowed stringed instruments and its effect on orchestral sound in concert halls. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 51(6B), 1994-2009.
20. Miles, M.B., & Huberman, A.M. (1994). Qualitative data analysis: An expanded sourcebook. Sage.
21. Namlı, Z.Ç. (2006). Çift Rezonans Kutusuna Sahip Telli Müzik Enstrümanı (Stringed Musi- cal Instrument with Double Resonance Box), TR Patent No. TR200602443. Türk Patent ve Marka Kurumu. https://portal.turkpatent. gov.tr/anonim/arastirma/patent/sonuc/do- sya?patentAppNo=2006/02443&documentsT- pye=all
22. Namlı, Z.Ç. (2020). Detachable, portable resonance box for providing acoustic stereo sound from stringed instruments, US Patent No. US2022130353A1. Patent and Trade-mark Office. https:// worldwide.espacenet.com/patent/ search/family/070774114/publication/ US2022130353A1?q=pn%3DUS2022130353A1
23. Paiva, G., & Dos Santos, J.M.C. (2014, July). Modal analysis of a Brazilian guitar body. In Proceedings of the ISMA International Symposium on Music Acoustics, pp. 233-239.
24. Penttinen, H., Erkut, C., Polkki, J., Valimaki, V., & Karjalainen, M. (2005). Design and analysis of a modified kantele with increased loudness. Acta Acustica United with Acustica, 91(2), 261-268.
25. Perry, I. (2014). Sound radiation measurements on guitars and other stringed musical instruments. Doctoral dissertation, Cardiff University. England.
26. Pezzoli, M., Canclini, A., Antonacci, F., & Sarti, A. (2022). A comparative analysis of the directional sound radiation of historical violins. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 152(1), 354-367.
27. Saitis, C., Scavone, G. P., Fritz, C., & Giordano, B. L. (2013). Evaluating violin quality: a comparison of player reliability in constrained vs unconstrained tasks. In Proceedings of the Stockholm Musical Acoustics Conference (SMAC), Stockholm (Sweden), pp. 109-114.
28. Schleske, M. (2002). Empirical tools in contemporary violin making: Part II. Psychoacoustic analysis and use of acoustical tools. CAS Journal, 4(6), 43-61.
29. Schwarz, B. J., & Richardson, M. H. (1999). Experimental modal analysis. CSI Reliability week, 35(1), 1-12.
30. Şahinkayası, Y., Şahinkayası, H., & Öztorun, Ü. (2021). Yüksek sesli stereo akustik telli çalgılar: bağlama ve gitar (Loud-ste- reo-acoustic stringed instruments: baglama and guitar), TR Patent No. TR202012480A. Türk Patent ve Marka Kurumu. https:// portal.turkpatent.gov.tr/anonim/ara- stirma/patent/sonuc/dosya?patentAp- pNo=2020/12480&documentsTpye=all
31. Zeren, A. (2007). Müzik fiziği (the physics of music). Pan Yayıncılık.
32. Ziemer, T. (2019). Psychoacoustic music sound field synthesis: creating spaciousness for composition, performance, acoustics and perception (Vol. 7). Springer.