Dr. Steven Cox
Rational String Design
The violin string, like most modern instruments, is the
product of centuries of expert tinkering. Our objective
is to draw on this history while building a rational theory
which will permit the design and construction of strings
with specified acoustic characteristics. Modern strings
are comprised of an elastic core sheathed in a viscous goo
that lies beneath a tightly wound outer wrapping. The sound
produced by such a composite is highly sensitive to the
material type and to the distribution of its constituents.
Together we shall build and test a mathematical theory that
permits one to predict the sound of a given design and,
even better, to design strings that produce specific sounds.
The theory will require a careful study of rational mechanics
(and test our understanding of vector calculus and differential
equations). The testing of our theory will be carried out
both via numerical simulation and construction of real strings
in our acoustics lab.
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