Notes 85-86-87-88

[Jim]

Hi Jerry:

Yes, there is a difference of pitch when plucking a string first from
one direction, and then in another.  This is easily noticeable where
there is a wild beat going on.  My theory is plucking sideways gives the
frequency produced with the string terminating against the bridge pin,
whereas plucking vertically, the string bears on the bridge groove which
extends in front of the bridge pin and is therefore at a higher pitch,
the speaking length being shorter as it terminates against the wood.

Jim Coleman, Sr.

On Sun, 13 Apr 1997, Jerry Anderson wrote:

>
> Greetings to all,
>
> A number of years ago I witnessed Rick Baldassin, in a convention
> class, demonstrate that a plucked string emits a different set of
> frequencies according to whether it is plucked in a horizontal
> (in the plane of the strings) or vertical (toward the soundboard)
> direction.
>
> It  would seem that the vertical plucking would most approximate
> the principal mode of a string struck by a hammer.
>
> Any of you out there with electronic devices could quickly verify this.
>
> Jerry
>
> **
> > Dear Jim:  I usually pluck the strings of the top octave in tuning
> > them, but I wonder sometimes if the same pitch is produced that way.
> > Sometimes is seems that the note is sharper when struck by the hammer
> > than when plucked.  Is this one of my many delusions, or have others
> > seen thes phenomenon?
>
> > Pat Poulson
>
> >>You have correctly observed that a plucked string exhibits a flatter
> >>pitch than a struck string.  The reason is that the plucked string usually
> >>has much less amplitude, therefore, less residual tension,
>
> >>Jim Coleman, Sr.
>
>