1 string, 2 strings, 3 strings or more

[Tom Servinsky]

Clyde,
You bring up an interesting point with regards to the analogy using the
string section of an orchestra.  I currently am a symphony musician and one
of the interesting facts of orchestration is using odd number players on all
parts, especially the string section.  Our classical orchestra uses 9 first
violins, 7 second violins, 3 cellos, 1 bass. The thinking is with 3 players,
the 3rd sound always acts as the referee, if you will, helping unify the
unison quality. Two players, in comparison, will constantly struggle more
with pitch than 3.  This is not my opinion but the opinion of many
conductors who I have worked under. And I personally think there's validity
to their thinking.
>From a piano design point of view one could easily draw similarities with
the 3 string unison concept. Why didn't the 4 string unison ever take off?
I'm sure it was experimented with privately amongst the builders of the day
but the benefits did not improve the 3 string unison.
Tom Servinsky,RPT
----- Original Message -----
From: "Clyde Hollinger" <cedel@supernet.com>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Tuesday, September 18, 2001 7:07 AM
Subject: Re: 1 string, 2 strings, 3 strings or more


> I wish I knew where my textbook is from the course in acoustics I took in
> graduate school.  For what it's worth, two strings will be only moderately
> louder than one, something that's very obvious when you stop to think
about
> it but that I had never thought about until that course.
>
> That works also with any other musical instrument.  In an orchestra, two
> trumpets will be somewhat louder than just one, but each additional
> instrument's impact on volume is less than the last.  The difference
between
> five trumpets and six would be barely perceptible, I imagine, assuming
they
> are playing in unison.
>
> I'm talking strictly about volume.  Certainly we can hear the difference
> between a string composition being played by one instrument on each part,
> compared with a string orchestra.  I have never heard a piece played by an
> "orchestra of pianos."  The next time I get the chance I plan to go.
>
> Regards,
> Clyde
>
> "Kevin S. Riggs" wrote:
>
> > But I'm not quite clear on one matter. How is it
> > that three strings are louder than two, are louder than one, given
> > exactly the same energy input into the system? From what area of the
> > sound envelope is the energy taken, and distributed to where, to
> > increase apparent loudness?
>
>