1 string, 2 strings, 3 strings or more

[Tom Servinsky]

----- 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.

Yes, if they are exactly in tune, which in orchestra playing can be
extremley tricky. That is why orchestras would rather hire a trumpeter with
an extremely huge presence to his tone, and have a single tone to deal vs 2
trumpeters. Yes more trumpets would augment the volume in therory, but they
also have a canceling out affect when not played exactly in tune.
In our classical orchestra, even though we use only 33 players, we have an
unusually huge sound due to the high quality of players. The overall affect
still likens it to the piano. Play a piano out of tune vs. play in very good
tune.  The well tuned piano is going to be much more volumous due to the
reinforcement of harmonious tuning.
This is a fascinating topic with complexities galore. I would love to this
thread to thread explored to the outer limits.
Tom Servinsky,RPT
> 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?
>
>