1883.] On the Sound-post and Strings of the Violin. 



245 



the other leg of the bridge which agitates the elastic wooden plates." 

 Undoubtedly it is the 4th string foot of the bridge which is the 

 more powerful in agitating the upper plate, but the other foot appears 

 to me also to have an influence. When the post is placed exactly 

 under the foot of the bridge, then the belly on this side is almost 

 without vibration ; if the post is absent, then this foot appears to 

 agitate its own side of the belly as strongly as the other foot. 

 As there is no post on the 4th. string side of the fiddle, that foot 

 stands in a position most favourable for setting up vibrations in the 

 belly, being nearly halfway between the supports of the belly at the 



tail and the neck end of the violin. The other side of the belly, on 

 the 1st string side, where the other foot of the bridge rests, is 

 divided into two parts by the damping effect of the end of the sound- 

 post, namely, the part a and the part b. It is obvious that this foot 



of the bridge is unfavourably placed for settiug the part of the belly, 

 />, into vibration, since it is so far from its central mobile part. On 

 the other hand, its position is favourable for a portion of its energy 

 of vibration to be transmitted through the post to the back. 



Practically very small differences of position of the top of the post 

 behind the foot of the bridge are found to alter largely the character 

 of the tone of the fiddle, and in the case of fine instruments the 

 setting of the post is an operation demanding much care and judg- 

 ment. The explanation lies probably in the circumstance that a 

 small difference in the position of the post will alter greatly the pro- 

 portion of energy passing through the post to that which is absorbed 

 into vibrations of this side of the belly. At the same time it must also 

 alter slightly the nodal arrangement of the belly which must have an 

 influence on the tone. If from the form of construction, or relative 

 quality of the wood of the upper plate as compared with the under 

 plate, the conditions of a violin are such that the highest quality of 

 tone of which it is capable requires a relatively larger amplitude of 

 vibration of the back, the position of the sound-post should be nearer 



