( 523 ) 
fundamental and odd harmonics are weakened more than the even 
harmonics. In accordance with the above results of Helmholtz the 
sound will thereby be made sharper. We have proved this in the 
following manner by Experiment: 
To the bridge of a violin at the lowest possible point a metal 
clamp, represented half size in Figs. 9a and 9 b, was attached. On 
the left side (i. e. on the side of the g string) a copper rod 3 mms 
Fig. 9a. 
Fig. 9&. 
thick and 10 cms long was screwed into this clamp. At the end of 
this rod two ordinary binding screws were fixed, weighing about 
18 grammes each. 
The moment of inertia of the bridge about the axis through the 
right foot, perpendicular to the bridge was naturally very much 
enlarged by these weights. The violin now gave a characteristic 
nasal sound, especially in the g and d strings; the timbre resembling 
most the note of a hautboy. Still notwithstanding the great weakening 
of the fundamental it continued to impart to the sound the character 
by which the pitch of a note is distinguished, in other words no 
change of an octave was perceptible. 
When in addition to the clamp shown in Fig. 96 the bridge was 
loaded with two mutes fixed on top of each other and placed on 
the upper edge of the bridge, the original sound was approximately 
recovered, as now the transverse as well as the parallel motion of 
the bridge was damped. Of course the response of the violin at this 
load was difficult. The two mutes were an ordinary ebony mute 
with a metal mute, as often used, placed on top. 
When a lf a , etc. and b iy b 4 etc. are all diminished in the same 
proportion the form of the curve of motion will not change, only 
the amplitude diminishes: the intensity is weakened, but the timbre 
remains the same. 
If we could diminish the 6’s and leave the a’s unchanged, the 
sound would become mellower, as in that case only the even upper 
partials would become weaker, including the first overtone which 
has the greatest intensity of all. 
