In the evolving world of musical instrument craftsmanship, the debate around "carbon fiber vs. wooden violins" takes center stage as musicians and enthusiasts increasingly search for durable, climate-resistant instruments without compromising on sound.
This article dives into a groundbreaking study conducted by Ghent University and the HoGent School of Arts that explores whether violins crafted from carbon and flax fibers can truly rival the acoustic excellence of their traditional wooden counterparts.
Image Credit: michelangeloop via Shutterstock / HDR tune by Universal-Sci
A few years ago, researcher and instrument builder Tim Duerinck caused a sensation with a polystyrene cello he built for his master's thesis. That particular instrument now appears to be irreparably damaged, but the sound was a bit out of balance, according to Duerinck himself. He has now turned to instruments made of composite materials.
String instruments are traditionally made of wood. The soundboard (the principal part of the instrument), in particular, is usually made from a certain type of pinewood. Duerinck was curious whether you could achieve an equivalent sound with different materials.
He built five identical violins, each with a different soundboard. One had a soundboard made from pinewood, while the other four soundboards were made from plastic that has been combined in different ways with flax fiber or carbon fiber.
Professor Wim van Paepegem, a specialist in the mechanics of composite materials, explains that by combining different materials into composites, you can create materials with entirely new properties. In doing so, oftentimes literally, the best parts of two worlds are combined.
Advantages of Carbon and Flax Fiber Violins
For violins, or any other instrument for that matter, composites with carbon and flax fiber are particularly interesting in terms of durability and reliability. They are both light and strong, sufficiently stiff, but difficult to break.
According to Duerinck, damage of wooden violins typically occurs during transport. Wood also means that the sound of the violin can change under the influence of humidity or heat. On the other hand, using composite materials, one can build sturdy and reliable instruments that are much less sensitive to climate and can take a beating as well. In addition, unlike wooden violins, you can partially automate the production of composite violins, and it is easy to make 'copies' of the same instrument, with more or less the exact same properties.
Most contemporary violins are made by hand making it hard to exactly reproduce the sound of a specific instrument - (Image Credit: ABB Photo via Shutterstock / HDR tune by Universal-Sci)
DOUBLE-BLIND TEST
But do those new violins sound just as good as conventional wooden examples? To find out, Duerinck meticulously designed a so-called double-blind experiment in which a blindfolded violinist played the violins behind a folding screen without knowing which one she was holding. The experiment even went so far as to mask the scent of the violins with perfume.
Unaware of which instruments were involved, a jury of experts had to judge the sound of each violin. The order was not determined until just before the experiment. Moreover, one of the instruments was used twice to see if the scores would be the same.
Opinions on which violin had the best sound differed. Both violins made with carbon fiber and flax fiber scored well. As expected, the violin with wooden soundboard scored well too, but surprisingly, not significantly better than the instruments made from composites.
Perception and Preferences in Violin Sound
Duerinck received varying answers to the question of how the perfect violin should sound. Many participants wanted a warm or rich sound, for others though a clear or 'well-rounded' sound was crucial.
According to Duerinck, the experiment has shown that one can not simply throw all composite materials into the same pot. Much depends on the exact material, composition, weaving technique, but also on the listener's preference. It is simply not true that carbon fiber violins can't have a warm sound. You can actually make many different types of violins with carbon fiber.
The use of composite materials in instruments is still in its infancy, especially compared to the centuries-long tradition of wooden violins. But Tim Duerinck is convinced of the potential.
He argues that composite violins will never replace wooden violins - 'that's not the point at all.' But they the use of composite material can be an enormous enrichment in the sound palette. By playing with the materials, it should, in principle, be possible to adapt the sound to the individual preference of the musician. Composers might also be inspired by newly available possibilities.
Perhaps it is just a matter of time before we can listen to the first violin concerto with a violin made from composite material.
Sources and further reading:
Too busy to follow science news during the week? - Consider subscribing to our (free) newsletter - (Universal-Sci Weekly) - and get the 5 most interesting science articles of the week in your inbox
FEATURED ARTICLES:
The way you prepare your vegetables affects their nutritional value. What is the healthiest method to prepare them?