Why violin-makers adopted the f-shaped hole

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lucpet
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Why violin-makers adopted the f-shaped hole

Post by lucpet » Wed Mar 11, 2015 9:08 am

http://boingboing.net/2015/03/09/why-vi ... d-the.html

Why did violins slowly develop f-shaped sound-holes? Because it makes them more acoustically powerful than their ancestors, which had holes shaped liked a circle -- as a team of MIT scientists recently concluded.
Back in the the 10th century, the makers of European stringed-instruments were building "fitheles" -- the ancestor of the modern violin -- but they used round holes. By the 12th century, they'd started using half-moon shapes, and a century later they'd refined it to a sort of C-shaped hole. Then in the 15th century they pioneered little circles at the ends of the holes, which, by the 17th century, had become the modern f-shaped hole.
"I have not failed 700 times. I have not failed once. I have succeeded in proving that those 700 ways will not work.
When I have eliminated the ways that will not work, I will find the way that will work." -Edison

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charangohabsburg
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Re: Why violin-makers adopted the f-shaped hole

Post by charangohabsburg » Thu Mar 12, 2015 3:14 am

I'll stick with my theory that they originate from a luthier who peeled a tangerine or two this way.

Interesting paper though (the real link is this one).
Markus

To be stupid is like to be dead. Oneself will not be aware of it.
It's only the others who suffer.

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charangohabsburg
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Re: Why violin-makers adopted the f-shaped hole

Post by charangohabsburg » Fri Mar 13, 2015 11:07 am

charangohabsburg wrote:Interesting paper though
And here an interesting comment. 8)
Markus

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It's only the others who suffer.

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needsmorecowbel
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Re: Why violin-makers adopted the f-shaped hole

Post by needsmorecowbel » Fri Mar 13, 2015 11:09 am

but Markus he has a friend that is an expert...an Expert, Markus

Stu

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charangohabsburg
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Re: Why violin-makers adopted the f-shaped hole

Post by charangohabsburg » Fri Mar 13, 2015 12:56 pm

Stu, I was referring to the comment of his friend, the expert, not to the comment of the expert's friend who posted the expert's comment. :)
Markus

To be stupid is like to be dead. Oneself will not be aware of it.
It's only the others who suffer.

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needsmorecowbel
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Re: Why violin-makers adopted the f-shaped hole

Post by needsmorecowbel » Fri Mar 13, 2015 2:55 pm

ah ok it snapped to a particular comment so I figured that was the one haha

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