Exploring the Dynamic Properties of Tropical and Temperate Wood Species for Musical Instruments
Source abstract
Abstract
This paper explores the dynamic behavior of different wood species in the form of violin boards, based on experimental modal analysis using a single-input, multiple-output configuration. Thus, two groups of species were studied: the first group for the violin top plates, being analyzed Picea abies (spruce), Taiwania cryptomerioides Hayata (Taiwania), and Cryptomeria japonica (Japanese cedar), and the second group, with species for the back plates, such as Acer pseudoplatanus (maple), Populus nigra (poplar), Salix alba (willow), and Firmiana simplex (Chinese parasol). The results highlighted the frequency spectrum and the dominant resonance frequency, as well as the frequency damping, the signal processing analysis being based on Fast Fourier Transform and Wigner–Ville distribution of signals. The results highlighted that the lowest values of acoustic radiation are recorded for maple wood (7.8 m4 kg−1 s−1) and Taiwania (10.08 m4 kg−1 s−1), and the highest values for spruce (14.7 m4 kg−1 s−1) and Chinese parasol (15.58 m4 kg−1 s−1). Regarding the resonance frequency, the Taiwania and Japanese cedar plates present the dominant frequency around 600–635 Hz in comparison with Norway spruce having 920 Hz. The ratios between dominant frequencies of the Chinese parasol, poplar, maple, and willow are 1:1.42:2.62:2.98. It can be concluded that spruce and maple wood present the best dynamic properties, but when using other species, Japanese cedar wood for the top plate and Chinese parasol wood for the back plate represent species with potential in the construction of stringed musical instruments. Either a mechano-thermal treatment or an appropriate finish can enhance the acoustic qualities of these wood species, research that can be undertaken in the future.
Source: crossref · Quality: baseline
Research context
OpenAlex topics: Wood Treatment and Properties · Acoustic Wave Phenomena Research · Music Technology and Sound Studies
SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.
Affiliations
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Transilvania University of Brasov, B-dul Eroilor 29, 500036 Brasov, Romania
Romanian Society of Rheology, Petru Poni Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Room 119, 41-A, Grigore Ghica Voda Alley, 700487 Iasi, Romania
Romania Romanian Society of Acoustics, București, 266 Pantelimon, 2 Sector, 021652 București, Romania
Romanian Society of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics, 266 Pantelimon, 2 Sector, Office 4, 021652 București, Romania
MECMET Research Center, “Dunarea de Jos” University of Galati, 810017 Braila, Romania
Department of Wood Science and Design, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, 1, Shuefu Road, Neipu, Pingtung 912301, Taiwan
Funding
Ministry of Research, Innovation, and Digitization, CNCS/CCCDI—UEFISCDI
References (45)
Show source-provided references
1. Wood for violins
2. Wood for sound10.3732/ajb.93.10.1439 ↗
3. Acoustical properties of wood in string instruments soundboards and tuned idiophones: Biological and cultural diversity10.1121/1.3651233 ↗
4. Brémaud, I. (2012, January 23–27). What do we know on resonance wood properties? Selective review and ongoing research. Proceedings of the Acoustics 2012 Nantes Conference, Nantes, France.
5. Brezas, S., Katsipis, M., Orphanos, Y., Kaselouris, E., Kechrakos, K., Kefaloyannis, N., Papadaki, H., Sarantis-Karamesinis, A., Petrakis, S., and Theodorakis, I. (2023). An Integrated Method for the Vibroacoustic Evaluation of a Carbon Fiber Bouzouki. Appl. Sci., 13.10.3390/app13074585 ↗
6. Brezas, S., Katsipis, M., Kaleris, K., Papadaki, H., Katerelos, D.T.G., Papadogiannis, N.A., Bakarezos, M., Dimitriou, V., and Kaselouris, E. (2024). Review of Manufacturing Processes and Vibro-Acoustic Assessments of Composite and Alternative Materials for Musical Instruments. Appl. Sci., 14.10.3390/app14062293 ↗
7. Modal analysis of violin bodies with back plates made of different wood species10.15376/biores.15.4.7687-7713 ↗
8. Bucur, V. (2006). Acoustics of Wood, Springer. [2nd ed.].10.1007/3-540-30594-7 ↗
9. Bucur, V. (2016). Chapter 3—Mechanical characterization of materials for string instruments. Handbook of Materials for String Musical Instruments, Springer.10.1007/978-3-319-32080-9 ↗
10. Bucur, V. (2016). Chapter 8—Ageing of musical instruments—About the old and new instruments. Handbook of Materials for String Musical Instruments, Springer.10.1007/978-3-319-32080-9 ↗
11. Bremaud, I., Cabrolier, P., Minato, K., Gérard, J., and Thibaut, B. (2008, January 5–7). Vibrational properties of tropical woods with historical uses in musical instruments. Proceedings of the International Conference of COST Action IE0601 Wood Science for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage, Braga, Portugal.
12. Pérez-Pulido, M., Bucur, V., Morrow, A., and Ngo, D. (2010, January 23–27). Making Violins with Tasmanian Tonewood: Expect the unexpected. Proceedings of the 20th International Congress on Acoustics, ICA 2010, Sydney, Australia.
13. Radial variations of vibrational properties of three tropical woods10.1007/s10086-011-1189-7 ↗
14. Characterization of acoustic and mechanical properties of common tropical woods used in classical guitars10.1016/j.rinp.2017.05.006 ↗
15. Wang, B.-T., Su, B.-S., and Wu, Y.H. (2022, January 24–28). Vibroacoustic analysis for violin and discussions on sound generation mechanism. Proceedings of the 28th International Congress on Sound and Vibration, ICSV28, Singapore.
16. Wang, Y., Wang, Y., Shen, L., Wu, Z., Li, H., Hu, M., Liu, Q., Chen, C., Hu, X., and Zhong, Y. (2023). Evaluation of Wood Anatomical Properties from 18 Tree Species in the Subtropical Region of China. Forests, 14.10.3390/f14122344 ↗
17. Dinulică, F., Stanciu, M.D., and Savin, A. (2021). Correlation between Anatomical Grading and Acoustic–Elastic Properties of Resonant Spruce Wood Used for Musical Instruments. Forests, 12.10.3390/f12081122 ↗
18. Dinulica, F., Savin, A., and Stanciu, M.D. (2023). Physical and Acoustical Properties of Wavy Grain Sycamore Maple (Acer pseudoplatanus L.) Used for Musical Instruments. Forests, 14.10.3390/f14020197 ↗
19. Mobilization and transport coarse woody debris to the oceans triggered by an extreme tropical storm10.4319/lo.2011.56.1.0077 ↗
20. Evaluation of urban greenspace vulnerability to typhoon in Taiwan10.1016/j.ufug.2021.127191 ↗
21. Intraseasonal interactive effects of successive typhoons characterize canopy damage of forests in Taiwan: A remote sensing-based assessment10.1016/j.foreco.2022.120430 ↗
22. Classification of Taiwan forest vegetation10.1111/avsc.12025 ↗
23. Investigation of the pore structure and sound-absorbing capability of the Chinese parasol tree (Firmiana simplex (L.) W.Wight) and Chinese tulip poplar (Liriodendron chinense) transverse sections as eco-friendly, porous, sound-absorbing materials10.1007/s10934-022-01289-z ↗
24. Resonance wood [Picea abies (L.) Karst.]—Evaluation and prediction of violin makers’ quality-grading10.1121/1.2434756 ↗
25. Hwang, S.K. (1962). The Anatomy of Some Important Taiwan Woods. [Master’s Thesis, The University of British Columbia]. Available online: https://open.library.ubc.ca/soa/cIRcle/collections/ubctheses/831/items/1.0105871.
26. Gurău, L., Timar, M.C., Coșereanu, C., Cosnita, M., and Stanciu, M.D. (2023). Aging of Wood for Musical Instruments: Analysis of Changes in Color, Surface Morphology, Chemical, and Physical-Acoustical Properties during UV and Thermal Exposure. Polymers, 15.10.3390/polym15071794 ↗
27. Características acústicas de la madera de 152 especies mexicanas. Velocidad del ultrasonido, módulo de elasticidad, índice material y factor de calidad. Base de datos
28. Stanciu, M.D., Chen, C.W., Wang, Y.W., Zheng, G.T., Lin, Y.K., Way, L., Gall, R., and Salca, E.A. (2024, January 3–4). Analysis of the physical and acoustic properties of tropical wood species from Taiwan for stringed musical instruments. Proceedings of the 18th Edition of the Interdisciplinarity in Engineering—INTER-ENG 2024, Târgu Mureș, Romania.
29. Nastac, S.M., Way, K., Stanciu, M.D., Guiman, M.V., Chen, C.-W., Wang, Y.-W., Zheng, G.-T., and Lin, Y.-K. (2025, January 2–5). Comparative Analyses of Violin Back Plate Modal Responses between Tropical and Romanian Tone Woods. Proceedings of the 16th International Conference on Vibration Problems (ICOVP-2025) & 11th International Conference on Wave Mechanics and Vibrations (WMVC-2025), Lisbon, Portugal.
30. A procedure for the characterization of a music instrument vibro-acoustic fingerprint: The case of a contemporary violin10.21014/actaimeko.v12i3.1445 ↗
31. Acoustic Properties of Selected Tropical Wood Species10.1007/s10921-010-0063-7 ↗
32. Selected aspects of resonance properties of different woods and the construction of string instruments10.12841/wood.1644-3985.408.04 ↗
33. Dynamic modulus of elasticity and bending properties of young Taiwania trees grown with different thinning and pruning treatments10.1007/s10086-004-0622-6 ↗
34. Thermal modification of fast-growing Firmiana simplex wood using tin alloy: Evaluation of physical and mechanical properties10.22320/s0718221x/2025.03 ↗
35. Characterisation and categorisation of the diversity in viscoelastic vibrational properties between 98 wood types10.1007/s13595-011-0166-z ↗
36. Beldeanu, E.C. (1999). Produse Forestiere și Studiul Lemnului, Editura Universității Transilvania din Brașov.
37. Materials selection for musical instruments
38. Study on properties of radiata pine wood treated with furfuryl alcohol as fretboard materials for string instruments10.1007/s00107-022-01829-z ↗
39. Untersuchungenan Resonanzholz. 3: Über die gleichzeitige Bestimmung des dynamischen Elastizitätsmodulus und der Dümpfungan Holzstäbenimhörbaren Frequenzbereich
40. The influence of various factors on the radiation ratio of resonance wood
41. Despre caracteristicile lemnului de rezonanță de molid
42. Vibrational Patterns and Frequency Responses of the Free Plates and Box of a Violin Obtained by Finite Element Analysis10.1121/1.426729 ↗
43. Anisotropy of Dynamic Young’s Modulus and Internal Friction in Wood10.1143/JJAP.24.960 ↗
44. On musical instruments wood
45. Assessment of resonance wood quality by comparing its physical and histological properties10.1007/s00226-007-0170-5 ↗