How to predict the sound produced by a tonewood block once carved into the shape of a violin plate? What is the best shape for the best sound? Artificial intelligence offers answers to these questions.
These are the conclusions that researchers of the Musical Acoustics Lab of Politecnico di Milano presented in a study that was recently published in Scientific Reports.
In the article “A Data-Driven Approach to Violinmaking,” the Chilean physicist and luthier Sebastian Gonzalez (post-doc researcher) and the professional mandolin player Davide Salvi (Ph.D. student) show how a simple and effective neural network is able to predict the vibrational be-havior of violin plates. This prediction is obtained from a limited set of geometric and mechanical parameters of the plate. The ability to predict the sound of a violin design, can truly be a game changer for violin makers, as not only will it help them do better than the ‘grand masters,’ but it will also help them explore the potential of new designs and materials.
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