The Sound Post in the Violin

About the Book

A sound post is fitted in several different bowed instruments, namely, the violin family and the viols. It is a separate spruce dowel with the grain running along its length that is fitted snugly between the top and the back of the instrument, below, but not directly beneath, the treble foot of the bridge. John E. McLennan, Ph.D., who has been researching violin acoustics for thirty years, dispels the mystery surrounding the sound post of the violin. In six papers, he explores why the violin is such an important musical instrument – as well as the sound post’s function in maximizing the monopole action of the violin’s body, which radiates the sound, instead of restricting this to the top plate as with earlier bowed string instruments. The papers, written from 1996 to 2015, attempt to quantify the function of the sound post and remove the mystery that has surrounded it from the beginning. Discover why the sound post is so critical to enhancing the sound output of the violin and gain a deeper appreciation of the instrument as a whole with this book.

About the Author

John E. McLennan, Ph.D., has been researching violin acoustics for thirty years using experimental methods. He is an accomplished engineer, skilled violin craftsman, and an independent researcher. He graduated with a Master of Science from UNSW (1964) and with a Ph.D. in violin acoustics from UNSW (2008).