Music Trade Review

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
60
OuTTECHNlCAL DEPAKIMENT
CONDUCTED BY WILLIAM BRAID WHITE.
VIBRATION.
In a letter which George Pierce, a well-known
correspondent of this department from New Bed-
ford, Mass., has recently sent me I find these
words: "'Vibration is a wonderful mystery. I
have made a man sick by just sounding two pedal-
organ pipes at a semitone distance. I have
snuffed a candle at thirty feet by a wave from
middle A sharp on a piano. 'There are more
things in heaven and earth, Horatio
'"
Mr. Pierce is right, but not altogether right.
Vibration is the name we give to express a cer-
tain phenomenon observed in connection with vari-
ous rigid bodies when agitated by causes external
or internal to them. The idea intended to be ex-
pressed may perhaps best be explained by stating
that a motion is called vibrational when it involves
a swaying back and forth, constantly departing
from a middle or rest position, arriving at a posi-
tion remote therefrom, then reversing the motion,
returning to the position of rest, departing there-
from in the opposite direction, arriving at a posi-
tion remote from the median point, but exactly
as much remote as the previous extreme position,
and continuing the reciprocal motion as long as
the operating cause persists. This is only a very
elaborate way of saying that "vibration" is the
name given to motion like that of a pendulum.
Now, piano strings are extremely susceptible to
vibrational excitement, and such excitation pro-
vides the physical basis of music. Musical sounds,
when we turn to analyze them physically, appear
to arise from the vibrational motion of strings,
plates, rods, bells, or columns of air confined in
pipes. Rut we should beware of falling here into
an extremely plausible error. It is not for a mo-
ment to be supposed, in other words, that vibra-
tion itself is considered as some sort of power,
that it does the sounding, or "produces" the sound.
In point of fact, vibration is not a thing; it is
merely the appearance that we perceive showing
that some force is being expended in an apparently
definite way. If we do not keep this distinction
clearly in mind we shall constantly be falling into
the error of supposing that it is the vibration which
does things; whereas, of course, the vibration is
but the appearance to us of something, some real-
ity, in fact, which is operating according to a
modus which we perceive only in part, and most
imperfectly.
"What is it that produces sound?" someone will
now ask. The answer, of course, is that sound is
not "produced." It appears to us. We perceive
it, or, better still, we become conscious of it.
What we call the "sense of hearing" tells us that
sound is perceived. What we call the other senses
are then brought into play, with the result that
we perceive certain other phenomena which we
call strings, pipes', or columns of air, acting in
conditions which we call "vibrational." These con-
ditions we analyze, and so discover for ourselves
that certain mathematical relations appear to exist
between these phenomena. From all of this we
in time set forth a body of observations upon
which we ground rules, which in turn we call the
science of acoustics. But all the time we have
never in the slightest degree explained the real
nature of sound, even as phenomenon, not to men-
tion the nature of the reality which we perceive
as sound.
Consider for a moment. 'We cause a tuning
fork to go into what is called vibrational motion.
PIANO KEYS BLEACHED
REPAIRED OR RECOVERED
Work Done in 6 to 12 Days
and Guaranteed
Send Us Your Keys by Parcels Post
JOS. ZIEGLER A SONS Menroevllle, O.
Applying the fork to a position near the ear we
hear a sound. ' Acoustics tells us that the vibra-
tional motion of the string is transmitted—as mo-
tion only—through the air acting as a medium of
transmission until a similar vibrational motion is
applied to the tympanum or drum of the ear. This
motion in turn is transmitted through the anvil,
the hammer, the stirrup bone, the cochlea, the
labyrinth and other internal elements of the aura!
structures, till, it ends at the acoustic nerve, which
last receives the same motion; and then—
and then
?
Nobody can seriously argue, of course, that the
vibrational motion of infinitesimally small pieces
of nerve tissue—in other words, flesh—can pos-
sibly in itself "produce" sound. Yet further than
the acoustic nerve we cannot go, for that nerve
ends in the so-called gray matter of the brain.
But gray matter cannot do anything of itself, for
it has no intelligence of itself. Take it away
from the body and it does nothing. Take the
body away from it and the body does nothing.
Take what wt> call the mind away from both
brain and body and both remain entirely lifeless.
What, then, produces sound? Sound it not pro-
duced ; that is the answer.
This analysis may be metaphysical, but that
need not scare anybody. It is simple common
sense. It may be depressing to some people, but
that is because some people detest having to
think. But whether you like it or not, your vibra-
tion is left in a pretty bad mess. Its title to con-
sideration as a cause is entirely stripped from it
and it is left in the rather unfortunate position
of a mere effect in the succession of phenomena,
prior to the phenomenon, sound, but only to that
extent rightly to be called its "cause."
Let us consider the matter from another angle.
Consider the sound-board of the piano. That
sound-board is supposed to be and. physically speak-
ing, is, as T have myself argued, the proximate
cause or phenomenon precedent to the sound of
the piano. But how can anybody explain the per-
ception of the wealth of tone which we receive
from the piano on the bare supposition of sound-
board vibration? In fact, of course, we cannot
imagine anything of the kind. The condition into
which the sound-board is thrown when it be-
comes what we call "in vibration" may be prior
to the sound, but certainly you cannot explain
the sound by saying that either sound-board or
strings produce it. In fact, just as soon as you
ask, "How do either or both produce it?" the
answer can only be, "We do not know !" And so,
again, we have the conclusion that sound is not
"produced"; it is merely perceived.
Mr. Pierce's man was conscious of a feeling of
sickness after having listened to the clashing
sounds of two low organ pipes, a semitone apart
in pitch. What made him feel sick? Did the
vibrational condition of the air columns in the
pipes cause it? And if they did. how did they
accomplish this feat? And, anyhow, what was it
about him that was sick, his stomach? But how
can the stomach know whether it is sick or not?
Putting it physically, how can the motion of two
air columns in two pipes make the stomach think
that it is sick, when it cannot think, anyhow,
while the same kind of vibration in two other
pipes may have precisely the opposite effect, not
only on the stomach but all over the man?
FAUST SCHOOL OF TUNING
Piano, Player-Piano, Pipe and Reed Organ Tuning and Re-
pairing, alio Ref ulatinf, Voicing, Varnishing andPollihing
This formerly was the tuning department of the New Eng-
land Conservatory of Music, and OliTer C. Faust was head
of that department for 20 years previous to its discontinu-
ance.
Courses in mathematical piano scale construction snd
drafting of same have been added.
Pupils have daily practise in Checkering k Sens' factory.
Year Book sent free upon reqwest
27-29 GAINSBOROUGH ST., BOSTON, MAIS.
What is the answer? Why, that is simple. Vi-
bration ' is not a thing by itself, and has neither
intelligence nor power. Neither has the man's
stomach. You see the conclusion, don't you?
'Why have I taken all this time to say all this?
Simply because a little rigid analysis of our con-
ceptions and ideas is often good dicipline? The
mind tends to grow flabby from want of exercise.
Here is a little gymnastic exercise which is not
only beneficial, but valuable in that it leads to a
new and unlooked for, but perfectly correct, con-
clusion ; that causation cannot be explained on a
physical basis.
Thomas B. Wikoff, of Indianapolis, Ind., wants
to know where lie can get information in book
form on refmishing of piano cases. Spillane's "The
Piano" or Tuner's Guide, published from the of-
fice of The Review by Edward Lyman Bill, con-
tains much useful information of this character.
Various supply houses who specialize in tuners'
supplies put up handy repair kits for those who
want to do case refinishing. Such are: Tuners'
Supply Co., Boston; American Piano Supply Co.,
New York and Chicago; Lyon & Hcaly, piano
tool department, Chicago; Piano Parts Manufac-
turing Co., 160 North Fifth avenue, Chicago.
The Chicago public library contains one or more
works on wood finishing, and so probably does the
library at Indianapolis. No doubt the editor of
The Furniture Worker, 128 Opera place, Cincin-
nati, can inform Mr. Wikoff of any recent books
on this general subject.
Communications for this department should be
addressed to the Editor, Technical Department,
The Music Trade Review.
SOUSA PRA1SESJHE EVERETT.
Famous Bandmaster, During His Visit to San
Francisco, Says It Has Been His Favorite
Piano for Many Years.
(Special to The Review.)
SAN FRANCISCO., CM.., June HI—John Philip
Sousa, the famous bandmaster, during his visit to
the Panama-Pacific Exposition, paid a great tribute
to the Everett piano. Immediately on his arrival in
the city he wrote Walter & Nichols, the local agents
for the Everett Piano Co., to send him an Everett.
A few days later they received the following letter:
"The Everett has been my favorite piano for
many years, and T have no question it will remain
so for all time. The one in my room here at the
St. Francis is up to th- standard of the makers of^
that famous instrument. Thanking you for select-
ing such a splendid piano for me, believe me. very
sincerely, John Philip Sousa."
Walter & Nichols have been using this letter,
accompanied by a photograph of the famous leader,
in their advertising to excellent purpose the past
week, and enlarged photographs of the original let-
ter are used in display windows in connection with
a very artistic display of Everett pianos.
Tuners and Repairmen
Can make good money installing Jenkin-
aon'a Player-Action into used Pianos. Write
for catalogue.
JENKINSON PLAYER CO.,
912 Elm Street, Cincinnati, Ohio.
Polk's Piano Trade School
14th YEAR
Piano, Player-Piano and Organ Tuamf,
Repairing and Regulating.
sirea.
aiuacnis usisieu.
uiuiuiuu ansiucu.
^r^_«w S
entire year. Endorsed by leading piano manufacturer*
and dealers. Free catalogue.
C. C. POLK
Box 20t Valparaiso, IW.