Violins as pianos & pianos as violins

[Richard Brekne]

Delwin D Fandrich wrote:

> To Whom It May Concern:
>
> Violins are not pianos and pianos are not violins.

I say old man... I am ....well... astounded. Your powers of observation just
leave me breathless !

> Why do we insist on comparing violins with piano soundboards? I can't really
> think of any ways in which they are similar except that they both vibrate.

How about the fact that they are made out of wood ?... just in case you'd missed
that one...grin.

> But then the hood of my car vibrates -- is it now a piano? Train rails
> vibrate. Clarinet reeds vibrate. Drum heads vibrate. But we don't get off on
> comparing piano soundboards with train rails, do we? Why violins? Why not
> cello's? Why not basses?

Because a Bass is a fish... it vibrates only when it gets sexually excited. Not
quite the same thing. As for what some folks get off on... well hey.....its not
my place to pick another mans pleasure.

> Violins and pianos are not the same. They operate using different
> principles, different support mechanisms, different driving mechanisms --
> they are different instruments. Period. Dot. They are not the same. They are
> not similar. They are not remotely alike.
>
> So. Please...let us please stop trying to make these direct comparisons
> between the piano soundboard and the violin. They are not at all the same
> thing. And the comparisons don't work.

I'm sorry... dont quite get your point... I thought we were talking about wood
aging... and in the course of that discussion somebody mentioned that this kind
of disscussion came up frequently in the violin trade... seemed fair enough to
me...but then I am just an exiled semi norwegianized american preachers son.

>
> Regards,
>
> Del
> (Not a violin designer.)

I gathered.... grin...  I will try and make a point of never confusing a piano
with violins.. Even those that somebody has decided to cut f-holes in the
soundboards in an attempt to make them look like ones.

--
Richard Brekne
RPT, N.P.T.F.
Bergen, Norway
mailto:rbrekne@broadpark.no