Yow-yow-yowing bass strings

[Joe And Penny Goss]

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Hi Bob,
If you have ever in fustration over twisted a string and then examined  =
that string when it broke, ( Oh surely not I <G>) you would see that =
several different lengths or segments can be set in the strings length.
This is part of what I think causes the string to wow wow. Another might =
be the wrap getting disloged from the core along its length either due =
to loosening of the core and or corrosion. Ever see spots of corrosion =
along the string?  They never seem to be at the nodal points where they =
would be any good.
Joe Goss
imatunr@srvinet.com
www.mothergoosetools.com
  ----- Original Message -----=20
  From: BobDavis88@aol.com=20
  To: pianotech@ptg.org=20
  Sent: Friday, January 24, 2003 12:58 AM
  Subject: Re: Yow-yow-yowing bass strings


  Thanks to those who have responded so far about this. I thought I'd =
better send an interim response, so you'd know I'm still listening.

  First, let me clarify what I know so far, and rule out a few things. I =
agree with Ron that this is definitely not a voicing issue, nor a =
termination issue. It's not in the leveling. It's not a leaky damper, =
nor an undamped segment of another string. It's not in the hammer at =
all, or rather in the angle of attack of the hammer (sorry Sarah, =
interesting post), since the strings exhibit at least similar behavior =
when plucked; at least the yowing ones still yow, and the clean ones are =
still clean. It seems to be in the string itself, and consists of beats. =
What I really want to know is what is beating against what, and while I =
really really really didn't want to speculate, the hypothesis that seems =
most convincing to me so far was posted by John Musselwhite:

  "Would those problematic single bass strings have LMFs [longitudinal =
mode frequencies] that are either unstable or out of tune with the rest =
of the string?"

  I have the CD from the Five Lectures, but I can't lay my hands on it =
right now. However, my memory is while the longitudinal modes produce =
different pitches, they are clear pitches, and not beating (?) Still, =
beating suggests non-harmonic stuff beating with harmonic stuff.=20
  -----
  Well, I took a look at Conklin's patent on longitudinal mode design, =
and now I understand more than I wanted to. It looks as if the =
longitudinal mode can be tuned by controlling the weight per unit length =
of the wire, including core and loading, and falls roughly in the area =
four octaves+  above the fundamental pitch of the string. I still don't =
know for sure if this can beat with the partials produced by the normal =
flexural modes, but I don't see why not, and if so, I don't understand =
how you could reliably make bass strings ever, especially if they are so =
sensitive that the same string on the same model can come out either =
wonderful or hideous.

  One of you scientists out there set us straight. I'm getting =
interested in this, and I don't have time to be interested.

  Bob Davis 
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