String termination question

[Richard Brekne]

Terrys paragraph below comes about close to the truth as any post so 
far. The whole point of any bridge termination is twofold and both bits 
are just as important. First to define a precise termination for the 
string, and second to clamp the string as effectively as possible to the 
bridge.  Side ways motion of the string on the bridge is of course just 
one of many potential bi-products of an inefficient clamp.  In fact side 
ways motion would be a symptom of nearly no clamp at all.  The 
termination as a whole has to be massy enough, but not overly so, and it 
has to be so in all directions the string vibrates at for all its 
frequencies, which is essentially all directions ... not just horizontal 
or vertical.  The clamping mechanism as a whole is the termination, and 
not just the pin. It comprises a compound support for the string.  False 
beats can occur under several specific conditions... some of which have 
been mentioned, and they can occur in other types of terminations such 
as agraffes and for that matter the Wapin.  In the end tho... anything 
that causes a variance in the resistiveness of the termination over one 
or vibration planes at one or more frequencies. I suppose you could say 
that each single string is a composite of as many virtual strings as 
their are overtones and directions of vibration for these.  Each of 
these virtual strings behaves with respect to the termination by the 
same set of rules. Which... in basic single string single frequency 
single direction simple case description is given by Weinreich (among 
others) Please see 
http://www.speech.kth.se/music/5_lectures/weinreic/mistuned.html


Cheers
RicB


    In other words, the front termination is self-clamping because of
    the large
    force of the string on the termination point created by the string
    tension
    and the large counterbearing angle. The bridge termination requires
    a manual
    clamp (offset bridge pins) of some type because of the small force
    of the
    string on the termination point (bridge) created by the string
    tension and
    the small counterbearing/backscale/downbearing angle.

    Terry Farrell