Patent Application
20100071529
The invention relates to a musical string according to the preamble of claim 1.
Known musical strings with a core made of natural gut or silk have a number of disadvantages such as low tuning stability and large differences between the actually similar products due to the high form tolerances which are unavoidable in natural products. Such musical strings further show a number of acoustic problems. The sound producible with such musical strings meets requirements of current concert operations only within limits.
It is therefore the object of the invention to provide a musical string of the kind mentioned above with which the mentioned disadvantages can be avoided and which especially offers high tuning stability and has a sound rich in timbre.
This is achieved in accordance with the invention by the features of claim 1.
A musical string can accordingly be formed which has a very natural and warm sound. Moreover, such a musical string has a high tuning stability and it is not necessary to re-tune the instrument as frequently as conventional musical strings. Musical strings in accordance with the invention also respond less strongly than known musical strings to a change of location and changes in weather. As a result of a core made of a rope, such a musical string has a low bending stiffness, thus allowing the generation and formation of a large number of upper harmonics. Musical strings in accordance with the invention therefore have a sound rich in timbre.
The sub-claims, which like claim 1 simultaneously form a part of the description, relate to further advantageous embodiments of the invention.
The invention is now explained in closer detail by reference to the enclosed drawings which merely show preferred embodiments in an exemplary manner, wherein:
A musical string 1 can thus be formed which has a very natural and warm sound. Moreover, such a musical string 1 has a high tuning stability and it is not necessary to re-tune the instrument as frequently as conventional musical strings. Musical strings 1 in accordance with the invention also respond less strongly than known musical strings to a change of location and changes in weather. As a result of a core 2 made of a rope, such a musical string 1 has a low bending stiffness, thus allowing the generation and formation of a large number of upper harmonics. Musical strings 1 in accordance with the invention therefore have a sound rich in timbre.
The various embodiments shown in the drawings are shown in a simplified view. The proportions need not correspond to the intended real proportions. Individual parts can be shown in a highly enlarged view or with so-called auxiliary lines for offering improved understanding. Individual figures can show embodiments of the musical string 1 which do not show all features relevant for the invention if this serves the purpose of better and clearer illustration. Such illustrations or embodiments are not in contravention of the invention.
A preferred field of use for such musical strings 1 is the instruments of the family of violins such as the violin, viola, cello and bass and contrabass. Further preferred instruments for using the musical strings 1 in accordance with the invention are guitars and mandolins. Such musical strings 1 in accordance with the invention can be provided for all stringed and plucked instruments such as cembalos, harps, banjos, sitars, dulcimers, zithers, lutes, oods, p'i-p'as, gekkins, balalaikas, vinas, tampuras, kotos, sohs, etc.
Musical strings 1 in accordance with the invention are provided for generating sound-making oscillations, with a musical string 1 being provided for use in a specific musical instrument and further having a concert pitch and sound post as features, with the concert pitch determining the sound with which a portion of the musical string 1 will oscillate (between its end sections) from the length of the scale of the musical instrument for which it is provided when the musical string 1 is loaded with the sound post and is therefore tensioned.
Musical strings 1 generally have a means for mounting the musical string 1 on a part of the respective musical instrument. This means for mounting can be formed in simple embodiments by a loop or a knot in the musical string 1. It is preferably provided, as shown in
Especially preferred embodiments of the musical strings 1 in accordance with the invention have a metal button 13 which is rotationally symmetrical, especially barrel-shaped or partially spherical, for mounting the musical string 1 on a musical instrument.
The invention also relates to a method for fastening a musical string 1 to a metal button 13 which comprises a slit 14, with an end portion 26 of a core 4 of the musical string 1 being guided through the slit 14, with subsequently the end portion 26 being wrapped around the metal button 14, with subsequently the end portion 26 being wrapped at least one and half times about the core 2 facing a playing region of the musical string 1, with subsequently the end portion 26 being introduced into the slit 14, and with subsequently the slit 14 being compressed. The linkage in accordance with the invention can ensure a secure connection of the musical string 1 with the metal button 13 which will withstand high tensile forces in the case of bass and cello strings. Moreover, the linkage of the core 2 with the metal button 13 in accordance with the invention further has advantageous acoustic properties. This place of the musical string 1 forms the area where the musical string 1 comes into interaction with the musical instrument at a tailpiece. It has been seen that the manner of linking the core 2 to the metal button 13 as described above leads to an improvement in the response and transient of the musical string 1 on the musical instrument. Stringed instruments equipped with such musical strings 1 respond especially quickly to changing sounds and oscillations excited by the musician and follow remarkably quick to a change of the bow. Musical strings 1 in accordance with the invention comprise a core 2 which is provided and arranged to take up the load and tension to which the musical string 1 in a state when tensioned on a musical instrument. Core 2 of a musical string 1 in accordance with the invention comprises a predeterminable plurality of metal wires 4 which are stranded together with each other. The individual metal wires preferably concern steel wires or copper wires with a diameter of between 0.05 mm and 0.52 mm. Wires of other metal such as titanium can be provided.
The core of musical string 1 preferably comprises an inside core rope 9 and an outside core rope 11 encompassing the inside core rope 9. In a first preferred embodiment, the inside core rope 9 comprises at least one inside core rope wire 10 which is wound in a helical manner about a center of core 2. In a second preferred embodiment, the inside core rope 9 comprises three core inside rope wires 10 which are wound about the center of core 2. The individual inside core rope wires 10 have a predeterminable inside-rope angle of twist α relative to the longitudinal extension of musical string 1 which is between 10° and 60°. The inside core rope wires 10 are wound to rest on each other in such a way that the inside core rope 9 thus formed is capable of high extension under tensile load.
In the case of both preferred embodiments of an inside core rope 9 it can preferably be provided that a core insert 8 which comprises a predeterminable number of polymer threads is arranged substantially in the center of the core 2. It is preferably provided that the polymer threads are arranged to comprise PEK, PEEK, PBT, polyester, nylon, polyethylene, PET, PEET, PES, PE, PP, POM, PTFE, PVDF, PVDC and/or PVC. It is provided in an especially preferred way that the polymer threads are made of polyamide 6.4, 6.6, 6.10 or 6.12 with a fineness of 180 dtex to 250 dtex or of polyester PES with a fineness between 1000 dtex and 1150 dtex. Combinations of different polymer fibers can also be provided.
In the preferred embodiments of a musical string 1, the inside core rope 9 is enclosed by an outside core rope 11. The outside core rope 11 comprises a predeterminable number of outside core rope wires 12 which are wound or stranded in a predeterminable outside-core angle of twist β of between 10° and 60° about the inside core rope 9 relative to the longitudinal extension of the musical string 1. It is preferably provided that the outside core rope 11 comprises six to twelve outside-core rope wires 12. It is provided in especially preferred embodiments of musical strings 1 in accordance with the invention that the diameter of the individual outside-core rope wires 12 is the same and larger than the diameter of the inside-core rope wires 10.
Cores 2 for musical strings 1 in accordance with the invention are stranded in such a way that they advantageously offer large extension capabilities and high elasticity, which distinguish them from other conventional steel ropes or wire ropes, as are used for example in technology as transport ropes or Bowden cables. As a result of the high extension capability of the core 2, such a musical string 1 will offer only very little resistance to changes in length occurring during an oscillation on a musical instrument, providing such musical strings 1 with a very good acoustic behavior. As a result of high extensibility which can be up to 30% of the original length and the low bending stiffness, the generation of sound-generating oscillations with a high percentage of harmonics is supported positively. In exciting a musical string 1 by means of a bow, a so-called Helmholtz corner is formed, which is a corner or edge revolving on the musical string 1, with the extent of harmonics that the oscillation of the musical string 1 has being proportional to the “sharpness” of the Helmholtz corner, which means that the more distinct this corner is, the more harmonics or timbre are produced.
Musical strings 1 in accordance with the invention comprise at least a first sheathing 3. It can be provided that the first sheathing 3 is arranged substantially directly on the core 2. It can also be provided, as in the musical string according to
Musical strings 1 in accordance with the invention comprise at least a first sheathing 3. Said first sheathing 3 can be arranged as any kind of sheathing, winding or covering of the musical string 1. It is provided in an especially preferable way that the first sheathing 3 is wound in a helical way about the core 2. This leads to an especially advantageous way of increasing the mass cover of musical string 1. The bending stiffness of the musical string 1 can be kept at an advantageously low level as a result of the helical arrangement of sheathing 3. In this way, the formation of a large number of high partial tones is enabled during the excitation of the musical string 1, thus enabling a play rich in tone colors with such a musical string 1.
It is provided in a helical arrangement of the first sheathing 3 that the first sheathing 3 consists of at least a first round wire or at least a first strip of a substantially rectangular cross section with predeterminable edge arrangement. The first round wire 5 or the first strip are wound during production of the musical string 1 on the core 2. It can be provided that the first round wire 5 or the first strip are wound so as to lie close to one another, with no cavities occurring substantially between the individual adjacent windings. It can also be provided that a predeterminable cavity is provided between the individual adjacent windings. By arranging the first sheathing 3 as a round wire 5 or as a first strip, an especially simple production of the musical string 1 can be achieved.
It can be provided in a further development of the invention that the first sheathing 3 further comprises a second round wire and that the first round wire 5 and the second round wire are wound lying adjacent to one another in a helical way about the core 2, or that the first sheathing 3 further comprises a second strip with a substantially rectangular cross section with a predeterminable edge formation, and that the first strip and the second strip are wound lying adjacent to one another in a helical manner about the core 2. The bending stiffness of the musical string 1 can be lowered at a substantially unchanged mass coating, as a result of which the richness of tone colors that can be achieved with such a musical string 1 can be increased.
The round wire 5, 7 can concern any kind of round wire 5, 7. It is provided especially that the at least one round wire 5, 7 has a diameter of between 0.05 mm and 0.4 mm. It can further be provided that the at least one round wire has a substantially straight circumferential line at least in sections. Such a substantially straight circumferential line can be formed by grinding off a sheathing formed from round wires. The special properties of round wires can thus be combined with those of a strip.
Furthermore, each strip 20 can be provided for forming the sheath. It is preferably provided that the at least one strip 20 is between 1.25 and 30 times as thick as it is wide.
The strip 20 with a substantially rectangular cross section with predeterminable edge formation preferably concerns a strip 20 with a cross section which essentially has the dimensions of a rectangle, with the formation of the edges of the strip 20 being predeterminable.
The second and third preferred embodiments of a strip 20 according to
The fourth, fifth and sixth preferred embodiments of a strip 20 according to
The fifth and sixth preferred embodiment of a strip 20 according to
The seventh preferred embodiment of a strip 20 according to
Each of the strips 20 described in the present descriptions preferably has a cross section according to one of the previously described seven preferred embodiments.
In respect of the further described especially preferred embodiments, detailed examples for especially advantageous dimensioning of round wires 5, 7 and strips 20 for the musical strings 1 in accordance with the invention are mentioned, so that a further listing of preferred embodiments can be omitted here.
It is preferably provided that the at least one round wire 5, 7 or the at least one strip 20 is arranged to comprise a metallic material. This combines the advantages of a high density and rough surface which is advantageous for excitation by a bow because colophony adheres especially well on such a rough surface. It is provided in an especially preferred way that the at least one round wire 5, 7 or the at least one strip 20 is formed to comprise at least one material from the group of aluminum, magnesium, iron, chromium, nickel, silicon, silver, gold, platinum, rhodium, copper, tungsten, with each of the mentioned materials being provided as a pure material in the technical sense, but also as a component of an alloy. Musical strings 1 have proven to be especially advantageous in which the at least one round wire 5, 7 or the at least one strip 20 is formed to comprise at least one alloy chosen from the group of steel, aluminum/magnesium alloys, aluminum/magnesium/manganese alloys, silver/copper alloys, silver/platinum alloys, silver/rhodium alloys, silver/palladium alloys, iron/chromium/nickel/silicon/aluminum alloys. Steel preferably concerns steel comprising alloy components chosen from the group of carbon, chromium, nickel, molybdenum, vanadium, manganese, tungsten, with carbon steels (carbon content of 0.01% to 0.03%) and chromium/nickel steels (chromium content of 17% to 20%, nickel content of 8% to 10%) being especially preferable. It can further be provided that the at least one round wire 5, 7 or the at least one strip 20 has a surface coating, with a coating being provided with at least one metal, especially brass, tin, nickel, and/or a plastic, especially a polymer. It can preferably be provided that a predeterminable number of coatings can be arranged above one another.
In a further development of the invention it is provided especially preferably that a musical string 1 in accordance with the invention has a second sheathing 6 which is wound in a helical manner about the first sheathing 3, through which advantageously a further mass coating can be applied to the same without excessively increasing the bending stiffness of the musical string 1. The second sheathing 6 which is preferably formed from a third round wire 7 or a third strip with a substantially rectangular cross section can be applied in the same winding sense as the preceding first sheathing 3 or in a winding sense which is contrary to or crosses the winding sense of the first sheathing 3. This shall be referred to below as “crossed”. As a result of the crossed arrangement of the second sheathing 6 relative to the first sheathing 3, an especially homogeneous musical string 1 can be formed.
It can be provided in an equivalent manner to the arrangement of the first sheathing 3 that the second sheathing 6 further comprises a fourth round wire and that the third round wire 7 and the fourth round wire are wound lying next to one another in a helical manner about the core 2, or that the second sheathing 6 further comprises a fourth strip with a substantially rectangular cross section and that the third strip 7 and the fourth strip are wound lying next to one another in a helical manner about the core 2. The arrangement of the round wires 7 or strips is preferably arranged in an equivalent manner to the embodiments described in the description of the first sheathing 3.
It is preferably further provided that the musical strings 1 in accordance with the invention comprise at least a third sheathing 19 which is wound in a helical manner about the second sheathing 6. It can also be provided in this case that the third sheathing 19 is arranged in a crossed manner relative to the second sheathing 6. The arrangement of the round wires or strips 20 is preferably arranged in an equivalent manner to the embodiments described in the description of the first sheathing 3.
Furthermore, a predeterminable number of further sheaths can be provided, with especially a fourth, fifth and sixth sheathing being provided which are all preferably arranged in an equivalent manner to the embodiments described in the description of the first sheathing 3 as regards arrangement, dimensioning and materials.
It can further be provided that a polymer coating is provided as the outermost layer of musical string 1, e.g. in the form of a plastic tube or a so-called bi-stage lacquer. It is preferably provided in this case that a polymer cover tape is wound up onto the musical string 1 in a helical manner. In this context it is provided preferably that the edges of the polymer cover tape arranged helically on the musical string are molten together. It is provided for this purpose to subject the musical string 1 to a predeterminable heating. A jacket about the musical string 1 is closed which is impenetrable for dirt and humidity, thus further increasing the service life of the musical string 1.
It can be provided that the first sheathing 3 is arranged directly on the core 2 and that the further provided sheathings are arranged to follow directly one after the other. It can also be provided that a bonding agent 15 is arranged at least between the first sheathing 3 and the second sheathing 6, preferably comprising wax, especially natural waxes such as bees wax or carnauba wax, and/or artificial waxes such polyolefin waxes, paraffin, oil, such as greasy oils, mineral oil, and/or synthetic oils such as resin, especially natural resins such as larch resin and/or spruce resin, and/or synthetic resins such as polyester resin, phenol resin and/or epoxy resin. Such a bonding agent 15 can also be arranged between core 2 and the first sheathing 3. It is further preferably provided to arrange a bonding agent 15 as described above between the inside core rope 9 and the outside core rope 11. The bonding agent 15 can be used to change the inner damping of the musical string 1 in a predeterminable way, especially to increase the same, which is especially advantageous for musical strings 1 for stringed instruments.
A number of especially preferred embodiments of a musical string 1 in accordance with the invention will be described below:
The exemplary musical string 1 according to
Core 2 of the especially preferred first and second embodiments of musical strings 1 in accordance with the invention as described below is made of steel wires, and comprises three inside-core rope wires 10 and six outside-core rope wires 12, with the outside-core rope wires 12 being arranged in a crossed manner relative to the inside-core rope wires 10. A core insert 8 is provided in the center of the inside core rope 9. A bonding agent 15 is arranged between the individual inside-core rope wires 10 and the outside-core rope wires 12. The inside-core rope wires 10 and the outside-core rope wires 12 have the inside-rope angle of twist α and an outside-rope angle of twist β of between 40° and 50°. As a result of the high inside-rope angle of twist α and outside-rope angle of twist β, an especially high extensibility of the core 2 is achieved because the same can be pulled apart similar to the effect of a coil spring and will move back to an idle position again. The inside-core rope wires 10 preferably have a diameter of between 0.05 mm and 0.27 mm and the outside-core rope wires 12 have a diameter of between 0.06 mm and 0.34 mm. It is preferably provided that the inside-core rope wires 10 have a smaller diameter than the outside-core rope wires 12.
In a first preferred embodiment of a musical string 1 in accordance with the invention, an intermediate layer 18 made of polymer fibers with approx. 95 to 115 dtex is arranged on said core 2 as described above, which fibers are arranged substantially parallel to the longitudinal extension of the musical string 1. The polyamide fibers are preferably connected by means of the bonding agent 15 with the core 2. The first sheathing 3 is formed by a round copper wire which is wound in a helical manner about the intermediate layer 18. It can be provided in a further arrangement of this embodiment that the first sheathing 3 is formed by three round copper wires which are each wound in a helical manner about the intermediate layer 18 situated adjacent to one another. The round copper wires each have a diameter in the range of between 0.22 mm and 0.25 mm and are arranged in a crossed manner relative to the outside-core rope wires 12. The round copper wires are ground before applying the second sheathing 6 and therefore have flat areas in certain sections. The second sheathing 6 is formed by a single round copper wire which has a diameter of between 0.24 mm and 0.27 min and is arranged in a crossed manner relative to the round copper wires of the first sheathing 3. It is preferably provided that the round copper wire of the second sheathing 6 has a polymer surface coating. A third sheathing 19 in the form of a single round copper wire is arranged on the second sheathing 6, which third sheathing is arranged in the same direction relative to the round copper wire of the second sheathing 6. The round copper wire of the third sheathing 19 has a preferably slightly lower diameter than the round copper wire of the second sheathing 6 and is arranged in the abutment points which are formed between the mutually adjacent parts of the round copper wire of the second sheathing 6. An arrangement is thus formed in which a helical gap is formed which extends over the entire length of the musical string 1 between the mutually closest winding parts of the round copper wire forming the third sheathing 19. The bending stiffness of the musical string can thus advantageously be kept low.
The second preferred embodiment of a musical string 1 in accordance with the invention has a first preferred embodiment of a musical string 1 in accordance with the invention with a substantially equivalent arrangement, with merely the first sheathing 3 being arranged differently. In the second embodiment, the first sheathing 3 is formed by a first strip comprising aluminum which has a width of between 0.53 mm and 0.58 mm and a thickness of between 0.09 mm and 0.12 mm. A bonding agent 15 is each arranged between the individual layers of the musical string 1 as described above. The second preferred embodiment of a musical string 1 in accordance with the invention has a mass covering which is smaller than that of the first preferred embodiment and is therefore preferably provided for slightly higher-frequency oscillations such as the double bass string A1.
The further described third preferred embodiment of a musical string 1 in accordance with the invention has a core 2, comprising three inside-core rope wires 10 and seven outside-core rope wires 12 which are each stranded together in a crossed manner with respect to each other at an the inside-rope angle of twist α and an outside-rope angle of twist β of between 40° and 50°. The inside-core rope wires 10 have a diameter of between 0.1 mm and 0.14 mm and the outside-core rope wires 12 have a diameter of between 0.13 mm and 0.17 mm. The third preferred embodiment comprises an intermediate layer 18 in the manner of the first preferred embodiment of a musical string 1. The further provided first and second sheathings 3, 6 are arranged in the manner of the second and third sheathing 3, 6 of the first preferred embodiment, which in this case is each arranged as a single round wire, with the third round wire 7 of the second sheathing 6 being arranged in the abutting points of the first round wire 5 of the first sheathing 3. The first round wire 5 has a diameter of between 0.15 mm and 0.18 mm and the third round wire 7 a diameter of between 0.12 mm and 0.145 mm. The first and third round wire 5, 7 are arranged to comprise tungsten. It is especially provided that the first and third round wire 5, 7 are substantially completely made of tungsten. A bonding agent 15 is each arranged between the individual layers of the musical string 1 as described above. Such a musical string 1 is preferably used as a cello C-string.
The fourth preferred embodiment of a musical string 1 in accordance with the invention comprises a core 2 which is formed by three inside-core rope wires 10 and six outside-core rope wires 12 which are arranged in a crossed manner relative to each other. This core 2 does not comprise any core insert 8. The inside-core rope wires 10 have a diameter of between 0.12 mm and 0.15 mm, the outside-core rope wires 12 have a diameter of between 0.24 mm and 0.28 mm. The inside-rope angle of twist α is approximately 40° and the length of lay S of the outside-core rope wires 12 is substantially twice as large as the length of lay S of the inside-core rope wires 10. The first sheathing 3 is formed by a first round wire 5 which is arranged as a polymer-coated round copper wire and has a diameter, without the polymer coating, of approximately 0.27 mm to 0.3 mm. The second sheathing 6 which is formed from a blank round copper wire with a diameter of between 0.27 mm to 0.3 mm is wound in the same direction of rotation as the first round wire 5 and is arranged, as described, in the abutting points of the first round wire 5. A third sheathing 19 is provided substantially in the same manner, which sheathing is formed by a fifth round wire. The fifth round wire is arranged as a polymer-coated round copper wire with a diameter of between 0.24 mm and 0.27 mm and is arranged in the abutting points of the third round wire 7. The diameters of the first, third and fifth round wire 5, 7 are chosen in such a way that the actual outside diameter of the round wire 5, which is the diameter of the respective round wire 5, 7 together with a coating optionally arranged thereon, is larger than the outside diameter of the third round wire 7, and the outside diameter of the third round wire 7 is larger than the outside diameter of the fifth round wire. A fourth sheathing which comprises a strip is arranged on the fifth round wire, with the width of the strip preferably being substantially larger than twice the outside diameter of the fifth round wire. It can also be provided that the width of the strip is smaller than the sum total of the widths of the round wires arranged in the third sheathing. Such a musical string 1 has a very warm, dark sound.
Further embodiments merely have a part of the described features, with any combination of features being provided, especially also of different described embodiments.
