Guitar Research Papers - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

The aim of this study is, in its first part, the description of the dynamic behavior of metal
plates, with the computation of natural frequencies and mode shapes; the problem has
been approached with different methods, each of them highlighting a particular
perspective.
The main points of part I are:
• The presentation of the theoretical background of the vibrating plate, to
understand the phenomenon, the main physical quantities involved, and the
mathematical equations ruling vibrations.
• An analytical computation, through equations previously demonstrated, of
natural frequencies and mode shapes for a set of different cases.
• A Finite Elements study, both for confirming the previous point, and to
provide results for cases that are too complex for the closed-form solution.
• The detailed description of the design, building and set up procedure of the
laboratory test rig to verify the model, and the discussion of the obtained
results.
• The definition of a didactic experience, to be conducted by students in the
DEXPILAB laboratories, with the relative operative procedure and safety
norms.
A practical application of this first study has been carried out in the second part of the
thesis, where it has been used to design, and build, the top soundboard of a string
instrument, a guitar, providing it with the desired acoustic properties.
In particular, this second part consists of:
• A description of the physics of the instrument, highlighting the link between the
way it is designed and built, and the dynamic properties that one should achieve.
• The modelling, through FEM, of the instrument soundboard to understand the
importance of the reinforcement ribs pattern in the dynamic behavior.
• The practical construction of a braced soundboard, tuned step by step with a
specific technique, and simultaneously analyzed with laboratory measurements.