Making Guitar: a balance between Science and Intuition
Jean Marie Fouilleul guitarmaker
Guitars from its Origins……(Heavens?..)
1711
1823
…to the Present Day More strings…, an instrument imagined by its player …M.Maccaferri
New soundholedesign to enlarge the top. (M.Montassier)
2002
Usual guitarmaker’s behaviour approach of their work
in feed-back only subjective informations
guitarmaker intuition model
good…? musicians
not so good..? not so bad…? bad…?
Joël Laplane
• Science in service with Intuition • « my idea is to realize a structure which vibrates as longer as possible with a large spectrum of harmonics »
Less traction on the top…. Strings are fixed behind the bridge, on an inside-neck
Joël Laplane’s approach with scientists and musicians
in feed-back two types of informations
guitarmaker
intuition model
Scientist analysis measures good…?
musicians
not so good..? not so bad…? bad…?
comparison
Jean-Luc Joie • Science but no intuition • «I’ve seen the opportunity to increase dynamic » • « Wood is not enough to go further »
a bridge inspired by the piano
Jean-Luc Joie ‘s guitar A new material A new concept A new design
Jean-Luc Joie’s approach with scientists and musicians
guitarmaker
in feed-back two types of informations
Scientists : analysis - measures
discussion new concept-design model
comparison
good…? not so good..?
Musicians appreciations
not so bad…? bad…?
Daniel Friederich
• A rigorous bench scientist
•
« Intuition can precede the reasoned knowledge, but gives few chance of reproduction in case of success . »
Measures on top and on neck imagined by D.Friederich
Measures of the braces : flexion
Measures on the finished guitar: neck and top flexions
Daniel Friederich’s approach with scientists and musicians guitarmaker reproduction
in feed-back three types of informations
comparison
Systematic measures
Scientists: analysis
model good…? not so good..? Musicians appreciations
not so bad…? bad…?
comparison
Daniel Friederich’s instruments
• Tradition in aesthetic • Sober • Great quality of realization
To a collective research approach
The groupwork-The main partners:
•
UNFI : a french professional association of instrumentmakers
•
Vincent Doutaut : Ingeneer researches, ITEMM (Europeen Institut of Formation for Musictrade)
•
François Gautier: lecturer,LAUM (Acoustic Laboratory of Le Mans)
•
Jean-Loïc Le Carrou: p.h.d. student, LAUM
•
Bertrand David: lecturer, ENST ( National Telecom High School)
•
Nicolas Dauchez: lecturer, LAUM
•
Iris Brémaud: doctor,(Mechanic and Civil Ingeneering Laboratory)
TEST FOR BRACING – CLASSICAL GUITAR TOP-J.M FOUILLEUL
A case with thick sides
Top
Constant volume of the case Easy comparison of different tops Possibility to play the instrument
Jaws
Sides and neck
Thick Back
Testing the top
Example of collaboration, works on: « characterization of the guitar in low frequencies »
« Helmoltz System »: a tool for assistance in making guitar
F.Gautier , J.L Le Carrou , C.Thepenier J.M Fouilleul
Demonstration with “Helmholtz” Interface Identity card of the guitar
Datas’s acquiring
Datas ‘s filing
To……. a « Home Acoustic Research Laboratory »
Informatic tools
Adapted to instrumentmaker
Reasonable price
References and Publications -« Different Configurations of the same Concert Guitar Characterized by Means of Modal Analysis and Noise Transfer » Laplane J., Minsen E., Charron S. Acoustica n°82 -« La Guitare à Travers les Spectres » M. Rosen, publication de l’Atelier de Recherches Appliquées de l’ITEMM -« La Guitare, Aperçus concernant le Fonctionnement et la Conception Organologique de la Guitare, l’Examen et le Choix des Bois, des Réflexions » Daniel Friederich , G.A.M n°92, Université Paris VI, 1977 -« Etude de Comportement Acoustique de la Table d’Harmonie d’une Guitare » D.Douau (D.E.A d’acoustique) Université du Maine, juin 1983 -« Evaluation des Propriétés Acoustiques, Mécaniques et Structurelles des Bois de Tables d’Harmonie de Guitares; Leur Influence sur le Timbre de l’Instrument » D.Douau (Thèse dedoctorat), Université du Maine, 1986 -« Approche du Fonctionnement Mécanique et Acoustique de la Guitare » J.C.Radier ( Thèse ) Université du Maine, Février 1985 -« Helmoltz: un outil de caractérisation des deux premiers modes de la guitare » F.Gautier, J.L Le Carrou, E.Collin, J.Duffaud, C.Frisson ,juillet 2005; Journées Professionnelles Facture Instrumentale « Mettre en Commun »
Special thanks to: V.Doutaut , F.Gautier , J.L Le Carrou
