AUGUST 11 2005

Vibrational characteristics of Saron Barong metallophones

in the 1893 Field Museum Gamelan 
William R. Savage; Edward L. Kottick; Sue Carol DeVale

J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 66, S18 (1979)

https://doi.org/10.1121/1.2017640

CrossMark

 
View Export
Online Citation

25 December 2023 16:39:59

 2:25

H2. Vibrational characteristicsof Saron Barong metallophonesin the 1893 Field Museum Gamelan.
William R. Savage (Department of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
52242), Edward L. Kottick (School of Music, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242), and
Sue Carol DeVale (Asian Archaeology and Ethnology, Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago,
IL 60695)

The gongsused in Asiatic music frequently exhibit noticeable glides in pitch comprising a significant
fraction of a semitone. Bar-form metallophonesof the 1893 Gamelan also show a glide in pitch. This
contrastswith western bar-form metallophoneswhich are generallypitch stable. Measurementsof the
keys of two Saron Barong show that they have different lengths, widths, and cross sectionsbut do not
"scale" since they have nearly similar masses.The keys of lower pitch are longer and wider than those
of higher pitch within a given seven note Saron. The upper surface of the keys is convex for both
length and width aspects. The lower surface of the lower pitch keys is concave becoming convex
for the upper keys. They are mounted with nails through holes at a distanceone quarter the length from
the end on resilient pads above individual air cavities. The holes are not symmetrically located and
the bars are not straight. They were cast of bell metal in sand molds and roughly finished. The cen-
tral part of the underside is hollowed. Torsional and flexural modes near the pitch frequency can be
found by external excitation. These modes have frequencies consistent with those found by high-
speed spectral analysis and pitch measurements. The pitch glide seems to be associated with a bar
shape that favors excitation of both torsional and flexural modes at the initial strike with a more rapid
decay of the torsional mode. This mechanismdiffers from that suggestedfor gongswhere the moving
mass associatedwith the mode decreaseswith decreasing amplitude of vibration.

2:45

H3. A study of cymbal vibrations. Harvey Fletcher and I. G. Bassett (Department of Physics and
Astronomy, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602)

The vibration patterns of the cymbal were studied by driving the plate at edge with a sinusoidal
signal. Chladni patterns were formed for sixty of the strongestmodes of vibration. Typical patterns

25 December 2023 16:39:59

will be shown and discussed. Analyses were made of the sound from a single cymbal struck with a
mallet. The vibration is very complex with more than 600 identifiable frequencies. Analysis was
done passing the recorded sound through a 3-Hz bandwidth filter to isolate single frequency com-
ponents. Information on decay rates was obtained using a 10-Hz bandwidth filter.

Contributed Papers

3:05 [Lord Rayleigh (J. W. Strutt), The Theory of Sound (Macmillan,

H4. Vibrations of cymbals, gongs, and tamtams. Richard W. Peter-
son (Department of Physics, Western Illinois University, Macomb,
IL 61455) and Thomas D. Rossing (Department of Physics,
Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL 60115).
Cymbals, tamtams, and gongsare three important examplesof per-
cussion musical instruments which employ vibrating plates. When
struck, they vibrate in many different modes of vibration and radiate
sound which is rich in overtones [T. D. Rossing, The Physics
Teacher 15, 278 (1977)]. Gongs convey a fairly strong senseof pitch,
whereas cymbals have indefinite pitch. We have studied the modes
of vibration and the sound spectra of a number of cymbals, gongs,
and tamtams both when struck and when driven in steady state.
Various techniqueshave been employed for studyingthe modes of
vibration, including Chladni patterns, holographic interferometry,
probing the nearfield sound, and attaching vibration sensors [T. D.
Rossing and R. Ross, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. Suppl. 1 64, S150(A)
(1978)]. In some cases the results agree closely with the simple
theory of plate vibrations; in other cases, rather unusual effects are
observed.
3:20
H5. The acousticsof timpani. Craig A. Andersona>and Thomas D.
Rossing (Department of Physics, Northern Illinois University,
DeKalb, IL 60115)
The frequenciesof the vibrational modesof kettledrum headshave
long been known to differ from those of an ideal unloaded membrane
1894), 2nd ed., Vol. 1]. The three principal modes, under normal
playing and tuning conditions, have frequencies nearly in the ratio of
4:3:2, thus giving timpani a musical pitch which is easily discernible.
This favorable relationship of modal frequenciesis brought about by
membranestiffnessand air loading;our experimentsindicatethat air
loading is the more important factor. We have measured the fre-
quencies of ten or more modes of vibration under various condi-
tions: high and low tension, with and without the kettle, in air and
helium atmospheres. The kettle raises the frequency of the lowest
symmetric mode, and also fine tunes some of the higher modes; its
most important role is that of a baffle, however.
a) Present address:Nelson Industries, Incorporated, Stoughton, WI
53589.
3:35
H6. Analysisof JapaneseTsuzumi tones. R. D. Olsen and I. G. Bas-
sett (Department of Physics and Astronomy, Brigham Young Uni-
versity, Provo, UT 84602)
Four basic types of tones for the (KO) Tsuzumi (an hourglass-
shaped, wooden Japanese drum about 25 cm high and 10 cm in
diameter with small ropes interconnecting the two heads) were
analyzed using a Fast-Fourier Transform computer program. Re-
cordings of the tone were made by Michiko Toyama 1-29-18
Hanegi, Setagaya-Ku, Tokyo, Japan. The tones analyzed are
describedas follows: (1) "KO," producedby striking the center of
the drum head with two to four fingers of the right hand while the
ropes holding the head are at first held loosely and then squeezed
quickly. Twelve frequency componentshave been identifiedranging

S18 J. Acoust. Soc. Am. Suppl. 1, Vol. 66, Fall 1979 98th Meeting: Acoustical Society of America S18