Wood species

Materials can be viewed from two dimensions: first, the variety, origin, and method of material collection; second, the grade and storage time of the material.

Let's talk about the variety of materials first. I have always insisted on choosing wood species, and my persistence has even reached the point of superstition. Okay, let's imagine what kind of sound would be made using spruce to make a guzheng?

What is the sound of a violin? What is the sound of black pipes? What is the sound of a trumpet? Every material has its own physical properties. Copper resonates well, but its loudness is not as high as iron. Therefore, brass instruments cannot be made of iron, otherwise what we hear in the concert hall will be noisy and sharp brass.

When the violin was invented hundreds of years ago, the panel material was Spruce from the European Alps, scientific name Picea Abies. However, there were many options for the backboard, such as Walnut, Poplar, Ash, and Beech, but the mainstream still used the European maple wood, abbreviated as Sycamore, scientific name Acer Pseudoplatanus, because of its moderate hardness and beautiful back pattern that can enhance artistic quality.

Regional factors

The main difference between the violin and other classical instruments, and modern popular music instruments, is the occasion and requirements for use. When a symphony orchestra plays any classical music, the composer will "match" it according to the different attributes of each instrument, that is to say, the "expression" of each instrument must be controllable and harmonious. If the sound quality and tone of the violin today are not as imagined by the composer, the overall style of the music played will be completely out of tune.

The reason why classical music knows no borders is that regardless of the language spoken, when people hear the same piece, they will have similar images in their minds (of course, everyone has different artistic conception), allowing the audience to feel the composer's intention and realm. Therefore, I believe that material is the most important because the "basic tonality" of the material determines the "musicality" of the instrument.

Rigorous material selection

The method of material selection has the greatest impact on the panel, which is subjected to enormous string pressure. The four strings are constantly pressed on the panel with a density of less than 0.4. In order to maximize the strength of the soft spruce, ancient craftsmen realized that the cutting method would have a significant impact on strength and stability. Absolute diameter cutting of spruce can make it possible for relatively hard winter wood, that is, areas with deeper annual rings, to be arranged the most in the same area.

The importance of wood grades

Next, let's talk about the grade of materials. The higher the grade of European spruce panels, the harder they will be at the same density, which means that the texture is light but the hardness is high. This allows qin makers to use thinner panels to achieve the same strength. Relatively speaking, lighter panels are less likely to absorb energy from strings and are more free to vibrate and produce louder sounds.