4aMUb1. Analysis of sound generation mechanisms of a Samisen: Comparison between its sound waveform and vibration waveforms of the skin, bridge, and plectrum at the beginning of the sound.

Session: Thursday Morning, December 5

Time: 9:35


Author: Ryuzo Horiuchi
Location: Electrotechnical Lab., 1-1-4, Umezomo, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305 Japan
Author: Tsuneo Kikuchi
Location: Electrotechnical Lab., 1-1-4, Umezomo, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305 Japan
Author: Sojun Sato
Location: Electrotechnical Lab., 1-1-4, Umezomo, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305 Japan
Author: Hajime Miura
Location: Shizuoka Inst. of Sci. and Technol., Shizuoka, 437 Japan

Abstract:

A Samisen is one of the typical plucked string instruments in traditional Japanese music. In this work, the sound generation mechanism of the Samisen will be discussed by analyzing how each part of the Samisen works. The Samisen sound is classified into four time regions by considering the characteristics of the waveform. The time--frequency analysis of the vibration waveform of each part in each time region is compared with that of the sound. Furthermore, the sound generation mechanism will be discussed, including the time region by the transient touch of the plectrum to the strings and the skin. It is concluded that both the cause of the vibration of the skin and the generation of the Samisen original sound are mainly due to two mechanisms: the transmission of the continuous vibration of strings through the bridge and the transient and direct touch of the plectrum.


ASA 132nd meeting - Hawaii, December 1996