A Philosophical Essay of Musick

The help that instruments give to the sound is because their sides tremble and comply with any sound, striking the air in the same measure as the vibrations of the music. This considerably increases the sound.

This trembling is chiefly caused by the continuity The physical connection or contact of the sides of the instrument with the vibrating string. Therefore, if the bridge of a violin is weighted with lead, the sound will be dampened. Furthermore, if there is not a piece of wood called the sound-post A small dowel inside a stringed instrument that connects the front and back to promote the continuity between the back and belly of the instrument, the sound will not be brisk and sprightly.

Such a continuity to the nerve of hearing will cause a sense of sound even to a man who has stopped his ears, if he holds a stick between his teeth that touches the sounding instrument.

The sound by itself, without such physical continuity, would cause some trembling, as may be seen by the movement of unison strings in the instance given before. However, this is not significant compared to the other method, though it is all the assistance that the structure of a room can give to music, except for what is provided by way of echo.

This trembling of the instrument changes with every new sound. Because the spring The elasticity or flexibility of the instrument's sides is indifferent—meaning it is ready to take any measure—it receives a new impression. In contrast, a vibrating string can only take a measure according to its tension.

Therefore, instruments that have nothing to stop the sounding strings make an intolerable jangle to someone standing near. This is like bells to a person in a steeple, who hears the continuing sound of dissonant tones. The dulcimer A percussion stringed instrument played with hammers; the strings continue to ring after being hit is like this. However, the harpsichord, which has rags upon the jacks The vertical mechanisms that pluck the strings; the "rags" are felt dampers that stop the vibration by which the vibration of the string is stopped, gives no disturbance through the resonance of the instrument. This is because the instrument does not continue the sound after the vibrations are ended and another tone is struck, but instead changes and complies with the new sound.