Post by martinrowe on Apr 10, 2017 22:26:31 GMT
Below is a direct 'lift' from the Northfield Mandolin website. They've created a new Artist series of mandolins with the help of Mike Marshall. Here is a list of their definitions of tone i.e. the things they were looking for and the things they were trying to avoid. I don't think it's copyright.
TONAL TERMS
Immediate - responsiveness, jumps off the top, Engelmann, "pop!, the lip smack.
Knock knock - The percussive rap behind the note. the same sound/pitch as knocking on the bridge/top with knuckle? not as warm and rich as hickory nut
Hickory nut - related to knock-knock, compression, tongue clicking, warm and rich.
Openness - headroom, not tight, not new, played in, free harmonics, lightly finished
Sustain - Unhindered notes, efficiency, energetic, effortless
Rich - warm, buttery, evenness of tone, creamy, lush, round top end,
Toughness - compression on the double stops, bon-bon - inner-ear compression, growl, bones, holds together, does not breakup/distort
Complex Harmonics - wide open, omni-directional, rich, airy, full spectrum
Bone structure - the power behind the note, the meat in the middle, a hard substantial mid, toughness, focus, strong mid-frequency signature
Puff of air - the sound movement from inside the box out the f-holes, a light chop that has responsive bark, I perceive this best at lighter playing levels, swell of sound out of the mandolin.
Thick glass - The clear, clean, strong, focused up the neck stuff
Parchment - a warm airiness, complex harmonics, crinkling paper.
Bloom - the note has a seeming swell in amplitude immediately after the string is plucked, some left-hand technique involved, Engelmann
Evenness - The presence of balanced fundamental frequencies across the range of the instrument. Very important in the studio when tone is a lot more important than perceived volume.
Negatives
Hollow - lack of mids, no definition, tubby, weak, no bones,
Edgy - new, tight, stringy, distorting, brassy
Unfocused - no bones, no strong sonic space, washed out
Thin - too small harmonic signature, weak, overbuilt, lack of bottom end
I thought people would find this interesting.
Martin
TONAL TERMS
Immediate - responsiveness, jumps off the top, Engelmann, "pop!, the lip smack.
Knock knock - The percussive rap behind the note. the same sound/pitch as knocking on the bridge/top with knuckle? not as warm and rich as hickory nut
Hickory nut - related to knock-knock, compression, tongue clicking, warm and rich.
Openness - headroom, not tight, not new, played in, free harmonics, lightly finished
Sustain - Unhindered notes, efficiency, energetic, effortless
Rich - warm, buttery, evenness of tone, creamy, lush, round top end,
Toughness - compression on the double stops, bon-bon - inner-ear compression, growl, bones, holds together, does not breakup/distort
Complex Harmonics - wide open, omni-directional, rich, airy, full spectrum
Bone structure - the power behind the note, the meat in the middle, a hard substantial mid, toughness, focus, strong mid-frequency signature
Puff of air - the sound movement from inside the box out the f-holes, a light chop that has responsive bark, I perceive this best at lighter playing levels, swell of sound out of the mandolin.
Thick glass - The clear, clean, strong, focused up the neck stuff
Parchment - a warm airiness, complex harmonics, crinkling paper.
Bloom - the note has a seeming swell in amplitude immediately after the string is plucked, some left-hand technique involved, Engelmann
Evenness - The presence of balanced fundamental frequencies across the range of the instrument. Very important in the studio when tone is a lot more important than perceived volume.
Negatives
Hollow - lack of mids, no definition, tubby, weak, no bones,
Edgy - new, tight, stringy, distorting, brassy
Unfocused - no bones, no strong sonic space, washed out
Thin - too small harmonic signature, weak, overbuilt, lack of bottom end
I thought people would find this interesting.
Martin
Jo whoever he is.
