Annotated Checklist of Bowed Stringed Instruments by
Carleen Maley Hutchins


Carleen Hutchins surrounded by the Museum's violin octet, Vermillion, June 1992. Photo by Valerie Hoeppner, courtesy of the Yankton Press & Dakotan.
The National Music Museum's New Violin Family Octet

Treble Violin
Soprano Violin
Mezzo Violin
Alto Violin
Tenor Violin
Baritone Violin
Small Bass Violin
Contrabass Violin


Other Experimental Instruments
Viola (1953)
Graphite-Epoxy Violin (1974)
Violin, Le Gruyère (1982)

A typical Violin Octet by Carleen Hutchins
Collaborative Luthiers
Bernstein, Reed Raphael: 1981, 1983, 1984
Blatter, Donald L.: 1968, 1981
Blatter, Laura: 1968
Carlson, Laird: 1977
Carruth, Alan: 1977
Dunham, Louis M.: 1971, 1984
Field, Carolyn W.: 1981, 1985
Haines, Daniel W.: 1974
Hercules Materials Company, Inc.: 1974
Jackson, H. Kevin: 1981, 1983
Livingstone, Christine: 1983
Miller, Burritt: 1971
Saunders, Frederick A.: 1953

One of the seven complete violin octets made by
Carleen Hutchins, similar to the Museum's ensemble.

Violin Octet

Treble Violin

NMM 6728. Treble violin by Carleen Maley Hutchins and Carolyn W. Field, Montclair, New Jersey, 1985. Printed paper label with Field's name, model, serial number, and last two digits of year written in black ballpoint pen: CARLEEN HUTCHINS / TREBLE [CMH monogram with two gray f-holes] / VIOLIN SUS No. 124 / C. W. Field / Montclair, N. J. 1985 / G D A E 1320 H2. Black ballpoint pen on inside of back upper bouts: Carleen M. Hutchins / 1985. Black ballpoint pen on inside of top upper treble bout: Carleen M. / Hutchins / 1985. Black ballpoint pen on inside of back center bouts: TREBLE / VIOLIN / G - D - A - E 1320 H2. Brand on inside of back on treble side near soundpost and on inside of top between treble f-hole and center joint: [CMH monogram with two f-holes]. Short pencil line on bottom block at joint with back, indicating center position. Top: two-piece, quarter-cut spruce, fine grain. Back: two-piece maple cut slightly off-the-quarter, with medium curl ascending from center joint; pith flecks; wide grain; large button; small black-filled dowel hole through back into top block on bass side of center joint; small black-filled dowel hole through back into bottom block on treble side of center joint. Ribs: maple cut off-the-quarter with medium curl angled to right on bass side, angled to left on treble side; wide grain; some pith flecks; rib corners chamfered. Head and neck: maple with prominent, small ray flecks; wide neck heel; neck heel extends far into top; inside of pegbox stained black. Varnish: medium orange-brown. Fingerboard: ebony. Nut: ebony. Tailpiece: black-painted steel with built-in black-painted brass fine tuners. Pegs: four ebony. Saddle: ebony. Endpin: ebony. F-holes: very long; flared wings; lower wings slightly channeled; inside edges stained black. Linings: willow. Corner blocks: willow. Top block: willow. Bottom block: willow. Total length: 466 mm. Back length: 288 mm. Upper bout width: 131 mm. Center bout width: 86 mm. Lower bout width: 162 mm. Rib height: 19-20 mm. Stop length: 139 mm. Vibrating string length: 228 mm. Original neck length (nut to ribs): 87 mm. Gift of Carleen Maley Hutchins, Montclair, 1999.
Soprano Violin

NMM 6729. Soprano violin by Carleen Maley Hutchins and Carolyn W. Field, Montclair, New Jersey, 1981. Printed paper label with Field's name, model, and last two digits of year written in black ballpoint pen, the serial number written in black ink: C. W. Field / CARLEEN HUTCHINS [CMH monogram with two gray f-holes] / SUS No. 300 / Montclair, N. J. 1981 / Soprano Violin C -- G -- D -- Asso. Pencil on bridge toward fingerboard: Td[r]eg. Faint remains of numbers in pencil on inside of back. Top: two-piece, spruce cut slightly off-the-quarter, with medium grain. Back: two-piece, quarter-cut maple with medium curl descending from center joint; spalting and pith flecks; wide grain; large button; small black-filled dowel hole through back and purfling into top block on bass side of center joint; small black-filled dowel hole through back into bottom block on treble side of center joint. Ribs: quarter-cut maple with medium curl angled to right on bass side, angled to left on treble side; some pith flecks; rib corners chamfered. Head and neck: maple with faint, narrow curl; wide neck heel; neck heel extends far into top; inside of pegbox stained black. Arching: low. Purfling: wide. Varnish: medium orange-brown. Fingerboard: ebony. Nut: ebony. Tailpiece: black-painted steel with built-in black-painted brass fine tuners; beige, red, black, and gold decal on underside: SYSTEM / OTTO INFELD / WIEN. Pegs: four ebony. Saddle: ebony. Endpin: ebony. F-holes: lower wings slightly channeled; slightly undercut. Linings: willow. Corner blocks: willow. Top block: willow. Bottom block: willow; wide. Total length: 532 mm. Back length: 315 mm. Upper bout width: 153 mm. Center bout width: 101 mm. Lower bout width: 197 mm. Rib height: 18-19 mm. Stop length: 166 mm. Vibrating string length: 283 mm. Original neck length (nut to ribs): 119 mm. Gift of Carleen Maley Hutchins, Montclair, 1999.
Mezzo Violin

NMM 6730. Mezzo violin by Carleen Maley Hutchins, Laird Carlson, and Alan Carruth, Montclair, New Jersey, 1977. Printed paper label with model, serial number, and last two digits of year written in blue-black ballpoint pen: CARLEEN HUTCHINS / [CMH monogram with two gray f-holes] / SUS No. 111 / Montclair, N. J. 1977 / MEZZO VIOLIN - E-A-D-G. Black ballpoint pen on inside of back, upper bass bout: Carleen M. / Hutchins / 1977. Black ballpoint pen on inside of top, upper treble bout: Carleen M. Hutchins / 1977 L. Carlson [this name in box]. Brand on inside of back above label, on inside of top at center, and on top block: [CMH monogram with two f-holes, incomplete on inside of back]. Black ballpoint pen on inside of back near soundpost: MEZZO / VIOLIN / G - D - A - E / 440. Blue ballpoint pen on bridge toward tailpiece: CARRUTH. Top: two-piece, spruce cut slightly off-the-quarter, with wide grain. Back: two-piece, quarter-cut maple with narrow-to-medium curl ascending from center joint; pith flecks; wide grain; small black-filled dowel hole through back into top block on bass side of center joint; small black-filled dowel hole through back into bottom block on treble side of center joint. Ribs: quarter-cut maple with prominent, narrow-to-medium curl angled to left on bass side, angled to right on treble side; some pith flecks; rib corners chamfered. Head and neck: maple with faint, narrow curl; neck heel extends far into top; inside of pegbox stained black. Arching: low. Purfling: wide. Varnish: medium orange-brown. Fingerboard: ebony. Nut: ebony. Tailpiece: black-varnished ebony or African blackwood; tulip-shaped. Pegs: four ebony with mother-of-pearl eyes enclosed in brass rings. Saddle: ebony; finished with same varnish as body. Endpin: rosewood; two turned grooves around edge. F-holes: flared, slightly channeled lower wings; large notches; slightly undercut. Linings: willow. Corner blocks: willow. Top block: willow. Bottom block: willow. Long, diamond-shaped basswood cleats along back center joint. Piece of burlap glued to inside of upper bass rib. Total length: 623 mm. Back length: 381 mm. Upper bout width: 180 mm. Center bout width: 117 mm. Lower bout width: 229 mm. Rib height: 20-21 mm. Stop length: 203 mm. Vibrating string length: 246 mm. Original neck length (nut to ribs): 142 mm. Gift of Carleen Maley Hutchins, Montclair, 1999.
Alto Violin

NMM 6731. Alto violin by Carleen Maley Hutchins, Reed Raphael Bernstein, H. Kevin Jackson, and Christine Livingstone, Montclair, New Jersey, 1983. Printed paper label with Livingstone's name, tuning, model, serial number, and last two digits of year written in black ink: Christine Livingstone / CARLEEN HUTCHINS [CMH monogram with two gray f-holes] / SUS No. 139 / Montclair, N. J. ALTO-VIOLA [sic] 1983 / C - G - D - A 440Hz. Black ink inscription on inside of top, upper treble bout: Carleen M . Hutchins / Christine Livingstone / Raphael Bernstein / 1983. Brand on inside of back above label and on inside of top between treble f-hole and center joint: [CMH monogram with two f-holes]. Top: two-piece, quarter-cut spruce, wide grain; wooden dowel through top into top block on treble side of center joint; wooden dowel through top into bottom block on bass side of center joint. Back: two-piece maple cut off-the-quarter, with prominent, narrow, irregular curl, ascending very slightly from center joint; black-filled dowel hole through back into top block on bass side of center joint; black-filled dowel hole through back into bottom block on treble side of center joint. Ribs: quarter-cut maple with medium curl angled to left on bass side, angled to right on treble side; rib corners chamfered. Head and neck: maple with very faint, narrow curl; pegbox with shoulders; inside of pegbox stained black and varnished. Varnish: dark orange-brown. Fingerboard: ebony. Nut: ebony. Tailpiece: rosewood; beveled face; tulip-shaped; ebony saddle. Pegs: four ebony. Saddle: ebony. Endpin: rosewood with brass ferrule; designed for extendable endpin, the spike and screw of which are missing. F-holes: lower wings channeled. Linings: willow. Corner blocks: willow. Top block: willow. Bottom block: willow. Total length: 829 mm. Back length: 513 mm. Upper bout width: 245 mm. Center bout width: 162 mm. Lower bout width: 309 mm. Rib height: 41-42 mm. Stop length: 252 mm. Vibrating string length: 424 mm. Original neck length (nut to ribs): 172 mm. While the label of the instrument lists Hutchins and Livingstone as the makers, the free plates data sheet in Hutchins' logbook, "Construction Parameters for Altos," lists Jackson and Bernstein as the makers. Gift of Carleen Maley Hutchins, Montclair, 1999.
Tenor Violin

NMM 6732. Tenor violin by Carleen Maley Hutchins, Louis M. Dunham, and Burritt Miller, Montclair and Maplewood, New Jersey, 1971. Printed paper label with model, serial number, and last two digits of year written in black ink: CARLEEN HUTCHINS [CMH monogram with two gray f-holes] / SUS No. 147 / Montclair, N. J. TENOR. Paper label, handwritten in black ink in imitation of printing, pasted diagonally over upper left corner of Hutchins label: Burritt Miller / ex. Sessola Cremonensis / Montclair facebat / 1971 pro Catgut / Acoustical Society. Printed paper label, pasted diagonally over upper right corner of Hutchins label: Louis M. Dunham / Maplewood. Brand on inside of back above label, on inside of top between treble f-hole and center joint, and on top block: [CMH monogram with two f-holes]. Black ink on inside of back, at center: G - D - A - E. Pencil on inside of top, lower bout at center: X. Double pencil lines on inside of top, upper treble bout. Pencil on tailpiece: [effaced] (31) C [at E-string position] / 40-42 (36) Ab [at A-string position] / [effaced] 3 STANDARD Vc 'D' [at D-string position] / 4 [effaced] STANDARD VC 'G' SHOULD BE 50/60 [at G-string position] / THICK / 5. Pencil on bridge toward fingerboard: E A D G. Top: two-piece, quarter-cut spruce with uneven, wide grain. Back: two-piece, quarter-cut maple with medium curl descending from center joint; black-filled dowel hole though back into top block on bass side of center joint; black-filled dowel hole though back into bottom block on treble side of center joint. Ribs: quarter-cut maple with prominent, medium curl angled to right on bass side, angled to left on treble side; lower ribs divided by a rosewood strip. Head and neck: maple, medium curl; pegbox with shoulders; inside of pegbox stained black and varnished. Varnish: medium orange. Fingerboard: ebony; beveled at E-string position. Nut: ebony; long. Tailpiece: varnished ebony; tulip-shaped. Pegs: four rosewood. Saddle: ebony. Endpin: rosewood; extendable with nickel-plated steel ferrule, screw, and spike. F-holes: lower wings slightly channeled; inside edges stained black and varnished. Linings: willow. Corner blocks: willow. Top block: willow. Bottom block: willow. Spruce cleats along inside of back joint. Total length: 1064 mm. Back length: 655 mm. Upper bout width: 314 mm. Center bout width: 207 mm. Lower bout width: 396 mm. Rib height: 68-73 mm. Stop length: 355 mm. Vibrating string length: 610 mm. Original neck length (nut to ribs): 248 mm. Gift of Carleen Maley Hutchins, Montclair, 1999.
Baritone Violin

NMM 6733. Baritone violin by Carleen Maley Hutchins, Reed Raphael Bernstein, and Louis M. Dunham, Montclair, New Jersey, 1984. Printed paper label with model, serial number, and last two digits of year written in black ballpoint pen: CARLEEN HUTCHINS / [CMH monogram with two gray f-holes] / VIOLIN SUS No. 169 / Montclair, N. J. 1984 / BARITONE C - G - D-A [sic] VIOLIN / 220 H2. Printed paper label pasted diagonally over upper left corner of Hutchins label: Raphael Bernstein. Printed paper label pasted diagonally over upper right corner of Hutchins label: Louis W. Dunham. Black ink on inside of top, upper treble bout: Carleen M. Hutchins / 1984. Brand on inside of back above label, on inside of top between treble f-hole and center joint, and on top block: [CMH monogram with two f-holes]. Black ink on inside of back, center bout to bass side of soundpost: BARTIONE / VIOLIN / C - G-D-A [sic] / 220 H2. Pencil on tailpiece: 169. Illegible pencil on inside of top, upper treble bout. Top: two-piece, quarter-cut spruce with wide grain broadening toward the flanks. Back: two-piece maple cut slightly off-the-quarter, with medium curl ascending from center joint; wide grain; prominent, filled knot flaw on center bass bout; short button; black-filled dowel hole through back into top block on treble side of center joint; black-filled dowel hole through back into bottom block on bass side of center joint; unfilled dowel hole through back into bottom block on treble side of center joint, close to purfling. Ribs: semi-slab-cut maple with irregular, narrow curl angled to right; wide grain; rib corners chamfered. Head and neck: maple, medium curl; very wide grain; pegbox with shoulders; inside of pegbox stained black; white plastic tape on neck indicating thumb position, which is lower than on a standard violoncello. Arching: low. Purfling: wide. Varnish: medium orange-brown. Fingerboard: ebony; beveled at C-string position. Nut: ebony; long. Tailpiece: rosewood; tulip-shaped; beveled face; pointed lower end. Pegs: four ebony. Saddle: ebony. Endpin: ebony; adjustable with nickel-plated steel ferrule, screw, and spike. Bridge: modified with raised maple inserts under G- and C-strings, parchment under A- and D-strings. F-holes: lower wings slightly channeled; small notches. Linings: willow; wide. Corner blocks: willow. Top block: willow. Bottom block: willow. Bassbar: long. Willow diamond-shaped cleats along inside of back joint. Total length: 1333 mm. Back length: 843 mm. Upper bout width: 388 mm. Center bout width: 266 mm. Lower bout width: 516 mm. Rib height: 126-137 mm. Stop length: 415 mm. Vibrating string length: 715 mm. Original neck length (nut to ribs): 293 mm. Gift of Carleen Maley Hutchins, Montclair, 1999.
Small Bass Violin

NMM 6734. Small bass violin by Carleen Maley Hutchins, Donald L. Blatter, and Laura Blatter, Montclair, New Jersey, and Erie, Pennsylvania, 1968. Printed paper label in green-blue ink with names of makers, location, string tuning, model, and year written in black ink: [Catgut Acoustical Society logo of cat playing violin vertically] Made by Donald L. and Laura Blatter / for the / strings CATGUT ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY / A-D-G-C / FOUNDED BY FREDERICK A. SAUNDERS / "SMALL BASS" / ERIE Pa. 1968 / plates tuned by C. M. H. Pencil inscription on bottom block: X. Pencil on lower treble back lining near corner block: 8. Three pencil lines on top block perpendicular to plane of back. Pencil line on inside of top at f-hole notch position. Bridge with adjustable aluminum screws branded toward fingerboard: W.J.FLEISCHER-BOSTON. Outline with non-sloped shoulders and re-curved rib corners. Top: two-piece, quarter-cut spruce, medium grain; holes drilled through top into each corner block. Back: two-piece, slab-cut maple with irregular, medium, horizontal curl; maple dowel through back into top block; hole drilled through back into bottom block; two small drilled holes through back into bottom block on each side of larger hole, 25 mm from center joint; maple dowels through back into each corner block. Ribs: plain maple cut off-the-quarter; upper ribs not sloped; corners are re-curved; rib corners chamfered. Head and neck: two-piece, plain maple; joint runs along center of neck, parallel to strings, visible at back of neck; pegbox with shoulders; varnish ends in points at neck heel and end of pegbox; inside of pegbox stained black. Arching: low. Edging: slightly scooped. Varnish: dark orange-brown; pegbox stained prior to application of varnish. Fingerboard: black-painted rosewood; beveled at C-string position; holes drilled near nut and neck heel. Nut: ebony. Tailpiece: black-painted maple; beveled face; holes in face for tailgut filled with black material. Tailgut: braided steel; attached through holes drilled in face of tailpiece. Pegs: four black-painted oak pegs activated by separate brass and nickel-plated steel worm-gear tuners. Saddle: ebony. Endpin: black painted maple; adjustable endpin spike and screw missing. F-holes: narrow upper and lower wings. Linings: willow. Corner blocks: willow; drill holes visible. Top block: willow; holes drilled near back on bass side and near top on treble side. Bottom block: willow; rectangular; shallow. Large maple diamond-shaped cleats along back joint. Inside of body varnished golden brown. Band saw marks visible on outside of ribs. Toothed plane marks visible on inside of back. Compass mark and incised lines on outside of top at center bouts between f-hole notches. Total length: 1802 mm. Back length: 1040 mm. Upper bout width: 489 mm. Center bout width: 320 mm. Lower bout width: 632 mm. Rib height: 169-187 mm. Stop length: 522 mm. Vibrating string length: 1047 mm. Original neck length (nut to ribs): 502 mm. Gift of Carleen Maley Hutchins, Montclair, 1999.
Contrabass Violin

NMM 6735. Contrabass violin by Carleen Maley Hutchins, Reed Raphael Bernstein, Donald L. Blatter, and H. Kevin Jackson, Montclair, New Jersey, 1981. Printed paper label in green ink with names of makers, serial number, and year written in black ballpoint pen: [Catgut Acoustical Society logo of cat playing violin vertically] CATGUT ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY, INC. / 112 ESSEX AVENUE MONTCLAIR, NEW JERSEY 07042 / D. L. BLATTER / H. K. Jackson R. BERNSTEIN / 175 1981 / FOUNDED BY / FREDERICK A. SAUNDERS. Printed paper label with serial number and last two digits of year written in black ballpoint pen: CARLEEN HUTCHINS / [CMH monogram with two gray f-holes] / SUS No. 175 / Montclair, N. J. 1981. Pencil line on center of top block, perpendicular to top and back planes. Outline with non-sloped shoulders and re-curved rib corners. Top: five-piece, quarter-cut spruce, wide grain; black-filled dowel through top into bottom block to treble side of center joint; filled dowel holes through top into each corner block. Back: two-piece, slab-cut maple with irregular, very narrow, horizontal curl; some bird's-eye figure; black-filled dowel hole through back into top block on treble side of center joint; black-filled dowel hole through back into bottom block on bass side of center joint; filled dowel holes through back into each corner block. Ribs: slab-cut maple with very narrow curl; some spalting and pith flecks; upper ribs not sloped; corners are re-curved; rib corners chamfered. Head and neck: plain maple; separate wedge-shaped piece of maple at back of neck heel near back button; neck heel extends far into top; inside of pegbox stained black. Arching: low. Varnish: medium orange-brown. Fingerboard: ebony; beveled at E-string position. Nut: ebony. Tailpiece: black-painted maple; beveled face; four holes drilled in face for tailgut, two arranged vertically on treble and bass sides. Tailgut: braided steel. Pegs: four black-painted maple pegs activated by separate brass and nickel-plated steel worm-gear tuners. Saddle: ebony. Endpin: black-painted hardwood, probably ash; 80 mm long pin. F-holes: small notches. Linings: willow. Corner blocks: willow; drill holes visible in upper and lower halves. Top block: two-piece willow; wide; four drill holes visible. Bottom block: two-piece willow; four drill holes visible. Diamond-shaped maple cleats along inside of back joint. Total length: 2035 mm. Back length: 1303 mm. Upper bout width: 610 mm. Center bout width: 408 mm. Lower bout width: 801 mm. Rib height: 156-205 mm. Stop length: 635 mm. Vibrating string length: 1096 mm. Original neck length (nut to ribs): 425 mm. Gift of Carleen Maley Hutchins, Montclair, 1999.

Other Experimental Instruments

NMM 10181. Viola by Carleen Maley Hutchins, Montclair, New Jersey, 1953, modified by Frederick A. Saunders, South Hadley, Massachusetts

NMM 10181. Viola by Carleen Maley Hutchins, Montclair, New Jersey, 1953, modified by Frederick A. Saunders, South Hadley, Massachusetts. Paper label, handwritten in black ink: Carleen M. Hutchins / Sus XIII for / experiment / Montclair N. J 1953. Pencil on back, below button: FAS. Pencil on bridge toward fingerboard: Padouk. Pencil on bridge toward tailpiece: 4.49. Illegible pencil notations on top, lower treble bout and inside of back. Top: two-piece spruce, cut off-the-quarter, wide grain. Back: one-piece, quarter-cut maple with narrow curl, descending slightly from treble to bass; gourd-shaped patch removed from outside of back, the remains of glue and unstained outline of patch still visible (this was a patch added to test the effects of increasing the stiffness of the back). Ribs: quarter-cut maple, medium curl; short. Head and neck: plain maple; no scroll, pegbox terminates in rounded edge; back of pegbox open. Arching: none; flat back and top, with bassbar glued to outside of top. Side view of Hutchins viola Purfling: none; double grooves on top, single groove on back, roughly cut with rotary saw; simulated purfling grooves added in the course of testing. Varnish: medium red-brown stain on inside and outside of top and ribs; light red-brown stain on back and pegbox. Fingerboard: ebony; beveled at C-string. Nut: ebony. Tailpiece: varnished rosewood; black-stained hardwood saddle. Tailgut: steel cord woven from numerous small wires. Pegs: rosewood with convex, undercut heads and black plastic pins. Saddle: ebony. Endpin: rosewood. Bridge: padauk; one foot resting on top and the other on bassbar; single oval cutout. F-holes: "spiral-nebulae shaped," as named by Hutchins and Saunders; slot-shaped, with lower ends curved outward, then inward, and holes of 25 mm diameter at midpoint; soundhole slot cut with rotary saw; soundholes progressively enlarged in the course of testing. Linings: willow. Corner blocks: willow. Top block: willow. Bottom block: willow. Bassbar: glued to outside of top rather than inside. Red sealing wax, about 10 mm diameter on inside of back, center; file marks visible on outside of ribs; toothed plane marks visible on inside of back. One of three flat-top violas on which Hutchins and Saunders performed several hundred experiments in the 1950s. Using this instrument, Hutchins and Saunders researched the acoustical role of purfling grooves, soundhole size, bridge materials, and bassbar placement. Played by William Berman, viola professor at Oberlin Conservatory of Music, at a concert during the 1969 Philadelphia meeting of the Acoustical Society of America. Total length: 661 mm. Back length: 405 mm. Upper bout width: 191 mm. Center bout width: 129 mm. Lower bout width: 237 mm. Rib height: 19-21 mm. Stop length: 218 mm. Vibrating string length: 378 mm. Original neck length (nut to ribs): 160 mm. Gift of Carleen Maley Hutchins, Montclair, 2002.

Lit.: Laird, Paul R., "The Life and Work of Carleen Maley Hutchins," Ars Musica Denver, Vol. 6, No.1 (Fall 1993).

Margaret Downie Banks, "Graphite, Gruyère and a Pig Named Susie: Carleen Hutchins Instruments and Archives Donated to the Museum," National Music Museum Newsletter 30, No. 1 (February 2003), pp. 4-5.

NMM 10,182. Violin by Carleen Hutchins, Montclair, New Jersey, 1974, in collaboration with Daniel W. Haines, University of South Carolina, Columbia.

NMM 10182. Violin by Carleen Maley Hutchins, Montclair, New Jersey, Daniel W. Haines, Columbia, South Carolina, and Hercules Materials Company, Inc. (Allegheny Ballistics Laboratory), Cumberland, Maryland, 1974. Printed paper label, Haines' name, the model, serial number, and last two digits of year written in black ink: CARLEEN HUTCHINS / DANIEL [CMH monogram with two gray f-holes] W. HAINES / SUS No. 184 / Montclair, N. J. 1974 / EXPERIMENTAL VIOLIN. Pencil on inside of back, upper bouts: Carleen M. Hutchins / 1974. Black ballpoint pen inside single-line border on inside of back, upper bass bout: Back + / Ribs / 152.0 gr / 295 + H2 / 246. Top: one-piece graphite-epoxy composite with central fiberboard layer. Back: two-piece maple, cut slightly off-the-quarter, with narrow curl ascending from center joint; pin hole through back into top block on bass side of center joint; pin hole through back into bottom block on treble side of center joint; center joint cleated. Ribs: quarter-cut maple, with narrow curl, angled to left on bass side, angled to right on treble side; rib corners chamfered. Head and neck: maple, narrow curl. Purfling: none. Varnish: clear. Fingerboard: ebony. Nut: ebony. Tailpiece: ebony; saddle missing. Pegs: four ebony. Saddle: ebony; narrow. Endpin: black plastic with hole of 7 mm diameter through center, allowing view of body interior. Linings: willow; wide; set into corner blocks. Corner blocks: willow. Top block: willow. Bottom block: willow. Back length: 353 mm. Upper bout width: 170 mm. Center bout width: 112 mm. Lower bout width: 207 mm. Rib height: 28-30 mm. Stop length: 195 mm. Vibrating string length: 330 mm. Original neck length (nut to ribs): 134 mm. Used for acoustical tests by Haines and Hutchins. This was the first violin made with a graphite-epoxy composite top, but the prototype did not result in commercial production. Gift of Carleen Maley Hutchins, Montclair, 2002.

Lit.: Daniel W. Haines and Nagyoung Chang, "Application of Graphite Composites in Musical Instruments," Catgut Acoustical Society Newsletter, no. 23 (May 1975), pp. 13-15.

Daniel W. Haines, Carleen M. Hutchins, Morton A. Hutchins, and Donald A. Thompson, "A Violin and a Guitar with Graphite-Epoxy Composite Soundboards," Catgut Acoustical Society Newsletter, no. 24 (November 1975), pp. 25-28.

Paul R. Laird, "The Life and Work of Carleen Maley Hutchins," Ars Musica Denver, Vol. 6, No.1 (Fall 1993).

Carleen M. Hutchins and Virginia Benade, eds., Research Papers in Violin Acoustics: 1975-1993 (Woodbury, New York: Acoustical Society of America, 1997).

Margaret Downie Banks, "Graphite, Gruyère and a Pig Named Susie: Carleen Hutchins Instruments and Archives Donated to the Museum," National Music Museum Newsletter 30, No. 1 (February 2003), pp. 4-5.

Side view of Hutchins violin

NMM 10116. Violin, Le Gruyère, by Carleen Maley Hutchins, Montclair, New Jersey, 1982. Printed paper label with finely lined texture, the model, serial number, year, and initials written in black ballpoint pen: CARLEEN HUTCHINS / SUS [CMH monogram with two gray f-holes] No. 185 / Montclair, N. J. AIR MODES / 1982 / EXPERIMENT / E.A.G.S. A.H.B. Black ballpoint pen on inside of top, near top block: Carleen M. Hutchins / Dec 1982. Black ballpoint pen on inside of back, upper bass bout: Carleen M. Hutchins / Dec. 1982 / + ideas of Edgar A. G. Shaw / and A. H. Benade. Circles drawn around most air holes in upper and lower bout ribs in black, dark green, and red permanent and water-based marker. Black ballpoint pen on inside of top, along upper edge near neck, some portions partially obliterated by further wood removal: 2 / 357 H2; 4 / 250; 1 / 100; 77 . 26 [oblit.]; 2 / 172 H2. Illegible numbers and pencil marks on inside of top, predominantly near edges. Black ballpoint pen along upper edge, inside of back near neck, some portions partially obliterated by further wood removal: 250 / 1; 358 H2 / 5; 1 / 102; 2 / 177 H2; 6 / 397; [remainder oblit.]; 94.5. Illegible numbers and pencil marks on inside of back along lower treble edge. Top: two-piece, quarter-cut spruce, wide grain. Back: two-piece, quarter-cut maple with medium curl descending from center joint; wide grain; spalting near center joint; small pith flecks; small-diameter maple dowels through back into top block on bass side of center joint and into the bottom block on treble side of center joint; pin indentation at center of back button. Ribs: plain quarter-cut maple; sixty nine holes drilled in ribs in two rows, with holes in staggered positions, the sixty-one ---inch (6 mm) and four 5/16-inch (8 mm) diameter holes to be temporarily plugged with cork or black foam (for acoustical research), the four ---inch (18 mm) diameter holes semi-permanently plugged with cork or modeling clay (for internal access): ten holes of ---inch diameter in upper treble rib; nine holes of ---inch diameter, one hole of 5/16-inch diameter, and one of ---inch diameter plugged with gray modeling clay (through edge of top block) in upper bass rib; eight holes of ---inch diameter in center treble rib; seven holes of ---inch diameter and one hole of 5/16-inch diameter in center bass rib; fifteen holes of ---inch diameter and one of ---inch diameter plugged with gray modeling clay (through edge of bottom block); thirteen holes of ---inch diameter, two of 5/16-inch diameter (one of which, the closest to the bottom block, plugged with black modeling clay), and one of ---inch diameter plugged with gray modeling clay (through edge of bottom block. Soundholes of Hutchins violin Head and neck: plain maple; pith fleck near bass side of neck heel. Edging: scooped immediately at edge. Purfling: double incised lines. Varnish: clear; applied after rib holes drilled; inside of pegbox not varnished. F-holes: inside edge of lower wings chamfered after varnish applied. Linings: willow; wide; set into corner blocks. Corner blocks: willow. Top block: willow. Bottom block: willow. Visible toothed and finger plane marks on inside of body. Back length: 353 mm. Upper bout width: 168 mm. Center bout width: 112 mm. Lower bout width: 207 mm. Rib height: 29 mm. Stop length: 193 mm. Vibrating string length: 320 mm. Original neck length (bottom of nut to ribs): 128 mm. Used for experiments in violin air-cavity modes, 1982-2000, by Colin Holmes, Carleen Maley Hutchins, Maureen Mellody, Oliver Rodgers, Edgar A. G. Shaw, and Gabriel Weinreich. Gift of Carleen M. Hutchins, Montclair, 2002.

Lit.: Carleen M. Hutchins, "A Violin With 65 Holes In Its Ribs, Phase II," Paper K3-5, Proceedings, 12th International Congress Acoustics, Toronto, 1986.

Carleen M. Hutchins, "A Study of the Cavity Resonances of a Violin and Their Effects On Its Tone and Playing Qualities," Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, Vol. 87, No. 1 (January 1990), pp. 392-397.

Edgar A. G. Shaw, "Cavity Resonance In the Violin: Network Representation and the Effect of Damped and Undamped Rib Holes," Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, Vol. 87, No. 1 (January 1990), pp. 398-410.

Carleen M. Hutchins, "The Future of Violin Research," Catgut Acoustical Society Journal, Vol. 2, No. 1 (Series II), p. 3 (May 1992).

Paul R. Laird, "The Life and Work of Carleen Maley Hutchins," Ars Musica Denver, Vol. 6, No.1 (Fall 1993).

Carleen M. Hutchins and Virginia Benade, eds., Research Papers in Violin Acoustics: 1975-1993 (Woodbury, New York: Acoustical Society of America, 1997).

Oliver Rodgers, "Another Look At the Swiss Cheese Violin," Catgut Acoustical Society Journal, Vol. 3, No. 4 (Series II) (1997), pp. 17-23.

Gabriel Weinreich, Colin Holmes, and Maureen Mellody, "Air-Wood Coupling and the Swiss-Cheese Violin," Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, Vol. 108, No. 5 (November 2000).

Margaret Downie Banks, "Graphite, Gruy--re and a Pig Named Susie: Carleen Hutchins Instruments and Archives Donated to the Museum," National Music Museum Newsletter 30, No. 1 (February 2003), pp. 4-5.

Go to description of The Carleen Hutchins Collection and Archive at the National Music Museum.

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The University of South Dakota

Mode tuning for the violin maker
by Carleen M. Hutchins and Duane Voskuil
CAS Journal vol. 2, No. 4 (Series II), Nov. 1993, pp 5 - 9

It has been shown by means of many tests and actual adjustments to several hundred violin family instruments that certain frequency relationships of the two lowest cavity modes, the A zero (A0) or "Helmholtz" and the A one (A1) body-length mode inside the box, with those of three body modes below 600 Hz can have a marked effect on the tone and playing qualities of an instrument. This writing is an effort to summarize these findings to date and suggest ways in which violin makers can adjust their instruments to take advantage of these frequency relationships. It should be noted that the term PITCH is used for the sound heard, while FREQUENCY is the actual measured Hertz (Hz) of the sound source, and they are not always the same.

Figure 1 shows the geometry and approximate frequencies of these two cavity modes, A0 and A1 and the three body modes, B minus 1 (B-1), B zero (B0) and B one (B1) in a normal violin. Three of these modes, the A0, A1, and B1 are radiating modes, producing sounds out into the air; while the B-1 and the B0 modes are non-radiating, as can be seen from their geometries. Once the violin is completed and strung up it is not advisable to try to move the frequency of the A0 and A1 cavity modes except in a few cases noted below.

BOWED TONES
Cavity & Body Modes
Violin Cavity and Body Modes

PITCH MATCHING OF A0 AND B0

The best place to begin tuning is to try to bring the B0 mode pitch to that of the A0 mode, for they usually lie fairly close in frequency. Hold the completely strung up violin in thumb and forefinger at a point on the nodal line across the widest part of the lower bout. Damp the strings against your shirt and tap on the end of the scroll. (Do not damp the strings against the fingerboard). The sound heard is the pitch of the B0 mode. Then BLOW across the f-hole on the G-string side (where there is most air motion) and listen to ascertain whether B0 is above or below A0. (These are complex sounds and it is not easy to identify their pitch without practice.)

If the B0 pitch is heard to be HIGHER than the A0, add a small weight, such as a lump of oil clay, or even chewing gum with a penny stuck on it, to the free end of the fingerboard. Notice in the computer visualization of the B0 mode that the end of the fingerboard is moving most actively. (Added mass on a moving element will reduce frequency, as will reduced stiffness in a bending part.) Change the mass slightly until you hear the tapping sound of the B0 mode at the same pitch as the A0 mode BLOW tone. Other ways to lower the B0 mode frequency are to remove wood from under the fingerboard in the area close to the neck, or to thin the bending part of the neck-fingerboard. Dressing down the fingerboard when the strings have worn ridges in it will lower the B0 frequency. The mass of the chin rest as well as that of the scroll and pegs will also alter the B0 frequency. But first try adjusting the mass on the end of the fingerboard and have several good players try the instrument so you can realize the difference. The further apart these two modes are to begin with the more improvement you will get when they are matched.

If the A0 pitch is heard to be HIGHER than the B0, a temporary check can be made by putting various amounts of tape across one f-hole to lower the A0 pitch. Permanent adjustments to do this can be done by reducing the mass of the moving end of the fingerboard either by removing wood from under the end, or sawing thin slivers of wood off the end of the fingerboard until the desired frequency is reached. (Less mass in motion raises frequency.) (See Hutchins 1990a, 1990b, 1990c, 1990d)

It is well known from the early work of Helmholtz that the frequency of a partly enclosed air mass is dependent on the volume of the cavity, the flexibility of its walls, the area of the opening and the thickness of the edges of the opening. The larger and more flexible the cavity, the lower the frequency. The larger the opening and the thinner the edges of the opening, the higher the frequency. Enlargement of the f-hole area has shown experimentally that only a few Hz rise in frequency can be achieved without ruining the f-holes. However thinning and rounding off the underside of the f-hole edges will also cause a slight rise in the A0 frequency since this makes it easier for the air to flow out and in.

A1 AND B1 FREQUENCY RELATIONSHIPS

It has been found that the frequency spacing (delta) between the A1 cavity mode and the B1 body mode is critical to the overall tone and playing qualities, indicating whether a violin is suitable for soloists (delta 60-80 Hz), orchestra players (delta 40-60 Hz), chamber music players (delta 20-40 Hz), and below 20 Hz is easy to play but lacks power (Hutchins 1989). The physical mechanism taking place as a radiating cavity mode and a radiating body mode approach each other in frequency is described in Hutchins and Rodgers 1992.

Violins with fairly stiff free plates (mode 5 at 370 Hz and Mode 2 at 185 Hz) often have their A1-B1 delta around 60-75 Hz and are preferred by soloists for their bright powerful sound and wide dynamic range, while those with lower free plate frequencies (360-180 Hz or 350-175 Hz) are more suitable for some orchestra players and amateurs. (Free plate frequencies do not always produce the desired delta of A1-B1 since other factors such as stiffness of ribs, liners, and edge thicknesses enter in.)

Various methods that have been tried to alter the A1-B1 delta show the following frequency changes of the B1 mode:
1. Prolonged vibration vibration minus 10 Hz
2. Liners thinned 1/2 mm minus 9 Hz
3. Soundpost thinned through the center minus 8 Hz
4. Wood removal from top plate and bar minus 8 Hz
5. Heavier bassbar plus 10 Hz
6. Heavier liners plus 4 Hz

These numbers will probably vary from instrument to instrument. For violins with an A1 delta B1 of over 75 Hz some or all of these first four methods might produce desirable results. Raising the B1 frequency using methods 5 and 6 gave more power and brighter tone to a violin with an A1-B1 delta of 40 Hz. (Hutchins and Rodgers, 1992)

Notice that all the above changes involve only the B1 mode frequency. It is not practical to try to change the frequency of the A1 mode once the dimensions (especially the length) and the stiffnesses of the violin body are established. Reducing the thickness of the top plate near the ends of the bassbar will reduce A1 frequency a few Hz, but should be done with caution.

WOOD AND WOOD PRIME TONES

It is important to know that when the violin is bowed, the strongest tone in the A1-B1 range is NOT at the A1 or the B 1 frequency, but somewhere in between depending on the relative strengths of these two modes. The effect of bowing is to combine these two strong resonances into a single strong tone labeled MAIN WOOD (W) as can be seen at the top of the chart. The MAIN WOOD frequency is usually the haunt of the wolf-tone because the stored energy in these two strong resonances is greater than the bow can handle, and the tone jumps back and forth between A1 and B1, causing a warble. In cellos the wolf-tone sometimes jumps an octave due to the near octave relation of the A0 and A1 modes in these instruments. (Schelleng 1962)

Also there is a strong bowed tone an octave below the MAIN WOOD, labeled WOOD PRIME (W') which is due to second harmonic reinforcement by the MAIN WOOD resonance. WOOD PRIME does not show on a sine wave curve, but only appears with the broadband input from the bowed string.

THE HUM TONE AS DIFFERENT FROM THE BLOW TONE

If one BLOWS across the G-side f-hole as described above, the PITCH of the A0 mode is heard. However; if one HUMS into the f-hole, a strong tone two to three semitones below the A0 is heard. This HUM tone can also be sensed by placing the thumb and fingers around each end of the body and feeling a strong vibration in these areas when the HUM tone is reached. This HUM tone is at the pitch of the WOOD prime tone, an octave below that of the MAIN WOOD resonance.

It has been found that in matching the pitch of the B0 mode to that of the HUM tone an even greater improvement in the overall sound and playing qualities sometimes results than when the B0 pitch is matched to that of the A0. In this case the match is related to the octave below two strong resonances, A1 and B1, rather than just to A0. Also it is sometimes easier, depending on the frequencies of B0 relative to either A0 or W', to match B0 to one or the other.

When the article by Deena Spear (1987) was written, we did not understand the difference between the BLOW tone and the HUM tone. Considerable research comparing bowed "loudness" curves with various single frequency tests has shown the mechanism causing the difference between the BLOW and the HUM tone as given here. Spear actually described matching the B0 mode to the HUM tone. (C.M. Hutchins, personal communication)

TAILPIECE MATCHING

Experienced violin makers are well aware that a tail-piece, when tapped sometimes gives out a strong singing vibration that seems to enhance the sound of the whole instrument. Various methods are used to achieve this condition such as tuning the string-ends between bridge and tailpiece to certain pitches, adjusting the length of the tail gut, and changing the weight of the tailpiece or tuners.

Experiments are now showing that this desirable condition is achieved when the vigorous motion of the tailpiece as a whole is matched to that of the frequency or to a sub-multiple of a strong body or cavity mode frequency. This frequency of the whole tailpiece is found between 120 and 140Hz, usually around 130 Hz. Thus far, tonal enhancement has resulted when the tailpiece frequency is matched to: (a) the B-1 mode, (b) 1/2 the frequency of the A0-B0 combination, (c) 1/2 either A0 or B0, (d) 1/2 WOOD PRIME or 1/4 MAIN WOOD frequency (which are the same). (Hutchins 1993)

THE TWO CHARTS summarize these desirable mode tunings and indicate various methods of achieving them without very expensive electronic equipment. It should be noted that HUMMING into the f-hole does NOT give the octave below the pitch of the A1 cavity mode, but rather that of WOOD PRIME (W') which is somewhat lower. A forthcoming article by Alan Carruth in this Journal will describe a relatively inexpensive setup for pressure testing for the frequencies of the A1 and B1 modes inside the cavity. This is the only test method we know so far that will give the correct relative frequencies of the A1 and B1 modes (Hutchins 1989). Measurements made off the body of the instrument or the top of the bridge may be useful, but the frequencies, particularly of the B1 mode, are altered depending on how far the measurement point or the feet of the bridge are from the nodal lines of a given mode.

The approximate relative frequencies of B-1, B0, B1 and the tailpiece can be found by soft mounting the violin horizontally at the nut and at a nodal line across the body (see chart) over your plate testing loudspeaker. Sprinkle glitter on the end of the fingerboard and the string-end of the tailpiece and sweep through the range of 100 to 1000Hz until the glitter bounces off at the approximate frequency of each of these modes. (Ekwall 1990)

There is still much to be learned about how the body and cavity modes of the violin interact to produce the wonderful sounds we hear from a fine violin in the hands of a skilled player. There are many more of these interactions at higher frequencies that are not yet understood at all. No wonder the crafting and the physical parameters of every piece of wood that goes into the construction and final adjustment of a violin can make a difference to the tonal qualities! It is a tribute to violin makers over the centuries that they have been able to cope intuitively with all these subtle variations to create such beautiful sounding instruments.

Charts
Prominent Modes of the Violin below 600Hz
Strong Bowed Tones and "Subharmonic" Tones Based on Harmonic Reinforcement
Tailpiece Mode Tuning

REFERENCES

Condax, L.W. (1988), "The soundpost of the violin," J. Catgut Acoust. Soc. Vol. 1 (Series 2) p. 28. Reprinted from Catgut Acoust. Soc. NL. No. 2, Nov. 1964.

Ekwall, A. (1990) "Tuning air-body resonances for the violin maker," Catgut Acoust. Soc. J. Vol. 1, No. 6 (Series 2) p. 37.

Hutchins, C.M. (1989), "A measurable controlling factor in the tone and playing qualities of violins," J. Catgut Acoust. Soc. Vol. 1, No. 4 (Series 2), pp. 10-15.

Ibid. (1990a) "The cavity (air) modes of the violin," J. Catgut Acoust. Soc., Vol. 1, No. 5 (Series 2), pp. 34-35.

Ibid. (1990b) "Some effects of adjusting the A0 and B0 modes of the violin to the same frequency," Ibid. pp. 35-37.

Ibid. (1990c) "Acoustical effects of "dressing down" the violin finger board and/or thinning the violin neck." Ibid. p. 37

Ibid. (1990d) "Sympathetic vibration and coupling of resonances." Catgut Acoust. Soc. J. Vol. 1, No. 6 (Series 2), pp. 40-41.

Ibid. (1993) "The effect of relating the tailpiece frequency to that of other violin modes," Catgut Acoust. Soc. J., Vol. 2, No. 3 (Series 2), pp. 5-8.

Hutchins, C.M. and Rodgers, O.E. (1992) "Methods of changing the frequency spacing (delta) between the A1 and B1 modes of the violin," Catgut Acoust. Soc. J., Vol. 2, No. 1 (Series 2) pp. 13-19.

Spear, D.Z., "Achieving an air-body coupling in violins, violas and cellos: a practical guide for the violin maker." Catgut Acoust. Soc. J. 47, pp. 4-7.

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