Shifting Modes – The Acoustics of (Steel String) Guitars

Jens Feldhaus/ Anthony Kreher

In this two-day workshop, the following topics will be covered:

• Basic technology of acoustical measurement: set ups, microphones, room acoustics (Jens Feldhaus)
• Fundamental acoustic behavior of a guitar with focus on acoustical measurements – what can be measured, what cannot be measured? (Jens Feldhaus)
• Room acoustics: analysis of the interaction of a guitar and the room (Jens Feldhaus)
• Optimization of the signal processing of a simple piezo pickup to align with the acoustic power output for amplification and recording (Jens Feldhaus)
• Relationships of the coupled system, and how changing one resonance can affect the others (Anthony Kreher)
• Searching for and diagnosing problematic frequencies: Wolf notes, mystery resonances, and three undesirables (Anthony Kreher)
• Methods of shifting the main frequencies/ methods of shifting higher frequencies (Anthony Kreher)

Finished and in-progress instruments (guitars/ violins) can and should be brought for practical work.