Tailpiece

Most stringed instruments extract sound by transmitting energy to the strings and thereby causing them to vibrate. However, the strings themselves produce only a faint sound, as they interact with a small volume of air during vibration. Therefore, the sound of the strings should be enhanced by transferring vibration to larger surfaces that can interact with more air and produce louder sounds. Thus, a device is required that allows the strings to vibrate freely, but at the same time, conducts these vibrations to a larger surface. It is for these purposes that a string holder is usually used.

Typically, the string holder is perpendicular to the strings and a wider surface (which are usually parallel to each other). In this case, the tension of the strings puts pressure on the string holder and, therefore, on the surface under it. This sound conductive surface can be connected to the air cavity, thereby forming the instrument body , which contributes to the amplification and propagation of sound. Depending on the type of instrument, the resonating surface can be made of wood (as in a guitar or violin ), leather or plastic ( banjo ), metal (guitar resonator), or any other material that vibrates with the strings.

The string holder may consist of a single piece of material (mainly wood ) that is placed between the strings and the resonating surface.

Some wire holders consist of several parts. One of the common forms is a string holder, including a saddle - a supporting surface on which the strings lie. A saddle is often made of a material that is more rigid than the holder itself, such as bone , thick plastic or metal . In a classical guitar, the saddle is not fixed rigidly and is held only under the pressure of the strings. Shallow grooves for high strings are cut in the saddle, protecting them from moving during intense play.

Compound string holders are also used in curved musical instruments, such as mandolins . Their string holder often consists of a base and a saddle, with which you can change the height of the strings.

The holder must transmit vibration to the deck or other sound enhancing surface. As soon as the strings are in motion, the same thing, but with greater intensity, happens with the string holder. As a result, the deck begins to vibrate at the same frequency as the strings, coming in a wavy motion and reproducing an audible sound. At the same time, the string holder not only lifts the strings above the deck, but also is the point of their attachment to the instrument.

The tool holder allows you to keep the strings at the proper height above the neck of the instrument. The ideal height is one at which the distance to the strings is sufficient for the musician to play actively, but the strings are located close enough to the fretboard so as not to impede sound extraction. The height of the string holder can be fixed or variable.

In addition to supporting the strings and transmitting their vibrations, the string holder also adjusts the distance between the strings. This is achieved by using shallow recesses in the thread holder or its saddle. The strings are in the recesses, thereby controlling their transverse position. A sill located on the opposite side of the instrument serves a similar purpose.

It is necessary to protect the string holder from glue , since in this case the transmission of vibrations from the strings to the body will be weakened, which will lead to muffling of the sound.

String guides for electric guitars ^[1] (the more common name - bridges ) are divided into two main groups - with and without tremolo system .

The structure of breeches with a tremolo system (such a bridge is often simply called a tremolo or even a machine ) includes a lever coming from the point of attachment of the strings. With the help of a lever, a musician can change the tension of the strings and, accordingly, the pitch. A similar effect would probably be called vibrato , but the term tremolo is still used much more often.

Breeches without tremolo also serve to secure the strings, but do not provide control over the tension of the strings and the pitch.

A certain part of electric guitars has an elongated bridge. The strings on the back of the bridge resonate, resulting in a reverb effect.

Each of the bridges has its own advantages, used in different styles of playing, but in general, breeches without tremolo provide a closer contact between the deck and the strings and hold the line better.

In some cases, a capo can also be thought of as a holder. In contrast to the traditional idea of ​​a string holder as a part of a case intended for securing strings, a capo can be presented as an accessory for clamping strings (holder) on a certain fret ^[2] .