Investigating the Performance of a Violin Physical Model: Recent Real Player studies

This paper presents the results of two recent pilot experiments conducted to investigate the performance of a realtime physical violin model using bowing parameters generated by a real player. In each of these two experiments, the calibrated bowing parameters of bow force, bow speed, and bow position (bow-bridge distance) are mapped to the calibrated inputs of the physical model in order to examine model’s response to realistic bowing control. In the first experiment, previously recorded bowing parameters generated by a player are used to drive the model. In the second experiment, the player is given live control of the model (while the player monitors the synthesized sound through headphones). This work is enabled by a playable measurement system for violin bowing recently developed.