Vibration Performance of Xylophone Bars and Study of Alternatives Involving Satoyama Hardwood Species

Abstract

Xylophones are fabricated using valuable tropical hardwood. Considering the effect of xylophone shape on flexural vibration, we examined the possibility of using hardwood from Satoyama as a substitute material for tropical hardwood. Focusing on the first-, third-, and fifth-order flexural vibration modes, we compared rosewood and Satoyama hardwood in terms of the ascending vibration region and the damping behavior thereafter. The first, third, and fifth flexural vibrations are excited immediately after the start of the vibration, and the third and fifth vibrations disappeared immediately. The amplitude of the third vibration exceeds that of the first vibration and is 1.5 to 2 times larger in the xylophone-shaped bar. The amplitudes of the fifth vibration of the rectangular and xylophone-shaped bars are approximately 1/4 and 1/2 of that of the first vibration, respectively. The logarithmic decrement in the first vibration of rosewood is less than that of Satoyama hardwood, and rosewood cannot be replaced easily with Satoyama hardwood to achieve the desired vibration damping.