A wolf has my cello!
What is a wolfnote exactly?
It is an unsteady stuttering of a specific note on the lower stringed instruments. It is a result of an instability between the vibration of the body of the cello and the vibration of the affected string. They oscillate at various speeds, so sometimes they dampen each other out and sometimes they double up. The closer you are to the unstable tone the closer the ‘beats’ are together.
From a physics perspective it is a very interesting phenomenon. But from a players perspective it is highly annoying.
Why do they exist?
The howling wolf is mainly found in the bigger instruments of the violin family – Although I have heard and played on violins with a wolfnote too! This is due to the fact that adjustments were necessary to transform instruments from the old baroque style to cater for modern set-ups, modern strings and modern music. We wanted louder instruments that could fill all the corners of a gigantic concert hall on their own. The Greek architects had systems in place and specific tools to build acoustically perfect theatres. With the revolution of sound amplification making the hall acoustically perfect was less necessary.
So the wolfnote is the price we paid for instruments that produced more volume. It isn’t a result of a basic structural flaw, a faulty repair job, or a misplaced soundpost. It is rather a characteristic of the new and modern instrument we know today as the cello. Every well-proportioned cello has a wolfnote.
How does it sound?
Well that’s annoying! How do I get rid of it?
There are many different solutions to try and get rid of a wolf in your cello.
All have their pros and cons.
There are Wolf dampeners that need affixing to the string behind the bridge. There are a few different options available at various prices and they are probably among the cheapest options available. The string dampeners can be installed by anyone, but they are known to dampen the tonal qualities of the instrument.
There are Wolf resonators (like the one used in the video) they are more expensive and you need a professional to install them. The resonator has less of an impact on the sound quality.
There even is a specialist company that makes wolf specific ceramic tiles. These tiles are highly bespoke and catered to your cello only. They work by placing it on the floor wherever you play. Then you rest the endpin onto it and play. This might be the more expensive route to take, but it is an option if you do not wish to / or are not allowed to tamper or adjust the instrument in any way.
If you have a wolf in your cello and would like to muzzle it without the instrument losing in power and tone, get in touch!