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Humidity levels have caused the projection on my second violin to drop from 26 to 22 over a span of 3 weeks. I have loosened the strings and stuffed a cloth under the fingerboard. Can you offer any suggestions?
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??? Sorry - that wasn't being sarcastic - it just means I don't understand !
Enlighten me about "projection" and what the 26 and 22 refer to ! I just always thought about "projection" as the ability of the violin ( and indeed its player ) to "have a certain presence" - not just its volume, but its timbre as well, especially way up the fingerboard. IF that is what is being referred to what are the numbers 26 and 22 actually measured in ( i.e. what units are we talking about - "volume" in dB or what ), and, if so - even more interestingly, how are they measured, and under what conditions..... Hmmmm ?
Just curious ( as ever ! ) - I need to be enlightened - help me out on this one !
Thanks ! ( @mryikes )
I seriously recommend not copying my mistakes. D'oh - 
Please make your own, different mistakes, and help us all learn :-)
Regulars
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I had to google what the numbers might mean... you mean the angle of your fingerboard is dropping? (edit to add, I think people, myself included, initially read this as projection = volume. I easily forget that it also refers to the angle of the fingerboard and neck)
Has your violin been subjected to extreme heat on top of the humidity? Just asking because the humidity here as been over 75% for several weeks and the violin I keep out of a case has been ok, other than the strings needing retuned more often.
Do you notice any glue separation? Or is that the fingerboard showing signs of warping?
Just trying to get an idea so that others in the know can help you out, as I haven't experienced this. But I would personally take it to your local luthier, if you have one nearby.
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For me too little humidity is usually the problem. In the winter when my house is very dry the fiddle starts to sound too bright or thin or shrill. I'm not sure how to describe it. I think there has only been a couple of times when too much humidity seemed to be a problem. Seeing the humidity indicator, I expected the violin to sound especially nice, but it sounded kind of dull and muted instead.
I'm interested in knowing what the numbers represent.
Maybe a dehumidifier would help.
Honorary advisor
Regulars
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I've noticed that higher humidity makes my violin sound really good.
Barometric pressure on the other hand makes my fiddle quiet because sound waves fall to the earth thus the violin sounds quiet to the ear.
I apologize. I should have given more info. again sorry. To measure projection you lay a ruler on edge on your fingerboard and slide it so that it touches the bridge (which needs to be located and standing properly). You then measure from the belly of the violin to the bottom of the ruler. The proper measurement is 27mm with a very small amount of acceptable error. A low number will cause the strings to be unacceptably high, almost to unplayable. You can lower a bridge to cause the strings to be playable, but then you change the sound and the volume.
This violin is the mendini 650 which is heavy and stout. I had no problems with it last year, so this came as a surprise. The soloist also has a low projection (25). The $30 violins have not changed and are at 27 but the plywood has absorbed enough moisture that the sound is muddied. The cello has not changed at all.
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Ahhhh - thanks @MrYikes ! LOL... Now I know - yup I recognize these numbers of course, just didn't occur to me at the time - my mind was caught up on "sound projection" grrrrrr.... too early in the day for me ( my excuse and I'm sticking to it 
)
I seriously recommend not copying my mistakes. D'oh -
Please make your own, different mistakes, and help us all learn :-)
Hah. excuse? nah that ain't it. It's cause you be one o dem gitar pickers. You got so many ways a playin a gmaj7, yo mind gits cornfused, whilst I playin drums jus keep beatin the same ole thing without a thought. Gitar players is good at jigsaw puzzles, drummers are good at paintin a flat wall.
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I seriously recommend not copying my mistakes. D'oh -
Please make your own, different mistakes, and help us all learn :-)
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MrYikes said
Humidity levels have caused the projection on my second violin to drop from 26 to 22 over a span of 3 weeks. I have loosened the strings and stuffed a cloth under the fingerboard. Can you offer any suggestions?
I feel that perhaps it has come unglued at the neck block or the ribs close to the neck for that much change. I suggest you keep using a cardboard brace under the fingerboard until you can get it looked at.
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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