John did his PhD research on the acoustical properties of the violin. He is an accomplished engineer, a skilled violin craftsman and an independent researcher. The thesis is available on line: The violin: music acoustics from baroque to romantic (34 Mbyte). The thesis has also an on-line appendix, containing chiefly the sound files of the violin being played in its various configurations.

Selected publications on violin acoustics

• McLennan, J. E. "The function of f-holes in the violin" Jnl AAMIM XXII (3) September 2003, 5-8.
• McLennan, J. E. "The soundpost in the violin. Part II: The effect of soundpost position on peak resonance and sound output" Jnl AAMIM XX (2) June 2001, 16-27.
• McLennan, J. E. "The soundpost in the violin. Part I: The effect of soundpost stiffness on peak resonance and sound output" Jnl AAMIM XX (1) March 2001, 24-35.
• McLennan, J. E. "A new bowing machine" JCAS Vol 4 (2) Nov 2000, 55-60.
• McLennan, J. E. "The soundpost in the violin". Jnl AAMIM XIX (3) September 2000 17-37.
• McLennan, J. E. "On Varnish". Jnl AAMIM XIX (1) March 2000, 16-27.
• McLennan, J. E. "Some violin response curves and what does the soundpost do", reprinted in M.V.A. Newsletter No 27 April 1997, 6-9.
• McLennan, J. E. "A0 and A1 studies on the violin using C02, Helium and air/Helium mixtures", Acustica, 89, 2003, 176–180.
• McLennan, J. E. "Heat Treatment of Tool Steel for Instrument Makers". Jnl AAMIM Vol XVI (1), March 1997, 6.
• McLennan, J. E. "Heat Treatment of Tool Steel for Instrument Makers", reprinted in BVMA Newsletter, No 9 Autumn 1997, 7.
• McLennan, J. E. "Determination of 'Brinell' hardness of tonewood". Jnl AAMIM Vol. XVI (4), December 1997, 29. Explanation
• McLennan, J. E. "Springing the bassbar". Newsletter BVMA No 6, Winter 96/97, 17.
• McLennan, J. E. "Some questions concerning the violin". AUSTA Journal 14 (3), 1992, 14 and 15 Spring 1993, 13.
• McLennan, J. E. "The art, history and science of violin making". Seminar given to 4th year Engineering undergraduates, August 1993.
• McLennan, J. E. "Shear modulus of tonewood". CAS Journal Vol. 2 No 6 (Series II) 1994, 20. Addendum
• McLennan, J. E. "Some violin response curves and what does the soundpost do". Jnl AAMIM XV (2), 1996, 17.
• McLennan, J. E. "The Catgut Acoustical Society Inc". Jnl AAMIM XV (1), 1996, 18.
• McLennan, J. E. "Cera Colla". Jnl AAMIN XII (2), 1993, 21.
• McLennan, J. E. "The violin, some principal features". Jnl AAMIM XII (2), 1993, 10.
• McLennan, J. E. "Carrying power". Jnl AAMIN VIII (2), 1989, 47.
• McLennan, J. E. "The restoration of sunken arches". Jnl AAMIM V (4), 1986, 19.
• McLennan, J. E. "The arching of the violin". Jnl AAMIM V (4), 1986, 14.
• McLennan, J. E. and Pye, J. "The arching of the violin", in "The acoustics of bowed stringed instruments". Tiverton May 1987.
• McLennan, J. E. "Stradivarius escapes ? again". Jnl AAMIM V (1), 1986, 33.
• McLennan, J. E. "Towards some definitions". Jnl AAMIM, V (1) 1986, 26.
• McLennan, J. E. "Moire Contours". Jnl AAMIM, IV (3) 1985, 5.
• McLennan, J. E. "An evaluation of the Giovanni Lucchi Elasticity Tester". Journal Australian Association of Musical Instrument Makers, IX (1) 1990, 38.
• McLennan, J. E. The above paper reprinted in: Il violino come struttura. Liuteria 19, 1987, 21-31.
• McLennan, J. E. "The violin as a structure - a consideration of the static force in the instrument". Catgut Acoustical Society Newsletter #34, November 1980, 15.
• McLennan, J. E. "Air and body modes in the violin". Jnl AAMIM, June 1997, 5.

Email address

John McLennan / jmcl1597@bigpond.net.au

Violin Acoustics at UNSW