Wood Density May Explain Stradivarius Secret 318
Whorhay writes "A Dutch doctor and a violin maker from Arkansas have compared five classical and eight modern violins in a computed tomography (CT) scanner. Apparently the 300-year-old violins are made of wood with a more consistent density than the modern violins. They aren't saying for sure that this is what gives the Stradivarius violins their unique sound, but it's the first scientific explanation I've heard for it that seems to have merit." Unfortunately science has yet to explain how how all three chords I know ROCK on my SG.
Pardon my musical ignorance, but (Score:2, Funny)
"Wood", "Stradivarius", and "Secret" made me think that the article must be about Dinosaur pr0n. :/
Harmonics (Score:5, Funny)
It might go a log way to preventing them from producing undesirable harmonics.
Anyone know of any studies which looked at the waveforms to find unique qualities?
Re:This has been known for years (Score:5, Funny)
So.. you blame Global Warming?
Re:Harmonics (Score:5, Funny)
It might go a log way
Nicely played. :-)
Re:Harmonics (Score:5, Funny)
This is all too complicated. I'm just going to wait for "Violin Hero" to come out. The delux package comes with a kettle drum, brass and woodwind section, conductor's baton, etc.
Re:What else? (Score:2, Funny)
I'd like to know how long they were trying to determine the differences without considering wood density. Other than the shape and size, what other differences could there be?
Uh...the motion of the ocean, baby.
Re:A Dutch doctor and a violin maker from Arkansas (Score:3, Funny)
Did anybody else hear the theme from Deliverance while reading that?
Q: What's the difference between a violin and a fiddle?
A: People actually like fiddle music!
There was a world class concert violinist (don't remember his name, it has been several years ago) who said he tried to learn to play the fiddle. "Turkey in the Straw is Mozart played real fast with extra notes!" he siad.
Re:Harmonics (Score:3, Funny)
You'll find people complaining how heavy their Les Paul Custom is yet still play it for the sustain the extra weight provides.
Nigel: The sustain...listen to it...
Marty: I'm not hearing anything.
Nigel: You would, though, if it were playing.
Those 2003 people were smrt! (Score:1, Funny)
Who'd have thought that, way back in 2003, people whould have been smart enough to theorise that the sound of a wooden instrument might be affected by the quality of the wood?
I tell you, those ancients had astounding intellects.
Re:Harmonics (Score:3, Funny)
I would even go so far as to say that he's a natural.
I wonder how long it will take nanotech to win? (Score:5, Funny)
The same could be asked of wine. In principle, a team of analytical chemists with the right equipment and no reverence for the past could characterize(and possibly, at some future time, economically duplicate) whatever vintage has the experts drooling this week.
Re:Harmonics (Score:5, Funny)
Great! Let's destroy them to build crappy guitars!
Re:Harmonics (Score:3, Funny)
I'd rather have the guitar.
Now, maybe this "quartz" would have a more durable whammy bar and orange button. When you're as talented as I am, the orange and green buttons wear out first.
Re:Harmonics (Score:2, Funny)
Your bass attempt at humor served merely to sharpen our wits. You need to treble your efforts.
Re:This has been known for years (Score:1, Funny)
Indeed, a very good analogy - but only on /. would you find someone using audio-compression as an analogy for musical instruments, and not the other way around!!