Pretty self explanatory. A scientist figured out how to make new wood acoustically better.
Treatment With Fungi Makes a Modern Violin Sound Like a Stradivarius
ScienceDaily (Sep. 8, 2012) — A good violin depends not only on the expertise of the violin maker, but also on the quality of the wood that is used. The Swiss wood researcher Professor Francis W. M. R. Schwarze (Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, St. Gallen, Switzerland) has succeeded in modifying the wood for a violin through treatment with special fungi. This treatment alters the acoustic properties of the instrument, making it sound indistinguishably similar to a Stradivarius.
On the flip side, there is evidence that experienced musicians can't really tell the difference between a Stradivarius and a violin off the shelf. I really don't think there is a right or wrong sound in an instrument and it's really up to what we like. The article below has a clip of two violins and they certainly sound different to me but how would I know which is the Strad unless I listened to them all the time?
Incidentally, I like the top sound sample better.
Tags:
Wow, interesting. You know what's crazy? I came on here to start a thread about an awesome book I just read. It's called The Violin Maker. It's all about modern violin makers living in the shadow of Strad and Guarneri, trying to replicate their sound. A lot of it is about how luthiers (and scientists, more recently) have spent 300 years looking for some trick or secret technique that Stradivarius used. Toward the end of the book, the author goes to Strad's hometown of Cremona, Italy, to talk to luthiers there. This passage, in the shop of an eighty-year-old luthier, kind of blew my mind:
This was as close as I would get to finding the spirit of Stradivari in Cremona... It was the spirit that propelled a man to labor for seven or eight decades at the same craft... Simone Sacconi wrote that 'this craftsmanship had become a myth because it was not understood.' But he hoped that his life's work, his book, would help violin makers to understand 'the simple truth of a daily routine of work and of the use of techniques which contained nothing mysterious.'
'So,' I said, 'you agree with Sacconi, that there was no secret.'
Francesco Bissolatti required no translation for that. 'One secret,' he responded immediately, holding up a finger. 'The secret,' he said, 'is being able to do it.'
Started by Nomad Jack in Performances, How to Play, Lessons, Concerts. Last reply by J. D. Woods yesterday. 7 Replies 2 Likes
Started by Moritz Voegeli in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion. Last reply by Southern Ray on Monday. 6 Replies 2 Likes
Started by Timothy Hunter in Other stuff - off topic, fun stuff, whatever. Last reply by Timothy Hunter Apr 10. 14 Replies 3 Likes
Started by Tom T in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion. Last reply by Southern Ray Apr 9. 9 Replies 0 Likes
Started by Southern Ray in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion. Last reply by Southern Ray Apr 4. 7 Replies 1 Like
Started by Timothy Hunter in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion. Last reply by Southern Ray Mar 27. 1 Reply 2 Likes
Started by Taffy Evans in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion. Last reply by Southern Ray Mar 10. 1 Reply 3 Likes
Started by Cigar Box Nation in Feature Articles. Last reply by BrianQ. Mar 9. 4 Replies 3 Likes
Started by Ghostbuttons in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion. Last reply by Timothy Hunter Mar 9. 5 Replies 1 Like
Started by Justin Stanchfield in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion. Last reply by Taffy Evans Mar 8. 6 Replies 0 Likes
Started by Ken I in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion. Last reply by Brian partington Mar 8. 8 Replies 0 Likes
Started by Southern Ray in Cool gear discussion - that's not cigar box related. Last reply by Southern Ray Mar 6. 5 Replies 0 Likes
Started by Taffy Evans in Other stuff - off topic, fun stuff, whatever. Last reply by Taffy Evans Mar 5. 4 Replies 2 Likes
Started by Justin Stanchfield in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion. Last reply by Carl Floyd Mar 1. 15 Replies 0 Likes
Started by Joe in Performances, How to Play, Lessons, Concerts. Last reply by Carl Floyd Feb 29. 13 Replies 0 Likes
Started by Chance in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion. Last reply by Southern Ray Feb 22. 12 Replies 1 Like
Started by Cigar Box Nation in Feature Articles. Last reply by Southern Ray Feb 21. 2 Replies 4 Likes
Started by Brad in Cool gear discussion - that's not cigar box related. Last reply by Southern Ray Feb 19. 6 Replies 3 Likes
Started by Jacob Shook in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion. Last reply by Southern Ray Feb 16. 10 Replies 0 Likes
Started by Southern Ray in Performances, How to Play, Lessons, Concerts. Last reply by Southern Ray Feb 16. 2 Replies 0 Likes
Posted by Vlad on March 31, 2024 at 11:48pm 0 Comments 1 Like
Posted by Vlad on March 6, 2024 at 2:32am 5 Comments 2 Likes
Posted by billy jones bluez on February 28, 2024 at 2:09pm 0 Comments 0 Likes
Posted by billy jones bluez on February 17, 2024 at 11:00pm 0 Comments 0 Likes
Posted by Vlad on February 11, 2024 at 1:06am 1 Comment 1 Like
May 11, 2024 from 11am to 8pm – Speakeasy Grill
0 Comments 0 Likes© 2024 Created by Ben "C. B. Gitty" Baker. Powered by
Cigar Box Nation is presented by C. B. Gitty Crafter Supply, your one-stop-shop for Cigar Box Guitar parts and accessories!