For Subscribers

Making Matters: Speed of sound in bow wood

2024-11-29T06:44:00

LucchiMeter-PernambucoStick-Massimo2024-Landscape-03

Why is it that a violin’s sound quality can change so radically with a different bow? Massimo Lucchi explains the principle behind the speed of sound in bow wood

We can all agree that the sound of a violin comes from the vibrations of the wood it is made from. To be more specific, a significant proportion of the sound is produced by the soundboard: a piece of resonant spruce wood on which the feet of the bridge rest. Therefore, if we want to understand how to improve the quality of the sound, it is essential to study the physics and vibrations of this piece of spruce…

Already subscribed? Please sign in

Subscribe to continue reading…

We’re delighted that you are enjoying our website. For a limited period, you can try an online subscription to The Strad completely free of charge.

  • Free 7-day trial

    Not sure about subscribing? Sign up now to read this article in full and you’ll also receive unlimited access to premium online content, including the digital edition and online archive for 7 days.

    Free trial

    No strings attached – we won’t ask for your card details

  • Subscribe 

    No more paywalls. To enjoy the best in-depth features and analysis from The Strad’s latest and past issues, upgrade to a subscription now. You’ll also enjoy regular issues and special supplements* and access to an online archive of issues back to 2010.

    Subscribe

 

* Issues and supplements are available as both print and digital editions. Online subscribers will only receive access to the digital versions.