Measuring Good Vibrations

Chris writes "A laser vibrometer finds its first application analyzing the vibrations in a guitar when different strings are plucked. The laser Doppler vibrometer (LDV) measures displacement and vibration speeds at 16 separate points simultaneously. The first application of the XVI is musical, analyzing the vibrations produced in a guitar when its E-string (the fattest string) was plucked. Analysis of this kind could prove useful for enthusiasts and manufacturers trying to replicate the sound made by old musical instruments in their new designs. They want to know what made these old instruments sound so good."