Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Wood Density May Explain Stradivarius Secret

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the don't-sit-on-it dept.

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.

2 of 318 comments (clear)

  1. Little Ice Age by SputnikPanic · · Score: 1, Redundant

    I remember watching something on History or Discovery a couple of years ago where they postulated that the higher density of the wood used for Stradivarius violins was attributable to the Little Ice Age. It was quite an interesting program all around.

  2. I saw it on TV by thatskinnyguy · · Score: 0, Redundant

    There was something on the History Channel a while back about the "Little Ice Age". The Stradivarius violins were showcased because they were made during that time period. Their explanation for the density and tonal properties of the wood was due to the colder climate, the trees grew slowly so the grain was much finer than the trees of today.

    --
    The game.