http://www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/episode.cfm?id=stradivaris-violin-secret-his-talen-09-12-09
This is an article talking about the secret of the world famous instrument builder in history Stradivari’s violin. How does Stradivari makes an amazing violin in his century which can not take advantage of the modern technology but still stand on the no.1 whatever in which period.
First let’s talk about the construction of violin and the principal of the sound making. A typical violin consists of the soundboard, maple ribs and back, endblocks, a neck, a bridge, a soundpost, four strings, and various fittings, optionally contains a chinrest, which may attach at the left of the tailpiece. Its hourglass-like shape and the arching of its top and back is the most distinctive feature of itself. The hourglass shape comprises two upper bouts, two lower bouts, and for providing clearance for the bow,two concave C-bouts at the waist.
Then let’s talk about the secret of violin’s soar and beautiful sound. The voice of a violin depends on its shape, the material which is the special wood it is made from, the graduation of both the top and back, and the varnish which on its outside surface. In this article, there is a point that there is a relationship between the sound of the instrument and the vanish which how to coat on the violin. Different vanish makes different sound. The varnish and especially the material of the wood going to improve with age, making the fixed supply of old violins much valuable. that is the same idea of the article which I choose too.
I like this article so much, not only that I can learn a lot of knowledge of instrument, and also it’s a good way to understand every instrument’s how to make a good sound which is so important to me
