what makes a guitar sing with just a lightly touch??

willem
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Wed Jul 25, 2012 5:27 am

Well I watched the lately snapshot a bout a old Martin O-18 1926 and was wondering ''what makes a guitar sing just with a lightly touch of the strings''

Is it the combination of woods and strings together with his measers??? etc


Willem


Max
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Wed Jul 25, 2012 1:05 pm

Willem,

The biggest influence on how a note sounds is the player.
A great player can make a crappy guitar sound sweet.
A crappy player can make a great guitar sound terrible.

But if your looking for a quick physics answer, here's an explanation from "The Physics of the Acoustic Guitar" web site:

There are six strings on a guitar, each with an open notes of E2, A2, D3, G3, B3, and E4, each with corresponding frequencies of 82 Hz, 110 Hz, 147 Hz, 196 Hz, 247 Hz, 330 Hz (Fletcher 207).
These frequencies represent the root tone of each string. What makes a guitar sound the way it does is the overlay of various frequencies on each string, or the overtones present.
These patterns of overtones and their strengths is what makes a guitar sound different from say, a trombone.
In addition, this exact patterns of overtones is impossible to repeat, and so every instrument will sound different,
and in fact every note as subtly changes from the exact location on the string where it is plucked to the force, direction, and the age of the string both off and on the guitar all have small effects on the sound.

These strings then transfer heir sound into the body of the guitar where they set up an internal resonance in the air chamber made by the body, and cause the back plate and face plate to vibrate.
These vibrations cause the air to compress and rarify making the compression waves in the air that our ear interperets as sound.


willem
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Joined: Fri Mar 20, 2009 7:53 am
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Wed Jul 25, 2012 1:41 pm

Max wrote:
Willem,

The biggest influence on how a note sounds is the player.
A great player can make a crappy guitar sound sweet.
A crappy player can make a great guitar sound terrible.

But if your looking for a quick physics answer, here's an explanation from "The Physics of the Acoustic Guitar" web site:

There are six strings on a guitar, each with an open notes of E2, A2, D3, G3, B3, and E4, each with corresponding frequencies of 82 Hz, 110 Hz, 147 Hz, 196 Hz, 247 Hz, 330 Hz (Fletcher 207).
These frequencies represent the root tone of each string. What makes a guitar sound the way it does is the overlay of various frequencies on each string, or the overtones present.
These patterns of overtones and their strengths is what makes a guitar sound different from say, a trombone.
In addition, this exact patterns of overtones is impossible to repeat, and so every instrument will sound different,
and in fact every note as subtly changes from the exact location on the string where it is plucked to the force, direction, and the age of the string both off and on the guitar all have small effects on the sound.
These strings then transfer heir sound into the body of the guitar where they set up an internal resonance in the air chamber made by the body, and cause the back plate and face plate to vibrate.
These vibrations cause the air to compress and rarify making the compression waves in the air that our ear interperets as sound.
Well that made since Max,,What I made bold in your post is very interesting,,I am sure I have to change strings now,,I was very amazed when Neil talked a bout the lightly touch on that guitar in the lately snapshot..

Willem


thereshopeyet
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Wed Jul 25, 2012 4:14 pm

Thanks


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