A weighty argument: wood density in violins

This extract is taken from the article ’Climate conundrum: Does wood from the ‘Little Ice Age’ account for the brilliance of Stradivari’s violins?’ that appeared in the April 2014 issue. To read the full article, click here

A subject that hasn’t been given much attention is the total weight of a violin. Musicians are sensitive to weight, and for good reason. A good player notices a difference of only one gram in a violin bow. Players are also sensitive to the total weight of the violin and quickly notice if an instrument is heavy or light. If a violin is heavy it is usually because the wood is too dense or too thick. This will have a dramatic effect on the acoustical quality of the instrument. In physics, a basic formula is F=ma where F is the force, m equals mass and a is the acceleration. How does this formula relate to violin making? If an object is heavier,  having more mass, it requires more force to get it to move. If it doesn’t move, it can’t be vibrating and if it isn’t vibrating, it is not producing sound.