The physics of guitar string vibrations

2015/12/23 by Polievkt Perov, Walter Johnson, Nataliia Perova-Mello · 5 citations
Physics and Astronomy · Computer Science · #Experimental and Theoretical Physics Studies #Music Technology and Sound Studies #Scientific Research and Discoveries

paper · doi:10.1119/1.4935088

Abstract

We describe laboratory experiments to study the harmonic content of standing waves in guitar strings. The experimental data were taken by using the magnetic pickup from a guitar and a digital oscilloscope with a Fast Fourier transform capability. The amplitudes of the harmonics in the measured signal depend on the location where the string is plucked, resulting in a different timbre of the sound. The relative amplitudes of transverse standing waves in a string were determined from the experimental data and also predicted from the wave equation with the boundary and initial conditions corresponding to the initial shape of the string.

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