Man uses CAT scanner to copy Stradivarius

Hardware ^ | 11-30-11 | Caleb Cox

[afraidfortherepublic]

CAD, CNC kit used to knock out wood

Attempts to recreate the renowned Stradivarius violin continued this week with boffins proposing an all-new approach using CAT scans and CAD software.

After studying the anatomy of several instruments using a computerised axial tomography (CAT) scanner, Mora, Minnesota-based radiologist Steven Sirr managed to get hold of a Stradivarius, borrowed from the US Library of Congress, to scan.

Along with two instrument makers, Sirr set about creating replicas of Antonio Stradivari's highly-sought violins.

More than 1000 CAT scans were taken of the instrument, all of which were analysed and converted into 3D computer-aided design (CAD) models.

These were then fed into a CNC machine, which was used to carve the various body pieces from different woods, picked to match the density of the original.

The team has so far assembled and varnished three full replicas, which members say sound "amazingly similar to originals in their sound quality".

Their findings were presented to the Radiological Society of North America. You can read more about the process there.

With some Stradivarius violins fetching over £10m in auction houses, the search for a cheaper, yet equally impressive alternative has been a Holy Grail quest for instrument manufacturers and classical music buffs.

A few years ago, a retired university professor claimed to have successfully reverse-engineered a Stradivarius by burning wood samples and analysing the the smoke. ®

[ResponseAbility]

And that highlights two different aspects. We recognize the beauty of the instrument by the best player with the best instrument. Somehow it really connects with a majority which sound is superior. Aside from promotion and politics, the audience has a large say in what it wants to hear. I don’t think in my lifetime I will hear an artist say that Strads were great in their time, but modern techniques have made them less than Ideal. So who really dictates the ideal? The consumer? The artist who develops his sound with much money promoting that sound?

Individuals have a role to play in much more than music. This is why we assemble here. The simple lessons of music culture and promotion apply to what this site is based upon.

I come from a musical background so I see these parallels, and I see people giving too much credit to people who have mastered an instrument. Too much of an ear to people who express a shallow view because it tickles their ears.

[I cannot think of a name]

“amazingly similar to originals in their sound quality”

I am amazingly similar to George Clooney. Hugh chunks of my DNA are identical, my internal organs are situated in the same locations, I have the same number of arms and legs, and I walk upright. Our hair color is even similar.

Yet apparently the few small differences that remain between us somehow keep millions of women from fawning over me.

Apparently ‘similar’ is not ‘same”.

[afraidfortherepublic]

I always thought that the varnish had a lot to do with the tone...

[afraidfortherepublic]

As a schoolgirl, I played the violin for 5 years. I Never had my oown instrument, but always used a school issued “loaner”. All of them were “Stradivarii”. You had to study the lable carefully to see that it said “patterned after” Stradivarius. LOL.

[bgill]

The purchse was to upgrade her to a professional grade so we all knew there would be sacrifices made. It was a blind test for sound quality only so there were no price tags. She was tops in the state and won every competition and could make that piece of wood sing so beautifully I would literally be in tears. Still, you’re partially right. It took us more years to pay it off than she played it. There’s a reason some eat their young.

[HiTech RedNeck]

I deeply doubt they are hiding behind this kind of strawman technicality, but are using “amazingly similar” in the sense that if you were thus to George Clooney, you could be credibly cast for him in a movie or play.