Guitar Physics

(SFX:CLASSICAL GUITAR PLAYING)

     PEOPLE HAVE BEEN PLAYING GUITARS FOR ALMOST 3,000 YEARS. OF COURSE, THE
EARLY GUITARS DIDN'T LOOK EXACTLY LIKE THE ONES WE HAVE TODAY SINCE BUILDERS
HAVE TINKERED AND TOYED WITH THE GUITAR OVER THE CENTURIES TRYING TO GET THE
BEST POSSIBLE SOUND. EVEN TODAY, SAYS PHYSICAL CHEMIST MICHAEL KASHA FROM
FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY, THERE'S STILL ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT. 

     Kasha: "When I began to get interested in this which is quite a long time ago, I
looked inside with a bycicle mirror  and siad it can't be right. . . that violates everything I
know about vibrations mechanics."
     
     IT'S THE INSIDE OF THE GUITAR THAT MATTERS SAYS KASHA, SINCE THE STRINGS
DON'T ACTUALLY MAKE THE SOUNDS.

     Kasha: "If the strings were mounted on a concrete wall. . . you'd hear nothing."

     BUT IN A GUITAR, THE STRINGS SET THE WOOD VIBRATING AND IT'S THE WOOD
WHICH CREATES THE RICH SOUND THAT EVENTUALLY MAKES ITS WAY OUT OF THE SOUND
HOLE--THAT'S THE BIG HOLE IN THE FRONT. DIFFERENT SOUNDS ARE CREATED WHEN THE
WOOD VIBRATES AT DIFFERENT FREQUENCIES. AND THOSE FREQUENCIES DEPEND ON THE
SHAPE OF THE GUITAR.  CONVENTIONAL GUITARS DON'T VIBRATE PERFECTLY AT ALL
FREQUENCIES, AND SO KASHA, IN CONJUNCTION WITH GUITAR BUILDER RICHARD
SCHNEIDER, HAS RESHAPED THE GUITAR--MAKING PARTS OF IT LONGER AND
REPOSITIONING THE SOUNDHOLE TO AN UPPER CORNER.  KASHA THINKS HE DESIGNED A
BETTER SOUNDING GUITAR

     Kasha: "It is unorthodox as if someone moved your eye into the upper right hand
corner of your head. . . But the good musicians say I like the sound. If they like the sound,
that's what counts."