Ted Talk – How Does Temperature and Humidity Affect the Pitch of a Violin?

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10 Comments

  1. Bridget Reply

    Hi Claire! This was a really interesting, comprehensive presentation. I liked how you based your topic on something you are passionate about, and how you used clips of your own violin to show us different things. I play the acoustic guitar, and I often notice changes in pitch as the seasons change. I was wondering if all this information would also apply to guitar, ukulele, and other string instruments, or if there are differences in how temperature and humidity can affect them.
    Bridget

    • Claire Reply

      Hi Bridget, thank you for your kind words! Yes, since other string instruments are made out of wood, temperature and humidity will affect them (unless you have a plastic instrument or something)

  2. Rian Reply

    Hey Claire! I really enjoyed learning about how the seasons affect the sound of your violin. I liked how you chose an issue relatable to many people, especially with the varying temperatures in BC. I was wondering, how could you use your new knowledge of the violin contracting and swelling in your playing? Could this new knowledge help you play different style pieces throughout the year based on weather?
    – Rian

    • Claire Reply

      Hi Rian, I’m glad you enjoyed learning about my topic! The answer to your question is actually yes. You can definitely use the weather to your advantage, even though it isn’t recommended. For example, if you are playing a happy, cheerful piece, it will be better to play in a hotter and more humid environment since the pitch will be higher in general, adding to the excitement and colour of the piece. Thank you for the great question!

  3. Athena Reply

    Yo Claire! Nice talk! I liked how you used your actual violin as an example instead of just using a picture. I also liked how you talked about background information that would contribute to the reasons why a violin would change with temperature. You talked about what would happen when the environment is hot and moist and when the environment is cool and dry, but what if the environment is hot and dry or the environment is cool and moist?

    • Claire Reply

      Hi Athena, I’m glad you enjoyed my ted talk. Regarding the question though, it is rare for that to happen… But if it does happen, the violin would mostly get affected by the humidity of the air more than the temperature, since wood gets affected more by humidity in general. For example, if the temperature is cold and the air is moist, the violin will expand because of the water content in the air. In contrary, if the temperature is warm and the air is dry, it will most likely shrink because there won’t be a lot of water particles for the wood to absorb. Thank you for your great question!

  4. Tyler Reply

    Hi Claire! This was very fascinating to learn about. I liked how you explained what the different parts of the violin are and what role they play in the violin so that we can have a better understanding. I was wondering if it would be possible to create music or violins that take advantage of the temperature and humidity’s effects on the violin?

    • Claire Reply

      Hi Tyler, thank you for kind comments. Regarding your question, the answer is actually yes. I wouldn’t recommend it because it can potentially damage your violin. For example, for a sadder/sorrowful piece of music, you generally want to tune your violin on the lower side, so you can benefit from the colder weather. Thanks for your question!

  5. Saihaj Reply

    Hi Claire,
    Your Talon Talk was really well done. It was an interesting topic; I’ve never thought about how temperature and humidity could affect a violin’s pitch before. I liked how clear you were while explaining different points. I also thought it was great how you showed us your violin and took us through the different parts and their functions. It helped me understand the violin a lot more. My question is about the different types of wood that violins are made of. Do different types of wood make a difference in how the violin responds to temperature?

  6. Claire Reply

    Hi Saihaj, thank you for your kind words. Regarding your question, yes, different types of wood does make a difference. There are some woods that don’t absorb water particles as well as others, making them less prone to change during the warmer temperatures. Some woods are generally more heat resistant in general. I hope this answered your question. 😀

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