Richard Jernigan -> RE: Myth's and Science (Jul. 19 2010 14:14:37)
|
quote:
The irony is, he states himself that the way he FINALLY "solved" the problem of these crazy wolf notes, was to literally study the physics involved with sound waves moving in 3D space. In other words, he HIMSELF seemed to think he was using science specifically for this problem. Now I dont know to what extent he actually studied and used physics, but he at least claims it. Belatedly, it occurs to me to explain the chief reason I doubted Ramirez' claims. There is no formula which describes the motion of sound waves inside a guitar, even if you picture it as a rigid box. There are equations to be solved, but their solutions don't come out in a nice form where you can look up the answer the way you find the values for sines or cosines in your trigonometry book. To solve the equations you must use a computer. In my opinion, to understand what is going on, the results would have to be displayed graphically, not as pages full of numbers. The problem of analyzing sound waves inside a rigid guitar shaped box is complex enough, but when you add in the coupling of the motion of the top, which is designed and built to move, the complexity is far more than doubled. During the 1960s and 1970s, when Ramirez felt he was applying physics to the guitar, it would have required a large mainframe, or even a supercomputer to carry out the calculations. At the time NASTRAN, the generalized structural analysis program developed by NASA was coming into use. I see myself as a NASTRAN amateur, but professionals worked under my supervision. I am, and was at the time, familiar with the requirements and limitations of such computer codes. Ramirez was not. In my conversations with Ramirez, and in his book, Ramirez never displayed any actual familiarity with these problems, nor how to solve them, nor any knowledge of people who might have been able to solve them. He may have read some physics books, or talked to physicists, but as far as I know he never solved any physics problem germane to the guitar. At the time, the company I worked for was considering buying Kaman Science Corporation. I worked for one of the founders of my company. Through him I met Charles H. Kaman. http://web.mit.edu/invent/iow/kaman.html Besides being an inventor, corporate founder and helicopter expert, Kaman was an enthusiastic classical guitarist. He spoke of analyzing the guitar and building one from controlled engineering materials, not variable and whimsical wood. The result was the original Ovation guitar. Kaman told me he was severely disappointed in the Ovation, but it was a moderate commercial success. Eventually Kaman went to wooden tops for the higher end of the Ovation line. Kaman was someone who clearly understood the application of physics to the guitar, and the severe limitations of that approach. From my acquaintance with him, and from reading his book, Ramirez was not. RNJ
|
|
|
|