Physical Society Colloquium

Can we make better musical instruments?

Gary Scavone

Schulich School of Music
McGill University

Modern musical instruments evolved over centuries of empirical, trial-and-error methods by makers. In most cases, however, their current designs have changed little in the past 50 years or more. Modern luthiers continue to strive to replicate violins that are 300 or 400 years old, especially those made by Amati, Guarneri and Stradivari. And yet, most musicians are not completely happy with their instruments. Saxophones, for example, tend to have intonation problems, non-uniform sound qualities over their full range, and low notes that are difficult to play quietly. Is there any hope for better designs?

Dr. Gary Scavone will discuss scientific research conducted in the Computational Acoustic Modeling Laboratory at McGill aimed at answering this question. He is an Associate Professor of Music Technology in the Schulich School of Music of McGill University and Associate Director of Scientific and Technological Research at the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Music Media and Technology. Dr. Scavone has graduate and undergraduate degrees in electrical engineering and music and he continues to be active as a a professional saxophonist specializing in the performance of contemporary concert music.