Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2010 November 13

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November 13

violin

I read the article on violins: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Violin and it was interesting, but it didn't answer my question. How does the horsehair bow make the violin sound like it does? It's beautiful, but seems like horsehair would make it sound scratchy or muted. How is the horsehair woven to make the bow? It seems like it would have to be made sturdy or the horse hairs would pull out or stick to the strings. I've never seen a violin close up much less touched one, but guitar strings I've touched and played a little; horsehair would stick in between the coils of metal so violin must be made differently than guitar or else something special is done to the horsehair on the violin's bow. I'm just curious. Violin's have always fascinated me, but I've never had opportunity to get my hands on one. I've seldom been allowed to touch horses either. Thanks. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 174.58.218.201 (talk) 02:41, 13 November 2010 (UTC)

Have you read Bow (music) as well? --Jayron32 02:48, 13 November 2010 (UTC)

You may also want to read the Strings section of the article Violin construction and mechanics. Violin strings are usually made either of of smooth gut or nylon or metal, or are (I believe) typically flatwound as only more expensive guitar strings are: you have probably only encountered cheaper and less smooth roundwound guitar strings. If the previous responders' links haven't already made it clear to you, the (horse)hairs in a bow are not woven together; they lie parallel, are kept taut, are quite thick, strong and inelastic (compared to human hair), and are coated with rosin that optimises the momentary "sticking and releasing" between bow and string that builds up resonant vibrations resulting in the violin's sounds. 87.81.230.195 (talk) 03:20, 13 November 2010 (UTC)

My musical intuitions would say that you have been brought up to understand the violin as a beautiful sounding instrument. Perhaps the violin sounds quite strange to a traditional Maori. Perhaps the Bianzhong sounds a bit off to you. Ethnomusicology studies, not only ethnic instruments and their use, but the reasons behind their distinctive musicality. schyler (talk) 04:22, 13 November 2010 (UTC)

Yes, not having been brought up with a "beautiful violin" culture, I found the sawtooth sound quite repulsive until I heard the instrument played in the hands of expert professional violinists, and even then it took a while to overcome my instinctive repulsion. Dbfirs 09:48, 13 November 2010 (UTC)

@Dbfors, have you a reference for this Instinct being coded in the DNA passed to you by your parents? Cuddlyable3 (talk) 13:41, 13 November 2010 (UTC)

Apologies for the mis-use of "instinctive". I was trying to imply that a sawtooth waveform is not naturally attractive. I think the transfer was cultural rather than genetic, but who knows? Dbfirs 21:34, 13 November 2010 (UTC)

"Sawtooth" can describe the frictional force applied by the bow to the string but a sawtooth waveform does not sound like a violin. Violin sound is shaped by the resonant modes of the string and body. Cuddlyable3 (talk) 14:22, 14 November 2010 (UTC)

Thanks for the illustrative sound files. I agree that the resonances greatly enhance the acceptability of the sound to the human ear. Dbfirs 23:37, 14 November 2010 (UTC)

... and I think part of my aversion arose from my first hearing of a violin being a cheap instrument played badly, and I recall it sounding more like your first sound file! Dbfirs 08:56, 16 November 2010 (UTC)

Also, the hairs do occasionally snap or pull out of the bow, but not generally at a great rate. Thus a bow will need replacing or restringing eventually, often only after many years. If there are any music (instrument) shops near you, you might be able to look at a bow more closely. You could explain that you're just interested in them, and have never seen one up close: most music shops I've been in are owned, run and staffed by enthusiastic musicians, keen to spread the love if they're not too busy. 86.164.144.120 (talk) 20:21, 13 November 2010 (UTC)

Trees in Planters

Having planted and 4 Thuja occidentalis Brabant and 2 Thuja occidentalis Sunkist in a planter of 82 cubic feet, containing 3685 litres of Sinclair Nursery stock, I need confirmation that this is suitable for good longevity. Local council wanting to refuse planning application saying unsuitable! There is plenty of ventilation with 15 holes around each tree. Location, the north of England, cold and moderately wet. Can someone please put me out of my misery. BW —Preceding unsigned comment added by Mydakar (talk • contribs) 16:21, 13 November 2010 (UTC)

Wikipedia has an article about Thuja occidentalis. -- Wavelength (talk) 16:31, 13 November 2010 (UTC)

Wikispecies has an article http://species.wikimedia.org/wiki/Thuja_occidentalis. -- Wavelength (talk) 16:36, 13 November 2010 (UTC)

If you do not receive an adequate answer here, you can ask the members of Wikipedia:WikiProject Horticulture and Gardening.

—Wavelength (talk) 16:39, 13 November 2010 (UTC)

Here are some external links which might be helpful.

• Ask an Arborist here - Tree World
• Ask an arborist
• ask-an-arborist.com
• The DIY Tree Arborist & Tree Care
• Untitled Document (Do you have a tree care question? Ask the arborist!)
• Ask Arborist

—Wavelength (talk) 16:50, 13 November 2010 (UTC)

This website has ".uk" as its top-level domain.

• Arbtalk.co.uk | Discussion Forum for Arborists

—Wavelength (talk) 17:37, 13 November 2010 (UTC)

According to Sinclair Nursery Stock Propogation :: Green-Tech | Landscaping and forestry products [sic], Sinclair nursery stock is "A peat-bark-perlite growing medium which provides excellent rooting. Recommended for both ericaceous and non-ericaceous species." (I hesitated to link to this page because it has a misspelling for "propagation".) I am mentioning this definition because other editors might have expert knowledge about peat and bark and perlite. (I could not find online support for capitalizing n in nursery in Sinclair nursery stock.)

—Wavelength (talk) 18:25, 13 November 2010 (UTC)

What to do?

The following discussion is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.

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Wikipedians, I need your help: I am in love with a girl that I’ve loved for ages and will always love her in spite of her not loving me in that way. Her boyfriend found out about my feelings for her and that made their relationship a tad awkward, so I suggested she not talk (via email) to me for a while to appease him, which seem to be what he suggested too, hence she did that as she thought it was best too. I am trying to transfer uni to a better one because my one is considered one of the “other” unis – the second class unis – like Nottingham Trent is to Nottingham, or Manchester Met is to Manchester, or Birmingham City is to Birmingham, and I want to go to a better one. I want to transfer into a masters course, instead of a bachelors as that’ll be cheaper with these tuition fee increases (my uni doesn’t even do masters!), and I think my chance of getting into her uni is increased because it’s one of the few that offer a foundation year even if you’re doing a masters. Actually, it’s the only one I know of that does that, though I haven’t researched much. I don’t need a foundation year, but if they think I’m not good enough (because of my A-level failures) it might persuade them to let me in. The problem is I’d not only be in the same uni as her, but also in the same faculty, so I can’t (and won’t) apply to them without asking her permission first. What should I do:

• Disobey her direct instruction not to e-mail, and send a terse e-mail apologising and asking? (If she’s annoyed that I e-mailed, I’ll show her this to show I did, at least, ask the opinions of others.)
• Forget her uni, and just apply for everywhere else and hope for the best?
• E-mail her boyfriend, even though we’ve had our differences (due to my feelings), if he’d think it okay to e-mail her about this?

Many thanks in advance for all the help you can provide, SPA-ToHideFromUniInternetTracking (talk) 16:21, 13 November 2010 (UTC)

• This is an encyclopedia reference desk, not a relationship counselling service. ╟─TreasuryTag►Woolsack─╢ 16:31, 13 November 2010 (UTC)

The discussion above is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.

Silver Star listings

My father, Guy E. McGaughey, Jr., earned a Silver Star in WWII but is not listed on your site. Please add his name.

Thank you. -Bruce McGaughey <e-mail removed to protect privacy> —Preceding unsigned comment added by 70.130.185.128 (talk) 21:38, 13 November 2010 (UTC)

Wikipedia does not have a comprehensive list of silver star recipients. There are thought to have been more than 100,000 awarded to date. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 75.41.110.200 (talk) 22:47, 13 November 2010 (UTC)

To be more specific, Wikipedia has a "notability guideline" that governs whether there ought to be an article about a particular person or topic. See Wikipedia:Notability. Comet Tuttle (talk) 01:50, 14 November 2010 (UTC)