For Subscribers

Mysteries of the soul: soundpost acoustics

2026-05-29T08:25:24.387

mm grid

Often called the violin’s ‘soul’, the soundpost is possibly the least understood part of the instrument. Joseph Curtin details a series of experiments that shed light on the acoustic role of this tiny piece of wood

In early June 2025, a group of makers, researchers, players and recording engineers gathered at the University of Michigan’s Duderstadt Center to investigate the acoustics of the violin soundpost. While the post’s basic acoustical function is well understood, not much is known at a scientific level about how soundpost adjustments affect an instrument’s playing qualities…

Already subscribed? Please sign in

Subscribe to continue reading…

We’re delighted that you are enjoying our website. For a limited period, you can try an online subscription to The Strad completely free of charge.

  • Free 7-day trial

    Not sure about subscribing? Sign up now to read this article in full and you’ll also receive unlimited access to premium online content, including the digital edition and online archive for 7 days.

    Free trial

    No strings attached – we won’t ask for your card details

  • Subscribe 

    No more paywalls. To enjoy the best in-depth features and analysis from The Strad’s latest and past issues, upgrade to a subscription now. You’ll also enjoy regular issues and special supplements* and access to an online archive of issues back to 2010.

    Subscribe

 

* Issues and supplements are available as both print and digital editions. Online subscribers will only receive access to the digital versions.