Fungi may Improve the Tone of Musical Instruments

A little article in the April 2013's National Geographic may have revealed the secret to creating your own Stradivarius-quality instrument. Incredible!

The article by Johnna Rizazo states:
"Violins work like this: Bowed strings vibrate the bridge beneath them; the bridge moving against the violin's body bounces sound. Stradivarius violins from the 1700's are said to move the notes around best. According to tree pathologist Francis Schwarze, applying two arboreal fungi - Physisporinus vireus and Xylaria longpipes -  to a lesser violin can help it perform on par with the famed maker's instruments."

The article continues:
"The fungi work by thinning cell walls in Norway spruce - the only wood used to make a violin's top plates - and maple so that sound can move more freely. Less weight means louder and more resonant tones. It's not all about volume, though. The fungi also double the dampening function of the wood, taking away too-high, irritating sounds. Schwarze says fungi can improve other instruments as well, including hammer dulcimers and guitars."

Instrument builders and mycologists take note!