2 mandolins and an anechoic chamber

[Pete Martin]

My '80 Gilchrist F5, '24 A2 and myself were the guinea pigs for some physics measurements of mandolins yesterday at the anechoic chamber at Central Washington University in Ellensburg, WA. My first time in such a chamber, where all sound vibrations are absorbed and you can't hear any reflections.

I really enjoyed being in the chamber. Total quiet and very peaceful once I got used to it. I've never heard complete silence before, but really liked it.

The physics department there is interested in having mandolin builders bring their instruments to the chamber for testing. If anyone is interested, contact me and I'll provide information.

[catmandu2]

Cool

I really enjoyed being in the chamber. Total quiet and very peaceful once I got used to it. I've never heard complete silence before, but really liked it.

Quite an experience. I was able to exp similar in labs in college.

[BradKlein]

If you have a chance, I'd love to hear more about what kind of 'testing' they are doing, their goals and objectives.

[Dale Ludewig]

This may be a stupid question, but do you have any recordings of this?

[CarlM]

Is it kind of like the Cone of Silence?

[billhay4]

I, too, would like to know what kind of testing they are doing and what they are testing for.
Bill

[Nathan Kellstadt]

I'd be quite curious as well to hear a recording, if available. Till then,

Not quite a mandolin, but still...



And just because it's interesting, while on the topic of anechoic chambers,

[Jeff Mando]

Maybe I'm missing the point, but everything seems to sound better with reverb/echo! I guess that's why people "sing" in the shower....

[BradKlein]

Maybe I'm missing the point, but everything seems to sound better with reverb/echo! ....

I think you're right. Facilities like this one are not made as 'musical' spaces. They are made to study some sound producing object without the confusing reflections and overtones created by a normal room - or even a recording studio.

[Alfons]

Pete, thanks for posting the photos. Very cool. What exactly did you DO with them in there? With the instrument set up in a jig as shown I'm guessing that all one could do would be to record the plucking of open strings or possibly some limited fretting. I'm guessing that you played them in there while you had the chance, but was that also part of the experiment? What was your impression of the sound? I will also second the questions from Brad and Bill - What were the goals of the experiment?

This reminds me of a job I had many years ago where they had a anechoic chamber that was used only occasionally - I could go down there at lunch for some Quiet Time. It was very relaxing in strange sort of way.