Inspired by Beethoven’s 5th Symphony Fran Scott and Greg Foot set about finding out all about string instruments and how they work and make such different sounds.
They look inside a piano and see long, thick strings that make low notes, and short, thin strings that make high notes.
Using a slow motion camera they film the strings of a cello vibrating and point out that thick strings vibrate more slowly than thin ones and that this explains the
difference in their pitch.
Thick means low pitch, thin means high pitch.
The tightness or tension of a string is also important. The tighter the string, the higher the pitch. The less tight a string, the lower the pitch.
Using 3D animation Greg explains how the sound a string makes is amplified by an instrument like the violin.
Finally Fran shows viewers how it is easy to make a guitar out of an old cardboard box and some elastic bands.