How do chordophones make sound?

How do chordophones make sound?

• A. The membrane vibrating produces sound waves
• B. The vibrating strings create sound waves
• C. A vibrating column of air produces sound waves
• D. The frame vibrates to produce sound waves

Answer: (B)

Chordophones produce sound when their strings under tension vibrate. When a string is plucked, bowed, or struck, it vibrates at a fundamental frequency plus harmonics. Those vibrations are transferred to the instrument’s body and its soundboard, which act as a resonator and radiate the vibrations into the air as sound waves. The pitch depends on string length, tension, and mass per unit length, while the frame mainly helps amplify the sound. Other families produce sound with vibrating membranes or vibrating air columns, not with vibrating strings.

Chordophones produce sound when their strings under tension vibrate. When a string is plucked, bowed, or struck, it vibrates at a fundamental frequency plus harmonics. Those vibrations are transferred to the instrument’s body and its soundboard, which act as a resonator and radiate the vibrations into the air as sound waves. The pitch depends on string length, tension, and mass per unit length, while the frame mainly helps amplify the sound. Other families produce sound with vibrating membranes or vibrating air columns, not with vibrating strings.