A virtual violin produces realistic sounds before wood is ever carved

There is no question that violin-making is an art form. It requires a musician’s ear, a craftsperson’s skill, and a historian’s appreciation of lessons learned over time. Making a violin also takes trust: Violin makers (luthiers) often must wait until the instrument is finished before they can hear how all their hard work will sound. But a new tool developed by MIT engineers could help luthiers play around with a violin’s design and tweak its sound even before a single part is carved.