The Physics of Banjos: A Conversation with David Politzer, in the "Ideas Roadshow" series of interviews (2014, Howard Burton) is strangely frustrating, like a series of beautiful chords that don't cohere to make a melody. There's smart philosophy and references to deep ideas, but minimal take-away knowledge and few real glimpses of the beauty of Nature. Politzer – Nobel laureate theoretical physicist – tells Feynman stories and defines the target of investigation:

... there is something common to the sound of all banjos, by which I mean drums with strings. It could be a gourd with a goat skin and gut strings. It could be steel strings, Mylar top, and a resonator back. They all sound different, but they’re all recognizably banjo. If they’re recognizably banjo, then the accounting of that aspect of their sound has to be in the fact that it’s a drum with strings, because that’s all they have in common. ...

He discusses banjo design features, but without ever coming to memorable, useful, clear conclusions. And at the end of it all, "So What"? Yes, banjos sound neat, and yes, there are countless subtle engineering issues surrounding their design. Yes, and ...?

(cf Musical Values (2001-11-03), Universal Music (2013-01-26), Mantra - Notice the Music (2014-12-06), Winter's Tale on Music Everywhere (2014-12-23), ...) - ^z- 2023-08-05