in British English
NOUN
1. Also called: soundboard, a thin wooden board in a piano or comprising the upper surface of a resonating chamber in a violin, cello, etc, serving to amplify the vibrations produced by the strings passing across it
2. Also called: soundboard, a thin screen suspended over a pulpit, stage, etc, to reflect sound towards an audience
Vibration.
As a former professional cellist, I often wondered what effect the vibrations of my cello would have on our boys when they were still in the womb. I don’t have a pat answer for you, but I also don’t doubt the power of resonance. My cello’s back held a two-fold purpose—to reflect sound through the f-holes out into the orchestra and to vibrate and hold the tone in the wood, the same wood resting on my growing belly.
Vibration. Resonance.
Over the past six years of writing and publishing words, I’ve often called my husband and my fiction critique groups my sounding boards. I wonder how our words resonate with each other, and more importantly, cause reflection.
Within an instrument or above the stage, the soundboard amplifies and reflects towards an audience. These are our sounds, our voices, together here, and the key reason I chose to move my newsletter to Substack.
May my words, and our words, vibrate, resonate, and reflect this year in this new space.
Christine
P.S. Thank you for supporting my work. Drop a comment or question below and let me know what you think!