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The strings themselves generate very little sound - they are physically incapable of moving the volume of air necessary to perceive sound (at least not for an audience or with a good tone). ''The string resonance is turned into sound by a '''transducer'''.''
<div style="float:right;">[[File:acoustic_transducer.png|400x400px]]</div>
In an '''acoustic''' instrument, the string resonance is transferred to the body, which usually consists of 2 large flat surfaces. The one connected to the strings vibrates and creates sound, like a large speaker. Some of the sound is directly projected outwards while some of it is directed to inside the body. The sound inside the body can reflect off the parallel surfaces and come out the sound hole(s) - this sound is fuller and darker, strengthening the fundamental frequencies played as well as balancing the overall frequency response of the instrument. This is due to the size of the body, which is large enough for high frequencies to cancel out as they reflect, while lower frequencies do not. The relatively small size of the sound hole forces the sound to reflect inside the body before leaving, where it can form constructive harmony, preventing it from sounding thin.