I’ve spent more time with bark than with any string instrument, cataloguing the micro‑grooves of maple and pine. The way a leaf vibrates when tapped is almost like a tiny harp – the veins act as resonant nodes, and the thickness of the epidermis sets the frequency. I’ve recorded spruce bark humming at 200 hertz, while cedar bark thumps closer to 150. The pattern of growth rings really does shift the tone, just like a well‑aligned root system shifts a plant’s stability. If you want a sweeter tone, try a bark with more concentric rings, like an oak. Just remember: no one should take the bark apart for its “exotic” vibrations without a proper license, or the forest will resent it.