A formulism for predicting the motion of continuous systems excited by random noise fields is applied to the special case of a one‐dimensional string. Several examples are attacked: (1) Brownian motion of finite strings, (2) response to a spatially stepped‐temporally delayed noise field, (3) response of finite ribbon to moving, random pressure fluctuations, (4) response of an infinite ribbon to moving, random pressure fluctuations. Cases (2) and (3) are investigated experimentally, the latter by using flowing turbulence.In case (2) appears the interesting phenomenon of the capability of the string “remembering” or “forgetting” a signal which it received in the past. The larger the damping of the string, the sooner it will forget a previous signal. In cases (3) and (4) a coincidence effect appears between the flow velocity of the forcing field and the velocity of waves on the ribbon. Here again, the phenomenon of forgetting appears and sharply determines the magnitude of any coincidence effect which may appear.