MusicalInstrumentProject(due3/3)

Forthisprojectyouaregoingtocreate/inventamusicalinstrument.Youmayworkbyyourselforingroupsof2or3.
Theinstrumentmust:

Beinexpensive,attractiveandfuntoplay
Befunctionalandbeabletoplayatleast4differentnotes(frequencies)
Bemadeusingcommonhouseholdmaterials
Becapableofbeingplayedatdifferentvolumes

Youwillalsoberequiredtodetailthephysicsofyourinstrumentinawritten35pageessaywhichshouldincludethe
following:

Explainhowthedesignofyourinstrumentallowsfordifferentpitches(frequencies)tobeplayed
Howcanyouchangethepitchwhenusingyourinstrument?Howdoyouachieveahigherpitch?Lower
pitch?
Writtenversionofthemelodyyouplayfortheclasswithfrequenciesandnotes(A,B,C,D,E,F,G)labeled
foreachpitchinthemelody
Explainhowyoucanadjusttheloudnessoftheinstrument.Describewhatyouarechangingaboutthe
soundwavewhenadjustingtheloudness
Describehowthesoundisproducedonyourinstrument(ie.Whatisvibrating?)
Describe/explainhowanyofthephysicsofsoundandmusicappliestoyourinstrumentandhearingit:
researchandexplainhowwehearandinterpretthesoundfromyourinstrument
calculateanddiscusssoundintensityofyourinstrumentatloudestandquietestpoint
calculateanddescribethewavelengthsofeachofyourfrequenciesusingthewavespeed
equation

Youwillhave4daysinclass(Wed,Thurs,FriandMon)toworkontheinstrument(planning,building,usingthe
labqueststofindfrequenciesorintensitylevels,andpreparingforthepresentation)aswellastoworkonthewritten
essay.OnMonday,youwillpresentyourinstrumenttotheclassandturninapapercopyofyouressay.Your
presentationmustconsistof:

Ashortdescriptionofthephysicsprinciplesdiscussedinyouressay
Ademonstrationoftheinstrumentscapabilitiesofplaying4differentnotesand1simplemelody(MaryHada
LittleLamb;Twinkle,TwinkleLittleStar;HotCrossBunsetc.)atvaryingdegreesofloudness

Thewebsitesbelowshouldhelpgiveyoucomeupwithideasifyourenotsurewhatyouwanttodoandseveralofthem
showhowtogetdifferentnotesoutofyourinstrumentsocheckthoseoutifyouneedhelp.
ResourcesforIdeasofMusicalInstrumentsandhowtocreatethem:
http://www.pinterest.com/maestroclassics/homemademusicalinstruments/
http://schools.birdville.k12.tx.us/Page/13246
http://www.flosscience.com/2012/11/projectbasedphysicsmusical.html
http://www.education.com/sciencefair/article/designmusicalinstrumentplaypitches/

InstructionstoFindFrequencyofNotes:
1. ConnectamicrophonetotheLabquest.Setupasfollows:
a. SelectModechangetheRateto1000samples/secandthedurationto1second
b. EnabletheTriggering,butmakesurethatitstartscollectionwhenthemicrophoneisincreasingacross
.05andcollect0pointsbeforetrigger.
c. Zerothesensor
2. Pressplay,playonepitch(frequency)onyourinstrument
3. OntheGraphscreen,chooseAnalyzeAdvancedFFTSoundPressure
a. Thepeakfrequencyshouldbeshowninthelowerrighthandcorner

Name_____________________________

Category

Preparedness
ofOral
Presentation

Studentis
completely
preparedandhas
obviously
rehearsed.

Studentseems
prettyprepared,
butmayhave
neededanother
rehearsal.

Studentis
somewhat
prepared,but
neededseveral
morerehearsals.

Studentdoesnot
seematall
preparedto
presentand/or
isreadingfrom
notes.

Postureand
EyeContact

Standsup
straight,looks
relaxedand
confident.
Establisheseye
contactwith
everyoneinthe
room.

Student
sometimesstands
upstraightand
establisheseye
contactwith
everyoneinthe
room

Thestudent
standsup
straight,but
doesnotmake
eyecontactwith
everyoneinthe
room.

Slouches,sits
ordoesnotlook
atpeopleduring
thepresentation

Contentof
Presentation

Showsafull
understandingof
theinstrument
andthephysics
presented

Showsafairly
good
understandingof
theinstrument
andphysics

Showsa
developing
understandingof
theinstrument
andphysics

Doesnotseemto
understandthe
instrumentor
physics

Teamwork

Allteammembers
contribute
equallytothe
presentation

Thisstudent
contributesmost
ofthe
information
giveninthe
presentation

Thisstudent
speaks,butdoes
notcontribute
equallytothe
presentation

Studentstands
inthefront,
butonlysaysa
fewtonowords
tocontribute

Construction
ofInstrument

Theinstrument
iswell
constructedand
attractive

Theinstrument
iswell
constructed,but
notattractive

Theinstrument
isattractive,
butnotwell
constructed

Theinstrument
isneitherwell
constructedor
attractive.It
appearsthat
verylittletime
andeffortwent
intothe
constructionof
theinstrument

Instrumentis
showntoclass.
class.Melody
Melodyand3or
and4different lessdifferent
notesareplayed notesareplayed

Instrumentis
showntoclass.
Melodyand2or
lessnotesare
played

Instrumentis
showntoclass.
Studentcannot
demonstrateits
use.Melodyis
notplayed.Only
1notecanbe
demonstrated

Notesareclear.
Instrument
demonstration
usesdynamics
(loudandquiet)

Notesarenot
clearsounds.
Thereissome
contrastin
dynamics.

Notesare
unclear,notof
goodquality.No
changein
dynamicsare
used

Demonstration Instrumentis
ofInstrument visibleto

Qualityof
Sound

Notesareclear.
Thereisno
contrastin
dynamics

Organization
ofEssay

Informationis
veryorganized
with
well-constructed
paragraphs

Informationis
somewhat
organized.There
is1-2places
wheretheessay
doesnotflow

Informationis
organized,but
paragraphsare
poorly
constructedand
donotflow
withinthe
paragraph

Informationis
disorganized,
thereisno
continuousflow
throughthe
essayjustmany
randomthoughts

Mechanicsof
Essay

Nogrammatical,
spellingor
punctuation
errors

Thereare1-4
grammatical,
spellingor
punctuation
errors

Thereare5-10
grammatical,
spellingor
punctuation
errors

Therearemore
than10
grammatical,
spellingor
punctuation
errorsinthe
theessay

PageLength

Essayis3-5
pageslong,1
inchmargins,12
pointfont,
doublespaced

Essayis2-3
pageslong,1
inchmargins,12
pointfont,
doublespaced

Essayis1-2
pageslong,1
inchmargins,12
pointfont
doublespaced

Essayis1-3
pageslong,but
margins,fontor
spacingis
incorrect

ThoroughandAccurateExplanationsofthefollowing:

Achieving
different
pitches

Melodywith
frequencies
andnotes

Achieving
various
loudnesses

Productionof

sound

Other
physical
concepts
withinessay