Build A Band
Instuments
Chimes: Our chime instrument demonstrates that both the natural frequency of materials and the length of chimes affect the pitch created when chimes are struck (although length plays a lesser role). Our chimes used metal pipes cut to specific lengths to produce different notes. Every material has a different natural frequency, thus the notes are created because the certain lengths of pipe have different natural frequencies, individual to the material. However, since all of our chimes are made from the same material (and the same pipe), the length of the pipes played a major role in generating our notes. So, we calculated the needed lengths of the pipes with a chart linked on Mr. Williams’ website. Our starting length for our pipes was 30 cm, and then we used all the major notes.
[1]
Our chimes are tuned to a D Major scale (D, E, F#, G, A, B, C#, D).
Wind instrument: Our wind instrument proves that air pressure and the length of the tube determines the resulting note when the instrument is played. Our wind instrument is a 35 cm long piece of PVC pipe as the neck of our instrument. At the end of the instrument is a funnel that serves as the bell. The bell resonates and amplifies the sound produced by the instrument. Our instrument is a brass instrument and, thus, uses vibrations of the lips to cause vibrations in the tube. The tube also plays a significant role in determining pitch, because air pressure is greatest at the mouthpiece and lowest at the opening. The pressure differences result in the instrument creating a quarter of a wave, as the mouthpiece is at high pressure, which produces the crest of sound waves, and the bell is at pressure equal to the atmosphere, which produces a point of the wave at equilibrium. This means that, in order to generate a desired pitch, we must either reduce or increase the distance between the areas of high and low pressure, the length between equal to a quarter of the wavelength of the note. The instrument is currently capable of playing notes ranging from c4 to c5. Here are the notes and where we placed them from the start of our instrument.
String Instrument: Our string instrument demonstrates that the length of a vibrating material has an effect on the pitch created by said material. Our string instrument consists of a 1.3 meter long wood plank with strings and a metal sound box, modeled somewhat like a guitar. The sound is generated via the vibrations of the strings, when the strings are plucked. The notes are then amplified via a metal sheet that the vibrates with the sound waves created by the strings. The note played, as stated above, is determined by the length of the string when it is plucked. This raises a simple question: why? The reason: when a string is plucked, it generates a single standing wave, which is half of a wavelength. Thus, because each note corresponds to a different wavelength, changing the length of the string will determine which note we will play. To elaborate, when we play a note, because the strings generate half of a wavelength, we press down on the string at a distance equal to half of the length of the wavelength that corresponds to each note. For example, when we play C4, which is more commonly known as Middle C and has a wavelength of about 132 cm, we press down about 66 cm away from the bridge.
Bibliography
[1] Physics of Music - Notes. Michigan Technological University, 1998. Web. 3 April, 2016.
[1]
Our chimes are tuned to a D Major scale (D, E, F#, G, A, B, C#, D).
Wind instrument: Our wind instrument proves that air pressure and the length of the tube determines the resulting note when the instrument is played. Our wind instrument is a 35 cm long piece of PVC pipe as the neck of our instrument. At the end of the instrument is a funnel that serves as the bell. The bell resonates and amplifies the sound produced by the instrument. Our instrument is a brass instrument and, thus, uses vibrations of the lips to cause vibrations in the tube. The tube also plays a significant role in determining pitch, because air pressure is greatest at the mouthpiece and lowest at the opening. The pressure differences result in the instrument creating a quarter of a wave, as the mouthpiece is at high pressure, which produces the crest of sound waves, and the bell is at pressure equal to the atmosphere, which produces a point of the wave at equilibrium. This means that, in order to generate a desired pitch, we must either reduce or increase the distance between the areas of high and low pressure, the length between equal to a quarter of the wavelength of the note. The instrument is currently capable of playing notes ranging from c4 to c5. Here are the notes and where we placed them from the start of our instrument.
String Instrument: Our string instrument demonstrates that the length of a vibrating material has an effect on the pitch created by said material. Our string instrument consists of a 1.3 meter long wood plank with strings and a metal sound box, modeled somewhat like a guitar. The sound is generated via the vibrations of the strings, when the strings are plucked. The notes are then amplified via a metal sheet that the vibrates with the sound waves created by the strings. The note played, as stated above, is determined by the length of the string when it is plucked. This raises a simple question: why? The reason: when a string is plucked, it generates a single standing wave, which is half of a wavelength. Thus, because each note corresponds to a different wavelength, changing the length of the string will determine which note we will play. To elaborate, when we play a note, because the strings generate half of a wavelength, we press down on the string at a distance equal to half of the length of the wavelength that corresponds to each note. For example, when we play C4, which is more commonly known as Middle C and has a wavelength of about 132 cm, we press down about 66 cm away from the bridge.
Bibliography
[1] Physics of Music - Notes. Michigan Technological University, 1998. Web. 3 April, 2016.
Concepts
Sound is produced from molecules squeezing together and stretching apart like in this gif. Sound itself is not a real "Thing" but just the movement of things. That movement of things is then interpreted as sound by the brain. Sound can be represented as a wave and the shape of the wave can show how loud and how the sound actually sounds like. Waves have properties such as wavelength, frequency, and Aptitude. Wavelength is the distance between crests or troughs. Frequency measures how many waves you get in a period of time. Aptitude measures the length between the bottom of the trough and the top of the crest.
Reflection`Before this, I never really understood how waves work or were created. But now I have a much greater understanding of how waves work and are created. I did not do much because I did not know how to play an instrument, much less make one. I did help in making the string instrument in ways such as sanding the board and attaching the strings. |