Teacher Information: Musical Instrument Project



Physics of Sound and Music – Performance Assessment

Purpose

You will apply what you have learned about the properties of waves and sound to build a musical instrument that can play eight frequencies or notes on pitch. You will play a song on your instrument to demonstrate how to change the instrument's pitch and loudness.

Materials

You will build your instrument with inexpensive materials such as fishing line and plastic tubes, PVC, etc. Please see attached examples of ideas in regards to building your musical instrument. No pre-purchased kits or instruments may be used.

Instructions

1. You are in charge of constructing your musical instrument. You can get help from family members especially if tools such as saws need to be used.

2. Your instrument can be a string, percussion or wind instrument.

3. Your instrument cannot use parts from other musical instruments.

4. You must play a scale of five distinct notes.

5. You must play a song with a partner using at least five musical notes.

Time:

• Performance on 2/16

Presentation

1. Show your instrument to the class.

2. Play at least eight musical notes to the class.

3. Play a song that uses at least five musical notes.

Website Links

Tuning your instrument using this virtual piano (See quick link on teachersite)



Tips:

1. PVC pipes and even bamboo make great wind instruments such as pan-pipes and flutes.

2. Fishing line can be used to make string instruments. A note of caution: Fishing line tends to stretch so you must be able to tighten or loosen the strings on the day of the presentation to tune their instruments.

3. Rubber sheeting, metal pipe, PVC pipe, and copper tubing can be used to make percussion instruments such as xylophones and drums.

4. The appearance of the instrument is not important, the sound quality and amplitude is!

5. You may play other songs for additional points…….the songs listed below are the bare minimum.

Presentation Rubric

_____ 1. You played at least five musical frequencies/notes on your instrument. (30 points)

_____ 2. You played a listed song that uses at least five musical notes. (25 points)

_____ 3. Your musical frequencies/notes were played at the correct pitch. (30 points)

_____4. The amplitude of your frequencies/notes could be heard at the back of the classroom. (15 points)

Extra Credit

____1. Your instrument played more than eight different musical notes. (One extra point per note, 5 max)

____2. You played a more difficult song than the required song. (10 points)

I. Building a set of Panpipes

(Instructions are modified to make an 8 note set of tubes)

Begin by getting approximately 3 ½ feet of 1/2-inch/schedule-40 PVC sprinkler pipe.

|Note |Length (cm) | |

|A |19.4 | |

|B |17.3 | |

|C |16.3 | |

|D |15.6 | |

|E |13 | |

|F |12.2 | |

|G |10.9 | |

| | | |

| | | |

| | | |

1) Cut the tubing into the sections listed above.

2) Place a penny over one end of each pipe and cover each penny with a 2" X 2" square piece of duct tape.

3) Wrap about 18 inches of duct tape around the set as shown on the right. Blow across the top of each pipe — it's just like blowing on a soda bottle.

II. Building a 8-note Water Bottle Xylophone

Start by getting five 20-ounce Sobe juice bottles.  Fill each bottle with the amounts of water shown above using U.S. fluid ounces (19, 13, 11, 8, 6).  Mark your bottles carefully at the water level with a permanent marker.  Number your bottles 1, 2, 3, 5 & 6 and arrange them in the order above — 1 on your left and 6 on your right.  Gently tap the middle of the bottle with a metal spoon.

19oz 13oz 11oz 8oz 6oz

III. Building a set of Fraction Tubes

(Instructions are modified to make an 8 note set of tubes)

Begin by getting approximately 7 feet of class 200 - 3/4 inch PVC sprinkler pipe.

|Note |Length (cm) | |

|A |38.9 | |

|B |34.6 | |

|C |32.7 | |

|D |29.1 | |

|E |25.9 | |

|F |24.5 | |

|G |21.8 | |

| | | |

| | | |

| | | |

| | | |

| | | |

1) Cut the tubing into the sections listed above.

2) Place a 1" X 1" chipboard square (from a cereal box) over one end of each tube.

3) Cover each chipboard square with a 2" X 2" square piece of duct tape.

4) Wrap about 15 inches of duct tape around the set as shown on the right.  Tap on the tops of the tubes with your fingers.

IV. Building a 5-note Glockenspiel

Get ten feet of 1/2-inch Electrical Metallic Tubing (EMT) pipe.

|Note |Length (cm) | |

|A |19.4 | |

|B |17.3 | |

|C |16.3 | |

|D |15.6 | |

|E |13 | |

|F |12.2 | |

|G |10.9 | |

| | | |

1) With a metal pipe cutter (not a hacksaw), cut the tubing into theseven sections listed on the left (some full-service hardware stores will do this for you).

2) Arrange your tubes as shown so that the longest is on the bottom and the shortest is on top.

3) String the tubes together (simple knots will do) along both sides so there are 2 inches between each tube. You may also place the tubes on two pieces of felt or foam rubber.

4) Try different "mallets" (metal/wood/plastic) to obtain a variety of timbres.

V. Building a 5-note set of Melodic Tube Drums

Begin by getting approximately 10 feet (3 meters) of 2-inch diameter ABS pipe.

|Note |Length (cm) | |

|A |19.4 | |

|B |17.3 | |

|C |16.3 | |

|D |15.6 | |

|E |13 | |

|F |12.2 | |

|G |10.9 | |

| | | |

1) Cut the tubing into the five sections listed on the left. (Continue the ratios for the eight note requirement)

2) Cut five 2-inch circles from a rectangular plastic baby wipe container.

3) Glue a plastic circle on top of each tube — allow the glue to set.

4) Arrange tubes 1, 2 & 3 over a piece of duct tape that is 30 inches (76 centimeters) long.   Apply a drop of glue between each tube in line with the duct tape. 

5) On tubes 1-3, apply drops of glue (in line with the duct tape) where 5 & 6 will make contact. Carefully place tubes 5 & 6 on top of tubes 1, 2 & 3.  Position tubes 5 & 6 to be 1-inch (3 centimeters) higher than tubes 1, 2 & 3.   

6) Apply a drop of glue between tubes 5 & 6, and tightly wrap the duct tape around the 5-tube set — allow the glue to dry before moving the instrument. 

7) After the glue is completely dry, hold the instrument under your left arm and play with your right hand.  Quickly strike/tap the drum heads (plastic circles) near the center to produce the best sound

Songs to Choose From

Row, Row, Row Your Boat

CCCDE

EDEFG

C'C'C' GGG EEE CCC

GFEDC

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

C-C-G-G-A-A-G_,

F-F-E-E-D-D-C_,

G-G-F-F-E-E-D_,

G-G-F-F-E-E-D_,

C-C-G-G-A-A-G_,

F-F-E-E-D-D-C_.

Mary Had a Little Lamb

BADABBB

AAABDD

BAGAFFF

BAABAG

On Top of Old Smokey

CCEGCA

FFGAG

CCEGGD

EFEDC

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