Build a Musical Band
Build a Musical Band
Sound is produced when our brains interpret waves produced by vibrations. These waves are made by continuous and regular vibrations that travel through different mediums. Sound waves can travel through solids, liquids, and gases. When these vibrations enter our ears, our brains interpret the frequencies and wavelengths to produce a note. Frequency is how many times a wave vibrates per second. A wavelength is the distance between the crests of a wave.
Our project for this unit was to build four different musical instrument. We had to construct at least one wind instrument, one chime instrument, and one string instrument. *Note: Only the drum and wooden chimes are our actual project. I did not have photos of the other instruments, although I promise that our guitar was very beautiuful and looked almost exactly like this (except not shiny). Our pan flute was made out of the same copper pipe material, just a little shorter in length.
Sound is produced when our brains interpret waves produced by vibrations. These waves are made by continuous and regular vibrations that travel through different mediums. Sound waves can travel through solids, liquids, and gases. When these vibrations enter our ears, our brains interpret the frequencies and wavelengths to produce a note. Frequency is how many times a wave vibrates per second. A wavelength is the distance between the crests of a wave.
Our project for this unit was to build four different musical instrument. We had to construct at least one wind instrument, one chime instrument, and one string instrument. *Note: Only the drum and wooden chimes are our actual project. I did not have photos of the other instruments, although I promise that our guitar was very beautiuful and looked almost exactly like this (except not shiny). Our pan flute was made out of the same copper pipe material, just a little shorter in length.
Wind Instrument:
To make a note on a wind instrument, it needs to be a quarter of the wave length. This is because when you are not playing, it it stays at normal air pressure. But when you blow across the top you create an area of lower pressure( Bernoulli's Principle: the faster a fluid moves the less pressure it exerts). From standard neutral pressure to low pressure on a wave it is ¼ of the average length. For instance if i want to play a middle C with a wavelength of 131.87 cm i will make the instrument 32.97 cm.
By making specific lengthed instruments we controlled the frequency, our whole goal. Frequency is turned into a specific nerve signal in our ears, which then goes to the brain and then is interpreted as a pitch. We were able to know the frequency would be controlled by the length of the instrument because of the equation V=λt (Velocity(m/s)= wavelength(m) x frequency(Hz or 1/s)) we know the velocity is 340.29 m/s so if we control the wavelength then the frequency will be forced to be what we want.
When researching what to build we decided on a pan flute like device because we knew it would be relatively easy to make and would produce a nice clean sound. Our pan flute looks very traditional, with the lengths of the pipes proceeding from longest to shortest, except for one pipe. However, this longer pipe still produces a note that is higher than the shorter pipe that comes next. This is because when we closed off the ends of our pipes, the plastic went too far up into the pipe and actually made it shorter than the pipe next to it that on the surface looks shorter.
Note (octave) Wave Length Pipe length ¼ Wavelength
C(5) 65.93 16.48
D(5) 58.74 14.69
E(5) 52.33 13.08
F(5) 49.39 12.35
G(5) 44.01 11.00
A(5) 39.20 9.80
B(5) 34.93 8.73
String Instrument:
Stringed instruments work by vibrating strings of various tensions and widths to produce different notes. Each instrument can have one string per note (A, B, C ,D, E, F, and G) or use frets, which mark areas on the strings to press (this shortens the length and produces a different note). By controlling the lengths, widths, tension and placement of the frets, you can produce any note you need on a stringed instrument.
The main strings on a guitar, our chosen instrument, produce the notes E, B, D, G, B, A, E. Generally, stringed instruments in the western world don’t have one string per note. By pressing on the areas marked by the frets, you can produce any other note within about four octaves depending on the type of instrument and number of frets.
String instruments usually vibrate at one half of a wavelength. This means that if one string vibrates at E4- which has a wavelength of 104.66 cm- the string should be 52.33 cm long to play the correct note. This can vary slightly, however, if the strings differ in width or material. Usually if strings are made of a metal material (or are thicker), they produce a lower pitch and vibrate slower because they are heavier and harder to move. Thinner strings made of plastic or a light material vibrate faster and produce higher pitched notes. The rest of a stringed instrument can be made of any suitable material-though wood, plastic or metal is best- as long as it will hold its shape and (if you want it to produce a better tone) a soundboard and hole in the body of the instrument. Simply putting tension on a vibrating string will produce sound as well, but it will not be as loud or clear as one attached to the body of an instrument.
For our instrument, we decided to make a guitar. It was (in theory) a simple stringed instrument that some of us knew how to play.
Chimes:
Chimes are different from the other types of instruments because they don’t have a wavelength that is predictable no matter what material they are built with. Unlike string instruments which produce sound by vibrating a string at a half wavelength and wind instruments that produce sound at a fourth wavelength, chimes produce the same notes at unpredictable wavelengths. This is because chimes produce sound when the material they are are made of vibrates. Different dimensions have different wavelengths as well as different materials. Different materials also have different densities as well a masses. Dropping a metal pipe on the ground and dropping a pencil have very different sounds, even if they were the exact same dimensions and were dropped from the same height.
This difference of sound occurs because of something called “natural frequency”. Natural frequency is the frequency at which something vibrates naturally, hence the name. (Frequency is how often, or how many, wavelengths occur per second.) The shorter the wavelength, the higher the note is. The shorter the wavelength is, the higher the frequency is because more vibrations can occur in a second. The opposite is true for longer lengths.
Chimes are typically made out of wood or metal. When chimes are made out of wood, hardwood produces the best sound. Our chime instrument is built out of wood. Since it was not possible for us to cut the pieces of wood to a specific predescribed note because we did not know the natural frequency, instead we calculated notes from a length of 32 centimeters. Once we had a length that produced a note (a major A as far as we could figure), it was possible to calculate the lengths of our other chimes because the frequency of the wood (once a note was produced) is proportional to 1/(length)². The length is proportional to the inverse of the square root of the frequency as well: 1/(frequency)¹/². As an example, if we had a length of 30 cm and we wanted to cut another piece that would produce a note a more third above this we would find 30 divided by the frequency of a major third (which is 1.25 or 5/4) and put it into the equation: 30/(1.25)¹/². We could also multiply 30 cm by 0.8944 to find a shorter length or divide it by the same number to find a longer length.
Our chimes ended up including wood cut to the lengths of: 39.19 cm, 36.95 cm, 35.05 cm, 33.93 cm, 31.99 cm, 30.36 cm, 28.62 cm, and 27.71 cm. The shorter the length the higher the note and the longer the length the lower the note. This is because the shorter pieces of wood have shorter wavelengths so the waves vibrate more and have higher frequencies. When the chimes are hit the wavelengths travel from the wood through the air to our ears.
The table below has the ratios needed to calculate the lengths of chimes:
Interval Multiply Longest
Chime Length by
Unison 1.0000
Minor Second 0.9798
Major Second 0.9428
Minor Third 0.9129
Major Third 0.8944
Fourth 0.8660
Diminished Fifth 0.8433
Fifth 0.8165
Minor Sixth 0.7906
Major Sixth 0.7746
Minor Seventh 0.7454
Major Seventh 0.7303
Octave 0.7071
Drums:
For many drums, the tension of the contact surface changes the frequency of the vibrations and therefore changes the pitch at which you hear it. The tension on the top surface that your hands contact changes the note that comes as a result. This project was 100% guess and check. We would change the tension of the drum head to create the different frequencies. When the heads are tight the tension of the drum head leads to a faster frequency of vibration, and because the drums were all identical in size and material the only factor that changed was the tension. This formed the notes we hear. The wavelengths of the note then followed suit.
Our project made out of PVC Pipe and tarp is far from professional but does the job. We play the notes by hitting the rim which formed the clearest note. We tensioned the drums by winding a nail around the strings that hold on the drum on the bottom. The higher the tension the higher the note.
A challenge we experienced with our materials was that the tarp would lose tension and change notes.
My Reflection:
My favorite part of this project was actually not a specific instance, but rather being part of and viewing the progression of our instruments. I was in charge of building the chimes and therefor I worked mostly on that instrument. I really enjoyed that process, but I liked seeing how the other members of my group were working. Seeing our final products was really satisfying because they all worked beautifully.
The part of this project I disliked the most was perhaps writing about it for our presentation because we had so much time to do it. I got easily bored and distracted because I had planned out my time. I formatted my section of the presentation and then added basic information. Then I added in data and charts. Then all the members of my group collectively went over all of the presentation, including the portions they had not worked on. Our strategy worked out very well and we ended up with a very solid presentation, but the process was both slow moving and uninspiring.
During the course of this project I learned that I work well alone with a team goal in mind. I was easily able to complete my instrument, even before the rest of my group members, and then offer my support to them while they worked. It also worked well for me to be in charge of my own section of the presentation and then to oversee the other members as well. I will remember this working style and hope to implement it in projects later on. I really enjoyed this project.
To make a note on a wind instrument, it needs to be a quarter of the wave length. This is because when you are not playing, it it stays at normal air pressure. But when you blow across the top you create an area of lower pressure( Bernoulli's Principle: the faster a fluid moves the less pressure it exerts). From standard neutral pressure to low pressure on a wave it is ¼ of the average length. For instance if i want to play a middle C with a wavelength of 131.87 cm i will make the instrument 32.97 cm.
By making specific lengthed instruments we controlled the frequency, our whole goal. Frequency is turned into a specific nerve signal in our ears, which then goes to the brain and then is interpreted as a pitch. We were able to know the frequency would be controlled by the length of the instrument because of the equation V=λt (Velocity(m/s)= wavelength(m) x frequency(Hz or 1/s)) we know the velocity is 340.29 m/s so if we control the wavelength then the frequency will be forced to be what we want.
When researching what to build we decided on a pan flute like device because we knew it would be relatively easy to make and would produce a nice clean sound. Our pan flute looks very traditional, with the lengths of the pipes proceeding from longest to shortest, except for one pipe. However, this longer pipe still produces a note that is higher than the shorter pipe that comes next. This is because when we closed off the ends of our pipes, the plastic went too far up into the pipe and actually made it shorter than the pipe next to it that on the surface looks shorter.
Note (octave) Wave Length Pipe length ¼ Wavelength
C(5) 65.93 16.48
D(5) 58.74 14.69
E(5) 52.33 13.08
F(5) 49.39 12.35
G(5) 44.01 11.00
A(5) 39.20 9.80
B(5) 34.93 8.73
String Instrument:
Stringed instruments work by vibrating strings of various tensions and widths to produce different notes. Each instrument can have one string per note (A, B, C ,D, E, F, and G) or use frets, which mark areas on the strings to press (this shortens the length and produces a different note). By controlling the lengths, widths, tension and placement of the frets, you can produce any note you need on a stringed instrument.
The main strings on a guitar, our chosen instrument, produce the notes E, B, D, G, B, A, E. Generally, stringed instruments in the western world don’t have one string per note. By pressing on the areas marked by the frets, you can produce any other note within about four octaves depending on the type of instrument and number of frets.
String instruments usually vibrate at one half of a wavelength. This means that if one string vibrates at E4- which has a wavelength of 104.66 cm- the string should be 52.33 cm long to play the correct note. This can vary slightly, however, if the strings differ in width or material. Usually if strings are made of a metal material (or are thicker), they produce a lower pitch and vibrate slower because they are heavier and harder to move. Thinner strings made of plastic or a light material vibrate faster and produce higher pitched notes. The rest of a stringed instrument can be made of any suitable material-though wood, plastic or metal is best- as long as it will hold its shape and (if you want it to produce a better tone) a soundboard and hole in the body of the instrument. Simply putting tension on a vibrating string will produce sound as well, but it will not be as loud or clear as one attached to the body of an instrument.
For our instrument, we decided to make a guitar. It was (in theory) a simple stringed instrument that some of us knew how to play.
Chimes:
Chimes are different from the other types of instruments because they don’t have a wavelength that is predictable no matter what material they are built with. Unlike string instruments which produce sound by vibrating a string at a half wavelength and wind instruments that produce sound at a fourth wavelength, chimes produce the same notes at unpredictable wavelengths. This is because chimes produce sound when the material they are are made of vibrates. Different dimensions have different wavelengths as well as different materials. Different materials also have different densities as well a masses. Dropping a metal pipe on the ground and dropping a pencil have very different sounds, even if they were the exact same dimensions and were dropped from the same height.
This difference of sound occurs because of something called “natural frequency”. Natural frequency is the frequency at which something vibrates naturally, hence the name. (Frequency is how often, or how many, wavelengths occur per second.) The shorter the wavelength, the higher the note is. The shorter the wavelength is, the higher the frequency is because more vibrations can occur in a second. The opposite is true for longer lengths.
Chimes are typically made out of wood or metal. When chimes are made out of wood, hardwood produces the best sound. Our chime instrument is built out of wood. Since it was not possible for us to cut the pieces of wood to a specific predescribed note because we did not know the natural frequency, instead we calculated notes from a length of 32 centimeters. Once we had a length that produced a note (a major A as far as we could figure), it was possible to calculate the lengths of our other chimes because the frequency of the wood (once a note was produced) is proportional to 1/(length)². The length is proportional to the inverse of the square root of the frequency as well: 1/(frequency)¹/². As an example, if we had a length of 30 cm and we wanted to cut another piece that would produce a note a more third above this we would find 30 divided by the frequency of a major third (which is 1.25 or 5/4) and put it into the equation: 30/(1.25)¹/². We could also multiply 30 cm by 0.8944 to find a shorter length or divide it by the same number to find a longer length.
Our chimes ended up including wood cut to the lengths of: 39.19 cm, 36.95 cm, 35.05 cm, 33.93 cm, 31.99 cm, 30.36 cm, 28.62 cm, and 27.71 cm. The shorter the length the higher the note and the longer the length the lower the note. This is because the shorter pieces of wood have shorter wavelengths so the waves vibrate more and have higher frequencies. When the chimes are hit the wavelengths travel from the wood through the air to our ears.
The table below has the ratios needed to calculate the lengths of chimes:
Interval Multiply Longest
Chime Length by
Unison 1.0000
Minor Second 0.9798
Major Second 0.9428
Minor Third 0.9129
Major Third 0.8944
Fourth 0.8660
Diminished Fifth 0.8433
Fifth 0.8165
Minor Sixth 0.7906
Major Sixth 0.7746
Minor Seventh 0.7454
Major Seventh 0.7303
Octave 0.7071
Drums:
For many drums, the tension of the contact surface changes the frequency of the vibrations and therefore changes the pitch at which you hear it. The tension on the top surface that your hands contact changes the note that comes as a result. This project was 100% guess and check. We would change the tension of the drum head to create the different frequencies. When the heads are tight the tension of the drum head leads to a faster frequency of vibration, and because the drums were all identical in size and material the only factor that changed was the tension. This formed the notes we hear. The wavelengths of the note then followed suit.
Our project made out of PVC Pipe and tarp is far from professional but does the job. We play the notes by hitting the rim which formed the clearest note. We tensioned the drums by winding a nail around the strings that hold on the drum on the bottom. The higher the tension the higher the note.
A challenge we experienced with our materials was that the tarp would lose tension and change notes.
My Reflection:
My favorite part of this project was actually not a specific instance, but rather being part of and viewing the progression of our instruments. I was in charge of building the chimes and therefor I worked mostly on that instrument. I really enjoyed that process, but I liked seeing how the other members of my group were working. Seeing our final products was really satisfying because they all worked beautifully.
The part of this project I disliked the most was perhaps writing about it for our presentation because we had so much time to do it. I got easily bored and distracted because I had planned out my time. I formatted my section of the presentation and then added basic information. Then I added in data and charts. Then all the members of my group collectively went over all of the presentation, including the portions they had not worked on. Our strategy worked out very well and we ended up with a very solid presentation, but the process was both slow moving and uninspiring.
During the course of this project I learned that I work well alone with a team goal in mind. I was easily able to complete my instrument, even before the rest of my group members, and then offer my support to them while they worked. It also worked well for me to be in charge of my own section of the presentation and then to oversee the other members as well. I will remember this working style and hope to implement it in projects later on. I really enjoyed this project.