You will be learning about the characteristics of sound through a study of musical instruments.

Procedure:  Steps:  1 - 2 - 3 - 4 

1. Please answer the following questions:

	How do you define music?
	What are the characteristics of music?
	What are the characteristics of noise?

 

2. You will read the following article:

Ancient Instruments yielding secrets of their music

 

After reading the article, focus on the following questions and write summative answers.

	How is the knowledge of how musical instruments work linked to science?
	Why was it difficult for scientists to tryly comprehend how wind instruments work?
	What "new insights" have scientists recently researched regarding wind instruments, and what did they do to gain these insights?
	How are these insights affecting electronic music?
	What different roles have flutes, whistles and similar instruments played in various cultures?
	How did wind instruments evolve from their earliest forms?
	How do wind instruments work?
	What mathematics are involved in understanding how wind instruments work?
	What process did the scientific research team use to understand the function of wind instruments, and what did they find?
	In what different fields of study can this information be used, and how?

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3. Select a musical instrument for the focus of brief research.  No more than 1/4 of the class is to be in each of the following categories (woodwind, string, percussion, and brass).  

Research the answers to the questions below:

	How does your instrument work?
	What are the names of the parts of the instrument, and how does each part function to cause the sound produced?
	What scientific terms are used in discussing how this instrument works (e.g. acoustics, tone, pitch), and what is the definition for each term in your own words?

You are to write a detailed report of your answers.  This report must be word processed.

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4. At home activity:

Create a musical instrument with whatever materials you may have on hand.  Then, name your instrument and create a "How It Works" poster explaining your invention.  In class on the appointed day, you will be expected to play a recognizable tune with your instrument.  (You may not use the bottle experiment done in math class.)

The following sites may help you in your quest:

Instrument Encyclopedia - lets you search for individual instruments or browse through the collection by the Sachs-Hornbostel classification system or by geographical origin.

The Acoustical Society of America - was founded to increase and diffuse the knowledge of acoustics and to promote practical applications.

Building Musical Instruments

Elemental Design - some instrument links which will prove helpful.

Experimental Musical Instruments - check the links at this site - all you'll ever need!

Physics, Sound, and Musical Instruments - excellent reference on sound.

science of music: Exploratorium's Accidental Scientist

Types of Instruments, Thinkquest Site

The World of Music - a ThinkQuest site.

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