Vibrations and Musical Instruments BY: Cassie Carasco

Essential Question How do sound vibrations relate to designing musical instruments in order to create different sounds?

Vocabulary Words Pitch- The frequency of a note determining how high or low it sounds. Fundamental Frequency- The lowest frequency of a standing wave. Harmonic Series- A series of frequencies that includes the fundamental and integral multiples of the fundamental frequency. Timbre- The musical quality of a tone resulting from the combination of harmonics present are different intensities. Beat- The periodic variation in the amplitude of a wave that is the superposition of two waves of slightly different frequencies.

Trumpet- Brass Family Three things that affect the sound of a Trumpet is the shape of the mouth piece, the shape of the tubing, and the size of the tubing.

Drums- Percussion Family Two main things that affect the sound of a drum is plies and coating. Single headed drums can normally consist of a skin which is stretched over an enclosed space, or over on of the ends of a hollow vessel. Single headed drums covering both ends of a cylindrical shell often have a small hole somewhat halfway between the two heads. The shell forms a resonating chamber for the resulting sound.

Violin- String Family A violin has a spruce top, maple ribs and back, two endblocks, a neck, a bridge, and soundpost, four strings, and various fittings. When the string is plucked it vibrates. The vibrating string also causes the surrounding air to vibrate, creating a sound.

Flute- Woodwinds The things that affect the sound of a flute is the craftsmanship, the type of of wood it’s made of, and lastly is the type of construction of the flute. The flute produces sound when he stream of air directed across the hole in the instrument creates a vibration of air at the hole.

Violin Vs. Cello As you may know a cello is way bigger than a violin. The violin has more of a brilliant and brighter sound. The violin can reach really high notes. You read the notes on the treble clef for a violin. The cello has more of a more mellow and deeper sound. The cello notes can go real low but it can also reach high notes. You read the notes on the bass clef for a cello.

Guitar Tuner A guitar tuner helps tune a guitar find a specific pitch. Guitar tuner has three parts to the tuning mechanism.