science of musical instruments
The Science of Musical Instruments - Grade 10 teaching and learning project
Music is an artform, but there's a lot of science in there too. Whether your instrument is your voice, a flute, a marimba, a recorder, a violin or a piano, sound is a form of energy and to make sound requires a change from one form of energy - usually kinetic (motion energy) - into sound energy. So whatever your instrument there's a scientific explanation to how it works. The art of music is how well you put that science to use.
This project is a teaching and learning resource, compiled by Grade 10 Music Students (with some help from a couple of teachers) as part of their Grade 10 practical assessment.
For an introduction to the science of sound and how musical instruments make sound have a look at the project Good Vibrations
Index
1. How the flute works by Aphiwe Mabala
2. How the voice works by Anelisa Sandi, Lauren Tyson, Kathy Speckman,Siyasanga Santi and Sisanda Mbunge
3. How the recorder works by Sibabalwe Mpofu
4. How the piano works by Anelisa Kelemi and Zizo Mgangxela
5. How the marimba works by: Deborah Mushwa, Ntombesizwe Booi, Afezekile Moko, Sinaye Mtotywa
6. Take the test and see how much you already understand
7. Videos and musical examples
1. How the flute works by Aphiwe Mabala
A flute is like a long cylinder that is open on one side.
The flautist's lower lip covers part of the lip plate which is the plate around the hole that is blown into, but leaves the hole open.
When the flautist is playing the flute they blow air across the hole. This air reaches the other side of the hole and hits the sharp metal edge.
The sound in a flute requires oscillating motion of air flow. Air blown into a metal cylinder splits into two and one goes below and the other above the metal but when blowing into a flute the air doesn't split into two, instead it alternates between going above and below the metal edge.
The air that is blown below the
Music is an artform, but there's a lot of science in there too. Whether your instrument is your voice, a flute, a marimba, a recorder, a violin or a piano, sound is a form of energy and to make sound requires a change from one form of energy - usually kinetic (motion energy) - into sound energy. So whatever your instrument there's a scientific explanation to how it works. The art of music is how well you put that science to use.
This project is a teaching and learning resource, compiled by Grade 10 Music Students (with some help from a couple of teachers) as part of their Grade 10 practical assessment.
For an introduction to the science of sound and how musical instruments make sound have a look at the project Good Vibrations
Index
1. How the flute works by Aphiwe Mabala
2. How the voice works by Anelisa Sandi, Lauren Tyson, Kathy Speckman,Siyasanga Santi and Sisanda Mbunge
3. How the recorder works by Sibabalwe Mpofu
4. How the piano works by Anelisa Kelemi and Zizo Mgangxela
5. How the marimba works by: Deborah Mushwa, Ntombesizwe Booi, Afezekile Moko, Sinaye Mtotywa
6. Take the test and see how much you already understand
7. Videos and musical examples
1. How the flute works by Aphiwe Mabala
A flute is like a long cylinder that is open on one side.
The flautist's lower lip covers part of the lip plate which is the plate around the hole that is blown into, but leaves the hole open.
When the flautist is playing the flute they blow air across the hole. This air reaches the other side of the hole and hits the sharp metal edge.
The sound in a flute requires oscillating motion of air flow. Air blown into a metal cylinder splits into two and one goes below and the other above the metal but when blowing into a flute the air doesn't split into two, instead it alternates between going above and below the metal edge.
The air that is blown below the