Musical Instrument Blog #2

Posted by Brooke Thompson in Physics - Echols on

1. How is sound produced by this instrument (now that you know more about sound, please try to refer specifically to the energy transfer and vibrations)?
     When you trike the metal bars of an xylophone with a mallet it produces vibrations. The sound of the vibration is determined by the length of the bar. If a bar is a different length the the vibrations will be different. The longer the bar the deeper the sound the shorter the bar the higher the sound. The sound of the bars are made louder by resonator tubes blow the bar. Air is pushed into the tubes causing more vibrations.
2. Based on your understanding, how are you changing the pitch? What physical characteristics are important in this instrument?
    The physical characteristics that are important are the length of the the metal bars. As well as small tube below each bar, which helps to project the sound and sustain it when the bar is struck. I can change the pitch of the xylophone by manipulating the size and thickness of the bars.
3. What materials will you actually be using for your instrument and why? How will you play your instrument? What is your plan for constructing the instrument?
     I will be sing pvc pipe, wood, nails, a metal spool for a mallet but I haveing yet decided what i'm going to use for the tubes yet. My plan for constructing my instrument is to complete most of it in school It doesn't seem hard to make the only part that stil confuses me is how to attach the tubes.
4. What outstanding questions do you still have?
    How do I attach the tubes to my xylophone ? 

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