The Physics of Music
An Activities-Based Course developed by Deva O'Neil
References: Physics of Music and Musical Instruments, a free ebook by David Lapp
Holmes Lecture on the Physics of Brass Instruments
Required Materials: Headphones, 3-ring binder (recommended), calculator
Schedule of Topics.
Hands-on activities are shown in
color (each page gives equipment list, associated handout(s), and instructions).
Lectures shown in bold.
| Week |
Monday
|
Tuesday
|
Wednesday
|
Thursday
|
Friday
|
| 1 | Syllabus
[doc] Physics of Music [ppt] |
Light vs. Sound
[ppt]
Demo: Vacuum Pump & Ballooon Air Pressure Demo: Coat Hanger Amplifier Waves on a String [PhET] [doc] |
Representing Waves
[doc] |
Scientific Notation
[doc]
The Decibel (uses Decibel Simulation) Sound Intensity [doc] Interference and Beats Superposition of Waves |
Week 1 Quiz Beats [nb] [pdf] (Mathematica) History of Chords Intervals and Chords Chords [nb] [pdf] (Mathematica) |
| 2 | Two-Source Interference Demo: Interference with Transparencies Interference Lab |
Standing Waves and Resonant Frequencies Standing Waves [doc] Standing Waves: Strings |
Sound Waves in Pipes
[doc] with Vertical Pipe Experiment Applications of resonance [ppt] Workshop: Prezi |
Resonance Tubes Practice Quiz Guest Presentation: Pipe Organ (By Dr. Larry Taylor) |
Week 2 Quiz Demo: Reubens tube Applications of Resonance Lab |
| 3 | Overtones (Example) (uses The Wave Game) Demos: Glowing Pickle, Discharge Lamps Frequency Spectra Harmonics in Mathematica [doc] |
Temperament Worksheet
[doc] (Mathematica) Temperaments [Prezi] Handout on cents [doc] |
Student presentations 12+ Tone Scales Handout on Scales [doc] (Mathematica) 19+ tone temperaments [doc] (Mathematica) |
Student presentations Vibrating Bar Demo Physics of the Marimba (pp 97-100 of Lapp) |
Student presentations Summary Worksheet Evaluations |
11 Lectures and mini-lectures, 10 hands-on activity sessions, 8 Mathematica Labs, 7 group work exercises, 7 demos, including a pipe organ performance.
Basic Equipment List
• Function Generators (I use PASCO Digital Function Generator
- Amplifier, PI -9587C)
• Oscilloscope
• small microphones (clip-on type, such as Tie-Clip Microphone by Radioshack,
33-3013)
• tuning forks
• LabPro interface (Vernier) / LoggerPro software, with Vernier microphones
(MCA-BTA)
• other equipment as described in the various activity pages above
Selected Lecture Outlines
Physics of Music Demos
• Vacuum Pump with Balloon
• Coat Hanger Amplifier
• The Reubens Tube [flame tube]
• Glowing Pickle, Discharge Lamps
• Doppler Effect
• Resonant frequencies of a metal bar
AAPT meeting poster for Physics of Music
Note to Instructors: Feel free to use any of these materials in your classes. If you find anything on this page helpful, please drop me a note and let me know! doneil@bridgewater.edu