We propose an experiment in which the sound of a drumroll is recorded and analysed according to a simple mechanical model in which the inelastic restitution coefficient of the collision between the stick and drum surface, as well as the ongoing kinematics of the drumstick, are considered. The agreement shows that this model is well suited for…

Creating pleasant musical sounds by vibrating the strings of musical instruments such as guitars and violins is the result of the type of instrument played as well as the mastery of the player. This article explains the physics of vibrating strings caused either by a bow drawn over them or by being plucked, and provides a simple analysis to…

The "Primary SPACE Project Research Report: Sound" (Watt and Russell, 1990) provides interesting reading relating to primary-aged children's concepts of sound. It reveals a range of children's views on how sound is made, how sounds are heard and how sound travels. While some children are shown to have knowledge that sounds travel and are…

The fundamental air cavity mode (A0) of a violin was investigated from the viewpoint of its dependence on the opening area and shape by using holed sheets of paper. The dependences of the frequency response of the A0 cavity mode on the shape, opening area, and orientation of the openings were observed. It was also demonstrated that the change of…

Students in introductory physics courses encounter harmonics when they study standing waves on strings and in pipes. The Fourier spectrum, which plots amplitude against harmonic number, can describe all periodic tones imaginable. However, most sounds are aperiodic and therefore have additional spectral components. A real-world application that…

The basic physics of the flute is presented from the perspective of a professional flutist. The flutist can control loudness, pitch and to some extent timbre. Oscilloscope images are provided to compare changes in these three fundamental sound characteristics. Readers can view a video (Ruiz 2017 "Video: The Flute"…

In a dramatic physics demonstration, a professional flutist produces four resonances with a 12 ounce Boylan soda bottle solely through her breath control. The 22cm bottle acts like a Helmholtz resonator for the lowest pitch. The three higher pitches fall near the 3rd, 5th, and 7th harmonics for a 22cm closed pipe. A video of this remarkable feat…

We have developed an online oscilloscope program which allows users to see waveforms by utilizing their computer microphones, selecting from our library of over 30 audio files, and opening any *.mp3 or *.wav file on their computers. The oscilloscope displays real-time signals against time. The oscilloscope has been calibrated so one can make…

The uniting of two seemingly disparate subjects in the classroom provides an interesting motivation for learning. Students are interested in how these subjects can possibly be integrated into related ideas. Such is the mixture of physics and music. Both are based upon mathematics, which becomes the interlocking theme. The connecting physical…

Producing a deep bass tone by striking a large 3 m (10 ft) flexible corrugated drainage pipe immediately grabs student attention. The fundamental pitch of the corrugated tube is found to be a semitone lower than a non-corrugated smooth pipe of the same length. A video (https://youtu.be/FU7a9d7N60Y) of the demonstration is included, which…

In a recent paper, Kasar, Yurumezoglu, and Sengoren show how to use a guitar, or two guitars, to demonstrate resonance. Here we extend this idea by showing how to use a guitar or a piano (both acoustic) to demonstrate resonance, harmonics, and the properties of the musical scale. We discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each instrument.…

Wind musical instruments are affected in their intonation by temperature. We show how to account for these effects in a simple experiment, and provide results in languages accessible to both physics and music professionals.

Most young children love a good song and dance, an enticing story, and gorgeous illustrations. How could this staple of the early childhood classroom--music and literature--access children's ideas about physical science? How can young children communicate their knowledge of unseen science concepts that are not easily represented in pictures? These…

Resonance refers to the vibrations of larger amplitude that are produced under the effect of a harmonic driving force. Although resonance is an essential concept behind many events happening in nature, students usually have difficulty in learning and explaining the phenomenon. Various demonstrations are carried out in physics classes to clarify…

Ask many elementary school teachers or principals, and they will say that science and music are not the top priority in their classrooms. Teachers need to know "how" they can incorporate the necessary mathematics and reading goals and objectives while still engaging students in the critical and aesthetic thinking developed through…