GRADE 11 PHYSICS:
MUSICAL INSTRUMENT ASSIGNMENT
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THE TASK
Your task is to make a musical instrument which will play an 8 note scale.   You may work in groups of two or individually.   If you are in a group of two, each group member must participate in the performance of your instrument.   This means, each group member must play the scale and the song.  

Possibilities for instruments include:
  • a 8-pipe pan flute
  • a bottle xylophone
  • a home-made stringed instrument with strings of elastic bands or wire, tuned to the 8 note "C" scale
  • a thumb piano
  • a cigar box guitar
  • a very simple hammered dulcimer
  • any other thing you can make which can play a scale

      Then, each group member must be able to play us a simple tune.   You may choose to limit yourself to the classics such as "Twinkle, twinkle.. " or "Mary had a Little Lamb" or "Happy Birthday."   Some students may choose to play more complicated pieces.


    RELATED WEBSITES
    -Thumb Pianos
    -Pan Flutes
    -How to build a dulcimer
    -How to build a cigar box guitar
    -Building a bottle xylophone
    -Making a wash tub bass guitar


    MARKING SCHEME
  • The project and performance will be marked out of 20 and will be included in the "lab" category.    
  • The instrument must involve some effort and complexity in construction.  
  • The performers must be able to play a recognizable song and a basic 8-note scale.   As a (poor) example, the six-note "test-tube" xylophone and the rendition of "twinkle twinkle" which I performed in class would NOT be a passing effort.
    ITEM LEVELS
    Instrument plays full 8-note scale clearly, in tune as much as possible. 0     1     2     3     4
    Considerable effort made in construction, design 0     1     2     3     4
    Instrument plays a simple tune which is audible, recognizable. 0     1     2     3     4

    PERFORMANCE DATE
  • Thursday, May 23/b>   Some students may have to perform on the next day, if we run out of time.