Sounds of Music - Metallophone

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the construction of a metallophone for a Science Olympiad project, specifically addressing the impact of temperature on the pitch of the pipes used in the instrument. Participants explore the relationship between material properties, temperature effects, and sound frequency in the context of musical acoustics.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant notes that the length of the pipe affects the frequency and pitch, and seeks ways to minimize temperature effects on pitch.
  • Another participant suggests using materials with a low coefficient of linear expansion, such as steel, to reduce temperature-induced pitch changes.
  • Some participants express skepticism about the significance of temperature effects on pitch, arguing that metal expansion is minimal compared to other materials used in musical resonators.
  • There is a discussion about the speed of sound in air changing with temperature, and one participant proposes using a slider to adjust tube length to accommodate these changes.
  • A later reply questions whether the speed of sound in the metal resonator is the primary factor affecting pitch, suggesting that changes in this speed may be negligible.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants present multiple competing views regarding the significance of temperature effects on pitch, with no consensus reached on the best approach to mitigate these effects.

Contextual Notes

Participants acknowledge that the speed of sound in air and the properties of different materials may influence the overall sound produced, but there is uncertainty regarding the extent of these effects and how they interact.

lindahelen
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Hello!

I'm building a metallophone for Science Olympiad this year, and I encountered a problem.

Since the length of the pipe determines the frequency/pitch, I sawed the pipes to different lengths for different notes. The problem I was having, however, was that when the temperature changes, the pitch of the pipes changes as well. It isn't extremely significant, like an entire note off, but it's noticeable to a person trained to recognize pitch well. Is there a way I could minimize the effects of temperature?

Thank you!
 
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One thing to do is to choose a material with the smallest possible coefficient of linear expansion e.g. steel is better than brass or Al.
 
Although looking at the numbers I'm not sure that this is very significant at all.
Metal expands much less than other materials used in musical resonators (nylon, air etc).
 
the trouble is that the speed of sound in air changes with temperature. You may want to play with some sort of slider to change your tube length. Or just note that the pitch is temperature dependent.
 
Integral said:
the trouble is that the speed of sound in air changes with temperature. You may want to play with some sort of slider to change your tube length. Or just note that the pitch is temperature dependent.

Yes but surely the speed that counts (for pitch) is the speed in the resonator (metal bar), and the change in this is neglible?
 

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