Drum amplitudes

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familypaasenet
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Dec 10, 2013 11:08 am
Occupation: Nanny for a student in the 5th grade
Project Question: He is testing four drumsticks with the same length and wood type but with different tips between wood and nylon (four wood and four nylon). Those drumsticks will then be tested on 3 drumheads. We are looking for a device that could automatically test the sticks on the drumheads so that there is no human error involved. Statistical catapult, do you think this would work? Do you have any already assembled? Suggestions on something else that wouldwork?
Project Due Date: ASAP-We want to start the testing portion of his science fair project asap.
Project Status: I am just starting

Drum amplitudes

Post by familypaasenet »

With science fair under way we were racking our brain for weeks on ideas. Then it hit us, he loves drums so why not have it revolve around drums?!

The principle we want to test is this:

How do different drumsticks affect amplitudes?

His teacher loved the idea now I am in hopes that you may be able to guide me in the right direction on a few questions.

For the testing portion of the project we want to use four drumsticks with the same length and wood type but with different tips between wood and nylon (four wood and four nylon drumsticks). We are hoping to have this science fair idea to expand in years the come and eventually test different woods, lengths, tips, etc.

Those drumsticks will then be tested on a tom 1, snare, and symbol. We are also looking for a device that could automatically test the sticks on the drum heads so that there is no human error involved. We were thinking of using a statistical catapult, do you think this would work? If so would your company be able to sell us an already assembled one? Or do you have any other suggestions on an apparatus that would strike the drum head consistently at the same strength without our involvement? We were comparing it to a golf club testing robot and we are having a hard time thinking of ideas.

Any help or guidance at all would be very much appreciated!
rmarz
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Joined: Sat Oct 25, 2008 1:26 pm
Occupation: Technology Consultant
Project Question: n/a
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Project Status: Not applicable

Re: Drum amplitudes

Post by rmarz »

familypaasenet - First, my disclaimer. I am not a musician or really familiar with drums. I think you have selected a very complex topic, and one that has a far-reaching range of variables that can be studied. The obvious that come to my mind are the mass, hardness, velocity, path and momentum of the drumstick, plus, the associated variables on the drum-head itself. As a starter, I simply did a web search on the topic "physics of musical drums" and got a plethora of information that you might want to consider to possibly narrow the focus of your experiment. You will, at minimum, understand what you might not yet appreciate in this intended experiment. Good luck.

Rick Marz
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