Name: ___________________
Instrument Project Presentation Page
1. What is the name of your instrument invention?
____________________________(5 points)
2. Tell the name or names of anyone who helped you with your project.
_________________________________________________(5 points)
3. List what materials you used to create your instrument.
______________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________ (5 points)
4. Write the name of the instrument family to which your instrument belongs. Spell your
answer correctly. ________________________________________________________
Brass Family, Woodwind Family, String Family, or Percussion Family (5 points)
5. How does your instrument produce sound? (Use complete sentences).
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Examples:
I buzz my lips into a mouthpiece to produce sound on my brass family
instrument. I blow air into a mouthpiece to produce sound on my woodwind family
instrument. I strike my instrument with a mallet to produce sound on my percussion
family instrument. I strum or pick the strings to produce sound on my string family
instrument.
(10 points)
6. Describe how your instrument makes high and low pitches. (Use complete
sentences). For help with this, read the page entitled, “Instrument Facts and Suggested
Materials.” Find the paragraph that describes the instrument family to which your
instrument belongs. State how the length, weight, thickness, or tightness of an object
affects how fast or slow the object vibrates. Example for a string instrument: Long, thick,
loosely stretched strings vibrate slowly. Short, thin, tightly stretched strings vibrate
faster. (10 points)
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
7. Fast vibrations result in __________ pitches and slow vibrations create _______
pitches. (5 points)
8. Tell what you enjoyed about creating your instrument. Use complete sentences).
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________(5points)
INSTRUMENT PROJECT INFORMATION PAGE
**YOU MAY VIEW OR PRINT ANY OF THESE PAGES BY VISITING MY CLASS PAGE**
Each fifth grade student in Mrs. Foster’s Class will create a musical instrument.
1. Choose an instrument family (brass, woodwind, string, or percussion).
2. Your instrument can be created to look like an instrument that has already been
invented.
3. If you do not want to recreate an existing instrument, you can make up your own
instrument.
4. Classify your instrument into one of the four families based on how it produces
sounds, ways it makes high and low pitches, or the function within the orchestra or
band.
5. Give your instrument a name. If it looks like a trumpet, call it a trumpet. If it looks like
a guitar, call it a guitar. If it is your own invention, you can call it whatever you would
like.
6. If you would like to get help from your parents or any other adult in your family, that
is fine. Please do not leave all the design and construction to your helper.
7. Each student will be responsible for turning in an instrument project. Two students
will not be allowed to turn in one project.
8. Your instrument must make two or more different pitches. One drum or one maraca
only makes one pitch and would not be acceptable. A set of drums or maracas in
different sizes and weights would produce more than one pitch and would be
acceptable.
9. Write your name, your classroom teacher's name, the name of your instrument, and
the instrument family to which your invention belongs on a tag attached to the
instrument. A tag will be provided for you.
10. Each student will complete a paper entitled, “Instrument Project Presentation Page.”
11. DUE DATE: Bring your instrument and the “Instrument Project Presentation Page”
to school on Monday, December 17, 2012. Please do not turn in your project before the
due date. We will present our instruments to the class Monday the 17th and Tuesday the
18th. Points will be deducted for late projects.
Instrument
Family
Pitch
Workmanship
Project Due
Date
It is evident that
the instrument
clearly has
characteristics
similar to the
instrument family
to which it
belongs.
It is evident that the
instrument has
some
characteristics
similar to the
instrument family to
which it belongs.
It is not clear that
the instrument
belongs to the
proper
instrument
family.
The instrument
does not have
characteristics
similar to other
instruments in
the family. It is
evident that the
instrument is not
in the proper
instrument
family.
15 points
10 points
5 points
0 points
The instrument
clearly produces
two or more
different pitches.
The instrument
produces two
pitches, but not
entirely clear.
The instrument
produces only
one pitch.
The instrument
does not
produce a pitch
or sound.
15 points
10 points
5 points
0 points
It is evident the
student spent
extra time to
create the
instrument. The
idea is creative,
it was
assembled
exceptionally
well, and the
overall sound is
great.
It is evident the
student spent
sufficient time
creating the
instrument. The
instrument was
assembled well,
and the overall
sound is good.
It is evident the
student spent
little time
creating the
instrument. The
instrument is
hastily
assembled, and
the overall sound
is minimal.
It is evident the
student spent
very little time
creating the
instrument. The
sound is minimal
or non-existent.
15 points
10 points
5 points
0 points
The instrument
and paper were
turned in on the
due date.
The instrument and
paper were turned
in one day late.
The instrument
and paper were
turned in two
days late.
The instrument
and paper were
turned in three or
more days late.
5 points
4 points
3 points
0 points
INSTRUMENT FACTS AND SUGGESTED MATERIALS
Brass Family Instruments
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Brass horns are made of metal. They are gold or silver in color.
Brass horns have metal tubes that wind around.
Brass instruments have cupped or cone shaped mouthpieces.
Brass family instruments have bells at the end where the sound comes out.
Valves or slides are used to produce high and low sounds on brass horns.
Brass players buzz their lips into the mouthpiece to create sounds.
 Tight lips produce fast vibrations and high pitches.
 Loose lips produce slow vibrations and low pitches.
Suggested materials for Brass Instrument Creations
1. Water hose (The facet connection makes a great mouth piece).
2. PVC pipe and fittings are very inexpensive and can be found in the plumbing department at
Home Depot or other hardware stores. The corrugated PVC pipes are great, as they bend in
different shapes easily.
3. If PVC pipe is used, spray painting is a good option. Regular paint with a brush will flake off.
4. Copper tubing can also be used in making a brass instrument.
5. Funnels make good bells for brass instruments.
6. Valves would be difficult so you can drill three finger holes in the top of the tubing to make
the high and low pitches. In addition to these three holes, drill one hole underneath the pipe for
the thumb.
7. Zip ties are great for tying things together.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Woodwind Family Instruments
1. Woodwind instruments are made of wood or plastic.
2. Keys are used to cover holes in the body of woodwind instruments. Fast vibrations occur
when fewer holes are covered, which makes the pitch higher. Slow vibrations occur when more
holes are covered, which creates lower pitches.
3. Woodwind mouthpieces have single or double reeds or holes to blow across.
 Oboes and bassoons have double reeds.
 Clarinets and saxophones have single reeds.
 Flutes and piccolos have holes in the mouthpiece. The player blows across the hole to
produce the sound.
 Recorders have a mouthpiece that resembles a whistle.
Suggested Materials for Woodwind Instrument Creations
1. PVC pipe and fittings are very inexpensive and can be found in the plumbing department at
Home Depot or other hardware stores.
2. Bamboo also makes good woodwind instruments.
3. Flutes should have a cap on the same end at which the mouthpiece is located. 4. The flute
mouthpiece hole should be large. Finger holes should be drilled along the top of the instrument.
The finger holes can be smaller than the mouthpiece hole. Drill a thumb hole underneath the
row of finger holes. (The thumb hole goes on the back side of the tube).
5. If PVC pipe is used, spray painting is a good option. Regular paint with a brush will flake off.
6. Oboes or bassoons can be made by using real oboe and bassoon reeds.. Drill a hole in a
piece of cork and place the reed in the hole. Put the cork in the end of a PVC pipe or metal pipe.
Finger holes should be drilled along the top of the instrument. Drill one hole underneath the pipe
for the thumb.
7. Clarinets and saxophones could be made by placing real clarinet or saxophone mouthpieces
in a tube. Finger holes should be drilled along the top of the instrument. Drill one hole
underneath the pipe for the thumb. Funnels make good bells.
8. Pan pipes can also be made by connecting tubes of different lengths together with hot glue,
leather cords, or yarn. Capping the ends will improve the sound.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
String Family Instruments
1. String family instruments all have strings.
2. String family instruments have a sound box in which the sound waves vibrate to produce
more volume.
3. String family instruments are sometimes electronically amplified.
4. Stringed instruments can be played by plucking, strumming, or bowing the strings.
5. High and low sounds are produced on string family instruments in several ways.
 Long, loosely stretched, thick strings produce slow vibrations and low pitches.
 Short, tightly stretched, thin strings produce fast vibrations and high pitches.
 Placing you fingers on the fingerboard to shorten the strings will produce fast vibrations
and higher pitches. The further your finger is from the sound hole when you place it on
the finger board, the longer the string is, producing slower vibrations and lower pitches.
Suggested Materials for String Instrument Creations
1. Sound boxes
2.
3.
Sound boxes can be made of light weight wood. The craft section of stores like
Michaels, Garden Ridge, Hobby Lobby, or Walmart have small, thin wooden boxes for
reasonable process. Large plastic, cardboard or Styrofoam tubs or containers can also be
used for the sound box.
Strings
Real guitar strings (nylon or steel) create the best sound on a string instrument. Some
stores who repair or sell guitars will give you old strings taken off guitars that are having
strings replaced. You would have to call ahead and ask the repair person to save them for
you. Rubber bands can be used for strings. However, thin rubber bands break easily.
Fishing line does not produce a good sound, as it stretches out and does not vibrate well.
Strings need to be tight in order to produce a great sound. Screws with an eyelet can be
used to securely fasten strings. That is just one idea.
Bridge
String instruments should have something to hold the strings off the body and/or the neck
of the instrument. Small pieces of flat wood, wooden dowels or pencils can be used for
this purpose.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Percussion Family Instruments
1.
Percussion instruments are played in several ways. Some make sounds by tapping them
with mallets or with the hand. Other percussion instruments produce sounds when you shake or
rub them together. One of the purposes of percussion instruments is to produce interesting
sound effects in the orchestra or band. Another function of percussion instruments is to keep the
beat steady in a group.
2.
Some people consider keyboard instruments percussion family instruments because of
the function of these instruments within a musical ensemble.
3.
Some percussion instruments only produce one pitch.
4.
Some percussion instruments produce more than one pitch. (Tuned)
 Long, thick bars produce slow vibrations and low pitches.
 Short, thin bars produce fast vibrations and high pitches.
 Tightly stretched, small drumheads produce fast vibrations and high pitches.
 Loosely stretched, large drumheads produce slow vibrations and low pitches.
Suggested materials for Percussion Instrument Creations
1. Drums
One drum or one maraca will not be accepted, as one drum or maraca would only create one
pitch. If you make drums, you will need to make two or more drums of different sizes. Plastic,
metal, cardboard, or Styrofoam containers can be used to make drums. The best material for
drum heads is rubber. If you have any rubber gloves that your family no longer needs, cut a
section of the gloves out and stretch them over the drum. Zip ties work the best to secure the
drum head. Rubber bands often break. Zip ties are inexpensive and can be found at stores such
as Home Depot.
2. Xylophones
If you are making a xylophone, make sure you have something to place between the frame and
the wooden or metal bars. Rubber tubing or heavy felt can be used for this purpose.
3. Chimes
Holes can be drilled at the top of metal tubes, which can be suspended from the frame with
fishing line.