ThermalTune

School Name

Center for Advanced Technical Studies

Grade Level

12th Grade

Presentation Topic

Engineering

Presentation Type

Non-Mentored

Abstract

Instrument tuning in a band setting is critical to the overall sound and effect of the music, and it can be affected by many different factors. For example, something as simple as the temperature of the performance environment can cause severe changes in tuning only moments before a performance. This issue is most prominent in marching bands, where bands tune nearly an hour before their performance. In the time between this and the performance, the temperature can drop several degrees, causing drastic changes to tuning, and the band is no longer allowed to play until they perform. When approaching this problem, our group found that previous research had been done to prove that temperature does affect tuning, but there was almost no research done to solve the problem. Additionally, it was necessary to determine how many people the problem affected. In the U.S., there are between 200,000 and 2,000,000 people in marching bands, and about 11% of U.S. students will take a band course at some point in high school. Motivated by the lack of research or work done towards fixing this issue, we decided on making an automatic tuner, which would use temperature sensors to reliably tune the instrument based on the surrounding temperature. In doing this, we hope to enhance musical capabilities even in dynamic, constantly changing environments.

Location

RITA 102

Start Date

3-23-2024 9:15 AM

Presentation Format

Oral Only

Group Project

Yes

COinS
 
Mar 23rd, 9:15 AM

ThermalTune

RITA 102

Instrument tuning in a band setting is critical to the overall sound and effect of the music, and it can be affected by many different factors. For example, something as simple as the temperature of the performance environment can cause severe changes in tuning only moments before a performance. This issue is most prominent in marching bands, where bands tune nearly an hour before their performance. In the time between this and the performance, the temperature can drop several degrees, causing drastic changes to tuning, and the band is no longer allowed to play until they perform. When approaching this problem, our group found that previous research had been done to prove that temperature does affect tuning, but there was almost no research done to solve the problem. Additionally, it was necessary to determine how many people the problem affected. In the U.S., there are between 200,000 and 2,000,000 people in marching bands, and about 11% of U.S. students will take a band course at some point in high school. Motivated by the lack of research or work done towards fixing this issue, we decided on making an automatic tuner, which would use temperature sensors to reliably tune the instrument based on the surrounding temperature. In doing this, we hope to enhance musical capabilities even in dynamic, constantly changing environments.