Chronology Current Month Current Thread Current Date
[Year List] [Month List (current year)] [Date Index] [Thread Index] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Date Prev] [Date Next]

[Phys-l] Design of experiments, a cautionary tale. Was: Re: [tap-l] pvc flute



Pati,

I did this some years ago for a kids Summer science class. I spent several months designing the flutes. I would try them out, tweak the design and improve on them until finally I was satisfied. I then designed a jig for the drill press so that the kids could safely bore the holes. Then I ran into trouble. The flutes that I thought were so easy to blow were proving difficult for the kids. Going back over what I had done, I realized that it wasn't so much that I had progressively improved my designs as simply gotten better at playing the flute. [bc emphasis.] So I rescued the situation by calling around to a few music teachers and getting a recommendation for a flute teacher who liked to work with young kids. She had them tooting away the next day. So my advice is no matter what your design, be sure to have someone around who knows how to teach the flute. I still have my jig if you would like pictures of it and a sample flute I made.

Cliff

Quoting Pati Sievert <patisievert@gmail.com>:

> Hi all,
> I have a physics student helping with science camp trying to make a pvc
> flute that can be replicated by the campers next week (and that he can use
> when he's teaching next year.)
> He's found a few plans online, but they are vauge about how to drill and
> shape the mouthpice hole. Do any of you have experience with this or know
> where to find info?
> Thanks!
> Pati
>
> --
> Pati Sievert
> Outreach Coordinator/Instructor
> Northern Illinois Department of Physics
> DeKalb, IL 60115