Music moves us all. Have you ever thought about how the instruments that make the music we love are created? Sound engineers and instrument producers examine the science of sound creation when designing musical instruments. An instrument must be designed precisely and accurately to create the right tone and pitch when a certain note is played. 

Today, you will design your own musical instrument! 

Step 1: To begin our exploration, we have to find out what sound is and how it operates. Did you know that sound is a form of energy or that there's a special machine that measures sound? Learn more about the science of sound with this video.

Step 2: Now that you understand more about sound, let's see how you can manipulate the vibrations sound uses. This Science Buddies activity will let you "see" sound vibrations.

Step 3: Visit the National Inventor’s Hall of Fame and learn how you can create your own musical instrument! Take notes in your DaVinci notebook during the process of designing your instrument of how you ensure the tone and pitch are correct. 

Step 4: Watch how this school puts an art spin on their DIY instruments. Be sure to add color and design to your instrument. This is your change to personalize your instrument!

Step 5: Ask a family member to share your design on social media using #MakerMonday and #AlwaysLearning!

With today's technology sound, or audio, can be created, manipulated, and blended. Audio engineers use the engineering design process, the EDP, to perfect the tone and pitch made by musical instruments, computer instruments, and even singers' voices. Special tools and software work together to create the music we hear on the radio and tv. 

Today, you'll explore how to use the EDP to perfect your instruments!

Step 1: Gather your supplies and your design from #MakerMonday. Take your time and carefully build your design. After you're done, give it a test. Did it sound like you wanted it to? Make notes in your DaVinci notebook. 

Step 2: Now that you've built your instrument, let's learn how an audio engineer might use the EDP to change and perfect its sound with this interactive lesson. 

Step 3: Thinking like an audio engineer, pick up your instrument and play a few notes. Is the pitch high or low? What does the tone sound like? Write down what you might need to do to change the pitch, tone, or volume of the instrument. 

Step 4: Let's test it! Try making changes to your musical instrument. Just make one change at a time to test the impact on the pitch, tone, and volume.  What do these changes tell you about how sound engineers change the sound they are trying to produce?

Step 5: Ask an adult to share your instrument on social media using #WonderWednesdayTN and #AlwaysLearning!

Tennessee has a rich history in the music industry, spanning lots of different genres and styles. That means there are many people working in the audio engineering and production in our fair state. There are careers outside of the music industry that also work with the science of sound from engineering to scientist to doctors.

Today, you'll examine careers focused on the science of sound! 

Step 1: Audio Engineering is a wide field and has career opportunities in all forms of media: tv, radio, music, movies, and animation. Explore how to begin your journey in Audio Engineering here.

Step 2: Did you know that acoustics and architecture go hand in hand? Building acoustic specialists help design spaces for maximum sound quality while being sustainable. Wenda Nuridahissan talks about his work, studies, and passion for sound here. 

Step 3: Acoustic scientist use math and physics to understand sound. They can work to limit sound and vibration creating quieter machines and environments. Listen to an 

acoustic scientist, Vicky Stewart, describe her work here.

Step 4: An audiologist is as specialized doctor who focuses on hearing. While some people don't lose their hearing until they are older, others are born with impaired hearing. Learn how audiologist help people to hear better here.