calculus

[popmusic_sux]

hey all... i'm in need of some help for a project we're doing in calculus. it was an open project, so i chose to do something on the properties of math in music, i.e. sound waves, fret distance and so on... does anyone have any suggestions on sites i could use for help on this?

p.s. the project is due monday, i just need some more info on the subject, so any help would be appreciated.

p.s.s. i REALLY REALLY REALLY need a good grade on this, i havent gotten anything above a 60 this whole semester.

[Mr B]

you could find out the frequency graph in hertz for each string of the guitar when picked (open).

The use calculus to work out the mathematical properties of each of the six notes.

I mean, there must be some sort of angle to it, a note must start off low and then rise in pitch before falling again (this all happens very fast I expect), there has to be a constant to reflect the rise and fall of the paraboloa of pitch for a vibrating string.

A project on calculus, jeez, what a way to start the year...

[zKing]

Hmmm, this is a pretty tough one to come up with.

(ex-math major here...)

Where are you at in calculus? It's a pretty big subject ... derivatives, integrals, multi-variable?

What are the "rules" of the project? I can't imagine a teacher would just say "come up with a calculus related project" ... that's way too vague. How will you be graded?

[The Fury]

Here, check this thread out: http://www.guitarlodge.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=&threadid=542&highlight=physics

You might find some answers in the links Shawn gave me.

I hope that helps.

[popmusic_sux]

Originally posted by zKing
Hmmm, this is a pretty tough one to come up with.

(ex-math major here...)

Where are you at in calculus? It's a pretty big subject ... derivatives, integrals, multi-variable?

What are the "rules" of the project? I can't imagine a teacher would just say "come up with a calculus related project" ... that's way too vague. How will you be graded?

well, most of the class has no idea what's going on, so we're talking about sine, cosine and so on, and learning derivatives...

and it is a really vague topic, he just wants something that has to do with calculus... he is a first year teacher and never graded papers before, so maybe thats why its so vague

and thanks fury, that was a BIG help, i can use a lot of that info... and thanks shawn for giving him that info back in '01 so he could pass it along to me :)

[popmusic_sux]

yeah and im kinda ticked off cuz i cant find one page i had found in school... i saved it in the school's network but i cant get in!!! and ive looked on every search engine i could think of, but alas, it is no where to be found :(

[SwampDonkey]

There's some good information about guitars at the HowStuffWorks site...it covers frequencies, fret distance, and stuff like that. Don't know if it will be helpful to you or not, but I'll post it anyways:

http://www.howstuffworks.com/guitar.htm :)

[popmusic_sux]

actually that helps a lot. and i was just about to start writing it, so u posted this just in time. thanx a lot ;)

[popmusic_sux]

yeah the paper was due today, but my gf gave me a cold, and i was up half the night coughing up a lung. so i didnt wake up until 11 am. so i guess that means i hand it in tomorrow. thanks for all the help, and if anyone's interested, ill let you know what grade i got.

[popmusic_sux]

dont know if anyone cares but i got an A on the paper and if it were a number grade it would probably be the best in the class. now my average is up to a 72 instead of a 56 :D

[zKing]

SWEET! And they say rock 'n roll rots your brain .... sheesh. ;)

[deftones]

Originally posted by popmusic_sux
dont know if anyone cares but i got an A on the paper and if it were a number grade it would probably be the best in the class. now my average is up to a 72 instead of a 56 :D

sad the you got the best grade in our class and yet you are probably doing the worst in that class.

[popmusic_sux]

yeah it is kinda sad, but i REALLY needed it.

[deftones]

bastard...

[popmusic_sux]

lol at least now im not failing... maybe u shouldve picked a tolic as good as mine :p

[Mr B]

yes, now I do envy your choice of tolic.

[popmusic_sux]

whoopsie that should be "topic" not "tolic." my bad