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Wambsganss 1
Tianne Wambsganss
Dr. Huffman
MATH 30701
05 May 2016
Math and Music
There are several ways in which music requires math. Some examples of how music and
math go together include: rhythm, pitch and frequency, tuning systems, song composition, and
much more! Integrating math with music will be very beneficial in the classroom. Students will
get to see how math is applied in our daily lives. The lesson will also spike an interest in students
who may be interested in music but not so interested in math.
In the classroom, I would first explain to the students how the pitch that we hear in music
depends on the sound wave vibrations’ frequency. I would explain to the class that the frequency
is measured in Hertz. A higher pitch
is produced in music by higher
frequencies. Whenever you double
a frequency, the sound it produces
is an octave higher. Next, I would
show the class the relationships
formed by taking other multiples of
the frequencies. For instance, tripling a frequency creates a fifth when combined with the
preceding tone, and quadrupling a tone produces a fourth. The note produced when quadrupling
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a tone is two octaves higher than the note we that was first played.
The other multiples that you can take that do appear on the conventional Western scale include
five and six. Five times the frequency produces a major third and six times the frequency
produces a minor third.
All of these multiples that were taken from middle C form “the overtone series of the constant
keynote.” After discussing the concept of the multiples of these frequencies, I would discuss the
interval relationships. The class would figure out the intervals by analyzing the relationships
between the initial tone and the produced tone. This is good ratio practice! Once the students
figure out the ratios, they can build a major scale that consists of 8 whole notes. Their will be
three notes missing. The students will find the missing notes by identifying the ratios between
the notes that they do have placed on their keyboard.
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After students figure out all of the ratios, they will create their very own BoomWhackers!
Students will use the ratios that they found to construct a C scale using hard plastic tubing. While
making the BoomWhackers, Students will have to identify the different ratios on the tubing by
measuring and marking. For younger students, this activity would be useful for the practice of
accurate measuring.
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Works Cited (Pictures)
From your powerpoints!