Freferance
Forest Cottage - How Does a Piano Work?
Forest Cottage
Apr. 17, 2009
How Does a Piano Work?
This isn't really a question that is often asked. While my children love playing on a piano, whether it's Gramma Sue's full size upright or their Melissa & Doug Toy Piano, they have never come up and said "Mom, how does this work?".
Well, today, quite by accident they got a first hand account of how their little toy piano works! While this isn't on par to a full size piano (there are no strings in the toy model) it still gives them a very good idea striking something against something else and forming vibrations produce sound. Our little piano has seen a lot of action over the two plus years since Santa left it as a Yule gift. It had become a little rickety along the wooden pegs holding it together and the glue was no longer holding very well. A small girl that I was watching while her father was presenting a project to his class didn't know this so she picked it up. It fell apart in her hands and we had keys everywhere! LOL
Only Deedee helped put it back together. She made quick work of matching the notes of the ivory keys to the notes I had written in front of the keyboard. She has been especially proud of herself lately since she knows all of her letters! She was especially surprised to learn that all of the metal rods comprising the sound board were all different lengths producing a different note. She had lots of fun pressing the keys and then watching the hammers hit the rods to produce the sound. She even held onto the rods to stop the vibration to see what would happen. We had a very happy 30 minutes messing about with this little toy and lot of new stuff learned.
Of course, this led to questions such as how does the piano work? I found a good video at Youtube. It's very in depth and lasts over 20 minutes but it was well worth it. I learned more than I ever thought I'd know about the innards of a grand piano and Deedee learned even more of how a piano works.
Set up several glasses with water in varying amounts. Strike the glass gently to see what sound it produces or lightly wet a finger and rub it along the rim. Put a few drops of food coloring in each glass (make each one a different color) and you could compose your own songs!
Talk through old paper towel or toilet paper rolls. Roll sheet of paper up and tape them.
Experiment with water in the bath tub. Let them lie back with their ears under water and listen to different sounds such as your voice, their own voice, etc.
Experiment with the treble and bass settings on your sound system and listen to the different effects. Let them feel the vibrations of sound on the speaker covers.
Make easy musical instraments! Tape two small cups (such as little paper bath room cups) together after placing a small amount of beans/popcorn/rice/lentils inside and shake to your hearts content. You could do the same with an old water bottle, an oatmeal canister, etc. Make a quick drum with a plastic frozen juice container and a balloon stretched tight over it. Make a quick rainstick with a cardboard tube that has long lengths of aluminum foil scrunched up inside of it, rice/corn/beans and tape for the ends. Decorate any instrument with markers, paint, stickers, pretty paper etc. My kids have had fun making all of these at various times!
Sense of Hearing (PDF) is appropriate for kindergarteners. It's part of a larger unit, but it can easily by modified to suit your purposes. It had several interesting sound experiments.
The Mudcat Cafe ~ Make Your Own Instruments. This one is really cool. These instruments, while still homemade, are a little more involved and are suitable for older children.
The musings of my childrens journey in the wonders of love, life, and spirituality. Love, Live, Laugh, and Learn. That's what it's all about. Welcome and blessed be.
* Carey ~ Beloved husband that puts up with everything.
He's majoring in history, loves to read, play D&D and Mech Warriors.
* Ami ~ Me. Busy teacher and housewife. I love to spend
time with the kids, read, garden, cook, knit, sew, make my own soaps
and salves.
* James ~ Our oldest at five. He loves to build with blocks, enjoys the guitar, adores robots and believes he
can't live without his trucks (and skateboard).
* Charles ~ My little monkey! Our youngest son at four, he
is the most precious gift ever recieved on a birthday.
He's a wonderful, sunny little guy that's very inquisitive and artistic.
* Meradydd ~ Our oldest daughter at three.
An opinionated and exceedingly bossy little girl with a temper to match her copper hair.
My little fashion diva that loves shoes, furlies, & hair pretties.
* Kathrynn ~ Kitty is my 1 year old little angel. She's a beautiful, mellow little girl that's extremely patient but is also starting to show her claws.
Abraham Lincoln ~ You have a Bible and a library card what more could you possibly need? You prefer the Charlotte Mason Method of reading living books for everything: historical fiction, biographies, real histories, nature guides, etc. No soon-to-be-outdated textbooks for you. Visit my blog: Guilt Free Homeschooling Take this quiz!
