Project 3
Intro and Problem Statement
This project was given to the class to help us think creatively by having us integrate an engineering phenomena/field of engineering with an art-form through creating an artifact/product/process/system/etc. We were also given a limit of $20 we could spend on the project.
for this, I decided to try to integrate music and acoustical engineering through creating a hand harp, or Lyre.
Initial Research
before starting the design process for this project, I needed to do some research on both the engineering phenomena/field I chose, and the art-form
Acoustical engineering
according to Purdue’s Acoustical Engineer job description page, acoustical engineering is a
field of engineering that deals with sound and vibrations[1]. This includes not only architectural
acoustics engineering(recital halls, auditoriums, etc.), but physical acoustics,--which is how
sound and vibrations behave in different materials/mediums--noise control, vibration and
structural acoustics, and underwater acoustics(sonar, etc.)[2].
Music
music is an art-form that utilizes sound to create a pleasing acoustic space for a listener. Music
has taken many different forms throughout history, and across the world--the differences
mainly caused and shaped by different cultures preferring certain aesthetics. Music is usually
made using instruments--the voice, piano, gamelan, violin, etc.--and is enjoyed in different
mediums--usually electronically or live, but older methods such as the use of vinyl records, and
cassette tapes are still used by those wanting to experience a certain tonal texture unique to
those mediums. Music is an art-form that has been around since the first modern humans
evolved, and has been an integral part of human culture since the dawn of humanity[3].
after learning more about acoustical engineering, and music, I began to see more how concert halls and musical instruments were made and look the way the are/do. One drives and feeds the other.
Design Process
After doing some research, I moved on to designing how I wanted my lyre. historically, lyres would be made of wood, have two parallel arms, a bar perpendicular to those arms, ivory or brass tuning pegs, and 7 metal strings. [4] I wanted to make something that would be cheaper and resonate more by using inexpensive materials, and incorporating a sound chamber to help the sound from the strings project more. To the right is the design I ended up going with. It includes a frame and set of 5 tuning pegs. I wanted to have 5 so I could tune it to the pentatonic scale to make improvising on it easier. I also wanted to 3D print the frame and the tuning peg to make manufacturing it less expensive and time consuming. I also replaced the metal strings with rubber bands to lower the overall price of the instrument. those rubber bands would be strung through holes at the bottom of the instrument, and holes in the tuning pegs that would be inserted at the top of the lyre frame.
I then went to SolidWorks to create models of the frame and the tuning pegs(left), and converted them to .stl files that could be printed at Cline Library's MakerLab. I changed the bridge to have only one anchor point for the rubber bands to make stringing the instrument a less time consuming process.
Unfortunately, I ended up not having enough time to 3D print them--the frame would take too long to print. So, I then tried to prototype it using Styrofoam, rubber bands, and thumb tacks.
to the right is the prototype I created for the in-class presentation of my project. The prototype ended up costing around $17.45.
if I were to redo this project, I would perhaps start the design and CADing process earlier so I would still have time to 3D print my project. I would have probably also scaled down the dimensions to drive down the price of printing it more.
