Background
My final research paper can be found here: Investigating Effects of Temperature on the Output Pitch of an Alto Saxophone
During MIT’s measurement and instrumentation course, I investigated the effects of lowering temperature on an instrument to determine how musicians (specifically alto sax players) can counter freezing cold temperatures which impact pitch and overall sound quality during outdoor events.
Through this project, I learned about experimental design and setup, as well as about conveying my results in a clear and professional manner.Further, my ability to learn from failure was put to the test, as many initial trials and experiments were completely fruitless. I learned to use seemingly futile results to fuel my understanding of my area of study. For instance, I initially found no correlation between pitch and temperature – only to realize that the temperature sensors I was using and their placement was leading me astray. To adapt, I used two surface temperature sensors on two different points of the instrument to obtain an average temperature, as the sax would heat and cool at different rates based on position within the instrument.
Through this project, I learned about experimental design and setup, as well as about conveying my results in a clear and professional manner.Further, my ability to learn from failure was put to the test, as many initial trials and experiments were completely fruitless. I learned to use seemingly futile results to fuel my understanding of my area of study. For instance, I initially found no correlation between pitch and temperature – only to realize that the temperature sensors I was using and their placement was leading me astray. To adapt, I used two surface temperature sensors on two different points of the instrument to obtain an average temperature, as the sax would heat and cool at different rates based on position within the instrument.