WHEEL MUSIC

  This Instructable will show one how to make music with a wheel addition to a UNIQUE stringed instrument..
The unique idea here is to change the tone of an  elastomeric polymer string via a rotating wheel. An earlier Instructable showed how to vary the pitch by changing the tension of the string. The listing was dated July 7 ,2011 "Vary pitch music instrument" by Mistic.
It was made for the kids to have fun on but later  the device was revised to  re-arrange  the  layout to provide  added sets of strings and change the direction of the pointer [cursor]  to low notes on the left and higher  extending to the right.
     The addition of a wheel to reverse the direction of the pointer was then introduced .   and a scale was then added to mark  three octaves of notes. Now the notations can be used to play from a music sheet..With 3 strings  the two left strings are used to produce chording accompanyment.
    More strings means higher tension is required by the pointer.  With the wheel addition the  tension can be controlled  easily by using a thumb post to squeeze the hand to vary the tension.Also not shown here the Pulley {block-and-tackle ) simple machine  using two wheels  can produce a mechanical advantage and a low tensioning  and an increase in length of the scale by a factor of two.
    There is an alternate  method to lower pointer tension and that is the  use of the law of the lever.Add an extender rod to the wheel and rotate the wheel very easily with half the applied tension .[Mi x a=M2 x b }.a= wheel radius and  b is rod length.This causes tension force  to be lower[M2].

Step 1: Scale Impovement Using a Wheel.

The first unit was made  using a ring with sides mounted to give a guide effect to the string around the circumference.

Imrovements- Use a spool from a depleted fishing cord, It has  built in sides  and this will keep the string  uniform around the edges and improve the music scale: Another improvement is -the wheel is used as a guide in this example.String not anchored to the wheel.

l       [00] ....................[xx]    string length
          l     nut                       bridge     l= 5 inches. Known as the  SCALE.
          l
          l
          O   wheel   2 in. dia.
         l
         lNotes scale..l= 6.in.  -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------xx
                                       G -G#-A-A#-B-Cm----------------------------C-------------------------------------C.
Now the  notes scale  can be increased to 10 inches to yield  another octave.[ 3 full octaves].

Step 2: Wheel and Lever to Improve Ease of Rotation.

As stated earlier  the addition of more strings means more tension is used to pull the strings all together. To aid the player's  ease of finding a particular note at the higher Octaves means more tension.

The Improvement here is to attach the ends of the strings to the wheel  at one point. Now when the wheel is rotated  it will pull the stings around the circumference .  The addition of a rod to the axle and  edge is easily done. This rod can be any length from zero to  4 inches.
Rule= The longer the rod the easier  it is to rotate the wheel.This due to  the Law of the lever. Some  call it mechanical  advantage.
Without a wheel ,however, this advantage  could be cancelled.   M1a =M2 b.

Step 3: Construction

Construction of an instrument-

The instruments here  were basically constructed earlier.  The improvements here noted were then added. The addition of a wheel was a huge advantage.

Details can be found in the   aug 22 2011 Instructable "Rotating Vari-pitch Uku." Mistic. The wheel  used there was replaced with a spool  of plastic from   a fishing cord spool.

Step 4: Future Nstruments

Future improvement- To increase the  scale range and thus improve the selection of individual notes  in the playing phase the two wheel {pulley] idea  is being  used.
Some will call this the  BLOCK AND TACKLE   simple machine.
Only two wheels will be used  and  will realize a huge advantage  in tension reduction when obtaining a High Note in the music scale.

      O--------------------------------------pull  [extended scale  =  10 IN.
           [block wheel]            
                                                             O [TACKLE]-------NUT----------------------XX  BRIDGE.  
                                                                     SCALE = 5 IN.

[ entered inWheels contest.