Guitarbuilding.org

The National Science Foundation STEM Guitar Project

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STEM Guitar Curriculum

Below are the available STEM Guitar modular learning activities (MLAs):

Select Electric Guitar MLAs

  • Index of MLAs
  • Guitar Body Geometry
  • Intonation
  • Know Your Lumber
  • Material Properties of Wood
  • MLA Fret Spacing – AutoCAD
  • MLA Fret Spacing – Geometry
  • MLA Fret spacing – Algebra
  • Tooth Tunes
  • Boomwhackers
  • Fret Spacing mathematics
  • Guitar anatomy
  • Physics of music waves
  • Board feet calculation
  • Mathematics of musical scales
  • Scale length frequency and string tension
  • Tolerances
  • Threaded fasteners activity
  • Spreadsheet for Fret Spacing
  • Wave Behavior of Guitar Harmonics
  • Consonant and Dissonant Waves
  • Safety and Common Equipment Introduction!
  • Successful Soldering
  • A prelude to pickups activity
  • Guitar electronics Activity

CNC MLAs

  • Computer Aided design and manufacturing
  • Guitar Body Geometry activity
  • Wood for Guitars
  • Golden ratio in Art
  • Designing a guitar Body
  • Guitar body shapes and design
    1. CNC What is G-Code
    2. CNC Basics For Guitar Production 
    3. Guitar Designs – Rule of Thirds
    4. 3D CAD Basics for Guitar design
    5. Advanced 3D CAD for Guitar Design (Body contours)
    6. Advanced 3D CAD for Guitar Design  (Neck)

Acoustic MLAs

  • Adhesives
  • Anatomy and Cost analysis
  • Bending strength of materials
  • CAD Fretboards
  • Guitar Setup
  • Helmholtz resonator
  • Humidification
  • Sharpening cutting edges
  • String Strength
  • Tree Growth
  • Wood Selection

Additional Resources

  • Moosiko is now free for all educators (public and private) through the end of April. Social distancing is actually a perfect time to learn the guitar and virtual tools like Moosiko make that possible: www.moosiko.com
  • East Tennessee State University Professor Dr. Bill Hemphill’s Emergency Face Shield Project: