Design of a Data Collection and Measurement Apparatus for the Trumpet

Abstract

This thesis focuses on the design of an apparatus for a trumpet that can take measurements on various properties related to a musician's embouchure. Pressure transducers, strain gauges, microphones, and cameras are combined into one functional system to understand better the forces and flow properties during the use of a trumpet. Physical, electronic, and software design considerations are discussed in the context of several constraints and requirements, with details on the several iterative processes involved. The apparatus may be used in future studies to collect data on professional trumpet players, which can reveal patterns on how pitch, dynamics, and articulation may vary as functions of these properties. The long-term goal is to train machine learning models on such patterns and contribute to the further development of electronic valve and wind instruments.