Music technology (electric)

High school (ages 12+)
Science & Technology

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/music-technology-electric

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the personal audio revolution?The Sony Walkman, launched in 1979, popularized portable cassette tape listening
2. What is an electric guitar and why does it need an amplifier?The electric guitar uses metal strings that vibrate, but it doesn't make much sound by itself. An amplifier turns the tiny electrical signals from the guitar into big, clear sounds that can fill a room. This lets musicians play louder and make new sounds like distortion.
3. How did the electric piano and organ change music in the 1930s?In the 1930s, new electric instruments such as the electro‑mechanical piano, electric guitar, Hammond organ, and electric bass were made. They could be played louder and had more tone control because they used electricity instead of only the instrument’s own sound.

Electro-mechanical Instrument: A musical instrument that uses both electrical circuits and mechanical parts to produce or modify sound.
Phonograph Cylinder: An early sound recording medium where sound waves were etched into the surface of a rotating cylinder.
Gramophone Disc: A flat disc format for sound recording and playback, which became the standard for music distribution for many decades.
Amplifier: An electronic device that increases the power or amplitude of an electrical signal, making sound louder.