Electricity - Spigot Science

Arts ConnectionSingingTeslaCoilsBy Maria BakerAirarcs, Wikimedia CommonsDid you know that electricity has the ability tocreate music? We aren’t talking about the batteriesthat power your iPod or the radio in your car, but actualelectric currents! A Croatian scientist, NikolaTesla, invented the Tesla coil in 1891. Unlike normaltransformers, machines that change electricity fromone form to another, the Tesla coil had looselypacked wires that allowed it to make more energy. Itselectricity is high voltage but low current, so it is notharmful. Due to its design, the air core was able towithstand high levels of energy without causing damageto the machine. It was originally used to createelectricity, power lights, and send telegraphs acrossthe globe.A Musical IdeaIn 2005, musicians Joe DiPrima and OliverGreaves presented Steve Ward, a Tesla coil expert,with an idea: would an adjusted version of the Teslacoil be able to produce music? Ward suggested thatby changing the coil’s spark outputs, the wavelengthsof the two coils would interact. The end result wouldbe music! The waves of electricity would bounce offeach other, generating noise. In order to change thetone of the sound, Ward tinkered with the spark outputof the machine.The Singing Tesla Coil made its first appearancein late 2005, and Di Prima and Greaves formed theirband ArcAttack. The first song ArcAttack masteredon the Tesla coil was the Mario Brothers theme song.In 2006, they gave their first performance, featuringthe Tesla coil. ArcAttack and their singing Tesla coilbecame well known during the annual science fictionconvention, DucKon, in 2007. Videos of the performance,which have been posted on YouTube, havehelped the singing Tesla coil gain popularity. Sincetheir first concert, ArcAttack has toured the UnitedStates, sharing their unique blend of science as an artform with all.Fir0002/FlagstaffotosLightning is discharged (released) from a Tesla coil to makemusicMaria Baker is a high school student in Florida.Activity1. There are many examples of Tesla coil musicon YouTube.com. Listen to some of it. Shareyour reaction to it with others.2. Search online to learn more about how Teslacoil music is made.Spigot Science - http://www.spigotscience.com 31 Electricity