Course Description
This is a project-based course covering a variety of Science, Technology, Engineering, Math (STEM) concepts. Students will learn (or review) an apply STEM concepts to the hands-on design and fabrication of solid-body electric guitars. Focus will be on design, manufacturing and assembly of the guitars. Students can keep their successfully completed guitars. This applied course uses STEM principles in an interdisciplinary approach to learning where rigorous academic concepts are coupled with real-world lessons.
Repeatable for Credit
Yes
Repeatable Times
Undergrad- Repeatable 1 Time
At the end of this course, students will be able to:
- Identify components of a guitar. (T)
- Interpret properly project-relevant schematic diagrams and translating those diagrams into functional electronic circuits. (T)
- Apply design and assembly skills to achieve a playable instrument. (T)
- Describe wood species and their attendant environment issues. (S)
- Create proper headstock design features. (E)
- Properly drawing body and headstock designs with a simple, CAD-type computer application and building/manifesting these designs in physical reality. (E)
- Solve math problems relative to all aspects of guitar design & fabrication, i.e. fretboard layout. (M)
- Select proper finishes and paints based on their chemistry and compatibility. (S)
- Identify and describe the various physical-science aspects of the guitar. (S)
- Identify and describe the use of simple machines and mechanical systems in a guitar. (S)
- Describe quantitatively the functional electronics in an electric guitar. (M)
General Education Distribution Area
AAS Technical Elective