Light and sound: Video playlist

Weapons of Sound are a Plymouth-based teenage band. They have performed at festivals all over Britain, and have played at the Royal Albert Hall. All their instruments are constructed from discarded pieces of junk. These include an old kitchen sink, gas pipes, a shopping trolley and dustbins.

Challenge students to make their own pipe instruments like those in the clip, and explore how to change the pitch of the sound created. To understand how sound is created in the pipes, plastic wrap could be tightly wrapped over the end of the pipe of tube and rice grain placed on top. When the other end of the tube is hit to create a sound the rice grains should jump. It could be explained to students that sound creates vibrations in the air, and this made the plastic wrap vibrate and in turn the rice grains. Students could then explore how making changes to the pipes changes the pitch of the sound. For example using shorter or longer pipes or varying the diameter. Ask students to discuss how this has altered the sound and make predictions as to why it has happened.