Piezoelectricity! What a word. It's the primary component of the so called "contact microphone." Tiny fluctuations within the piezoelectric disk transform manual force into voltage. I love these things. They're like magnifying glasses for your ears. How often have you wanted to listen to the sound of your individual strands of hair, only to be hampered by your pitiful human ears? Now you can! Compare the sounds of fabrics like wool, cotton, and polyester. Hear the dull thud of rocks falling on two by fours. Or revel in the glory of the plucked spring! Beware or pursue the feedback loops created when speaker and mic are in contact with the same object.
Interesting filter effects can be obtained using two contact microphones transmitting vibrations across a material; spring, metal, plastic, wood, anything rigid will do. Attach them to conventional instruments like tubas or flutes and observe results. It's too bad the tiny wires attached to my disk broke off, or I would be listening intently to sounds of my keyboard right now.
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