For many parents, the following scenario is painfully familiar: Child becomes interested in a particular instrument after witnessing a performance on said instrument. Child begs for one of their very own. Also begs for lessons. Promises they will practice “every day.” Three months and several hundred dollars later, every practice session is an argument and the child says they “hate” previously adored instrument. They want to quit.

When your friends express hurt feelings over something you deem trivial, it is appropriate to take the piss out of them by miming a violin performance. If you want to take your mockery to the next level, this video tutorial explains how to make tiny violins out of paddle pop sticks.

We now live in a world where a slash through the air can create a cornucopia of sound and light. One movement provides an oratory and visual feast that is free from the spacial confines presented by traditional instruments. What you're about to witness is the future of electronic music. And it all started with a video game controller.

Google Home brings most of Google's awesome voice commands to your living room, but it also has a couple of tricks of its own. For example, you can use it to play musical notes so you can get in tune.

Whether you're after a classic three-string cigar box guitar, a wooden snare drum or a Blue Man Group-inspired PVC pipe organ, Cigar Box Nation has a massive repository of kits, plans and free DIY instrument instructions to help you make whatever you'd like to play from whatever you can scrounge up.