Batphones are one of the instruments most strongly associated with Echo City. Introduced by former member Giles Leaman for the creation of Weavers Sound Playground in 1983. First toured in the Echo City 'mobile' in 1985, with an expanded and refined instrument reliant on an ultralight beater design, the batphone is a much loved and much imitated provider of strong rhythms and basslines.

Batphones work by striking a tuned open length of polyethylene tube with a foam bat or paddle. This activates the column of air in the tube and creates the batphones characteristic sound.

 

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