What is singing sand?

Sand doesn’t sing do-re-mi, but some beaches, sand dunes, and deserts are pretty darn noisy! Most “singing sands” are made of dry, medium-sized grains of quartz. When the wind blows across the sand, the grains slide past one another and make sounds that have been described as roars, booms, barks, and squeaks. They can even make the sounds of musical instruments such as tambourines, drums, and violins.