Measuring the speed of sound propagation in metals is easy and fast, and is not only for the laboratory. With the use of a smartphone, ruler, rosin, and vice we can measure speeds for steel, brass, aluminium, and plastic. Values differ by a few percent from the tabulated values. Following determination of the density of the material, it is also possible to determine the Young's modulus of elasticity. This method presents an opportunity for students to take physics into their own hands.