PERCUSSION
HYBRID TIMBRES | Mark Shelton
In a world filled with hundreds upon hundreds of percussion instruments , we can generate an innumerable amount of interesting and unique sounds . Producing an appropriate tone color to fit a particular musical moment is an important part of the percussionist ’ s art . What a delight ( and relief ) when you fulfill that mission and place the proper sound into the musical texture . As you search among your timbral choices , do not limit yourself to a single instrument ’ s tonal capabilities . The sonic solution might lie in creating a hybrid timbre — combining multiple sound sources to produce a composite tone . The usefulness of hybrid timbres is not limited to developing appropriate tone colors : blending multiple sounds can also assist in areas such as articulation and sustain .
Check out several hybrid timbre examples that will come in handy and spark your creativity .
FLAT-SIDED AND CYLINDRICAL SHAKERS The chamber of a shaker plays an important role in the quality of the attack . A cylindrical chamber produces a rounded attack while the flat-sided version gives a more focused and precise attack . If a flat-sided shaker is needed to pop out some accents , but the sound is too edgy , add a cylindrical shaker to create a hybrid solution .
SHAKER AND TAMBOURINE Countless hit records have included shaker and tambourine . The high-frequency timbres of those instruments sound great paired together . You ’ ve got two hands , so get your tambo / shaker unison technique together . When I shake the two simultaneously , I play the tambourine with the same OUT-IN motion as the shaker .
AMBIENT MIX The sound of bar chimes ( a . k . a . Mark Tree ) produces such a beautiful effect that it can be tempting to overuse the sound . When using the instrument to provide atmospheric / ethereal textures , you can give that tone color some variety by adding a complementary sound such as glass or bamboo wind chimes . You can also create an ambient texture by combining the gentle shimmer of the mark tree ’ s cylinders with a rain stick or a seed pod rattle .
COWBELL AND TAMBOURINE The cowbell ’ s clear metallic attack mixes well with the jingly sound of the tambourine . To sync up the attacks of the two instruments , simply strike the tambourine with the cowbell as I demonstrate in this short video tutorial :
SNARE AND TOM A snare drum and a large tom-tom have often been part of my worship percussion setup . Playing the two drums in unison rhythm during the build section of a song can provide a great deal of power to the musical texture . Alternatives to sticks , such as bundled rods or cajon brushes , can provide tonal contrast to the drum set player ’ s snare and tom sounds .
SLEIGH BELLS AND TAMBOURINE You need not restrict the sound of sleigh bells to December events . The sound can be employed and enjoyed year-round . Sometimes I team the sleigh bells with a mounted tambourine . The
metallic timbres are somewhat related , but the tambourine is more articulate than the sleigh bells . Combining the two instruments results in a fatter sound while the tambourine provides rhythmic clarity .
MULTIPLE CYMBALS Modify your suspended cymbal tone by combining two plates . You can simultaneously strike or roll on another standard suspended cymbal or mix in the sound of an “ effect cymbal ” such as a splash , Chinese , or perforated disk .
TWO TAMBOURINES Thicken up your tambourine sound by shaking two instruments in unison . Try mixing the brightness of steel jingles and the darker sound of copper or play a dry-tone tambourine alongside an instrument with a jangly sustain .
RATTLE WHILE DRUMMING Add a layer of shaking sound to your striking as you turn maracas into mallets . You might have a slight delay between the initial attack and the subsequent splash of the beads , but that is part of the effect . Explore tapping the bulbs on drums , temple blocks , cowbell , tambourine , or whatever percussion instrument will endure the impact .
Are your creative juices flowing ? Are you already dreaming up more ways to combine two tones to cook up a third sound ? If you discover something super-cool , let me in on your creation . Email your ideas to markshelton @ verizon . net .
© 2024 Mark Shelton Productions / Percussion For Worship
Mark Shelton Mark is a freelance musician , educational consultant , and content creator based in Dallas / Fort Worth . Performance credits include North Carolina Symphony , Tin Roof Tango , Daystar Singers & Band , Gateway Worship , Stonebriar Church , Wichita Falls Orchestra , Strata Big Band , TALEA , and Dallas Wind Symphony . www . marksheltonmusic . com percussionforworship . blogspot . com
100 February 2024 Subscribe for Free ...