the fill material would travel lengthwise through the chamber . This adjustment provided the fill material a longer area to move , consequently giving the shaker a smoother , flowing sound . A short shaker such as the LP Soft Shake is a good choice for this technique .
SHAKER COMBO Selecting a timbre that fits appropriately into the surrounding musical texture is an important part of a percussionist ’ s skill set . When choosing a shaker sound , consider combining two different shakers to achieve a composite timbre that might provide the desired tone color and / or articulation .
SHUFFLE When the music swings , so can the shaker . Playing the shaker with an out-in motion along a path parallel to the floor is the common method for producing straight eighths and sixteenths . While that same method can work for a shuffle or swing feel , at certain tempos you can use more of a down-up motion to generate a shuffle rhythm . It takes only 70 seconds to view my shaker shuffle tutorial .
SIMPLE BUT EFFECTIVE If a typical shaker pattern consisting of eighths or sixteenths seems too busy , try dialing the rhythm back to some easy-going downbeats . Hold the instrument perpendicular to the floor and use an up-down motion . Don ’ t be overly concerned with the sloshy sound , it ’ s part of the effect .
ACCENTS MATTER Just as a tiny bit of emphasis on a word will change the entire meaning of a sentence , a slight volume increase on a single note has
amazing musical power . The placement of accents in a rhythm pattern can transform a back-beat groove into a half-time feel or shift the pattern into double-time .
Develop the ability to apply an accent to the various subdivisions of a beat . This will add a bit of spice to the rhythm but take special care to apply the spice with restraint and taste .
Experimenting with these ideas will lead you to explore additional shaker alternatives and how those can be used in your music . Pursue your creativity . Get that goin ’!
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