PERCUSSION
SLUSHY & EARTHY | Mark Shelton
Strike a snare drum with a drumstick , the heads and snares vibrate , and the resulting sound waves hit your ears very quickly . The time between the stick striking the drum and your brain perceiving the sound is super short . It seems immediate . The snare drum has a quick attack .
When a musician takes action to produce sound with an instrument , there is a short amount of time between the action ( stimulus ) and the full opening of the sound . That brief upward ramp of volume ( the attack ) can vary between different types of instruments . As with the snare drum example , many members of the percussion family have very rapid attacks ; the beginning of notes is very clear and precise to the listener . The xylophone , wood block , cowbell , and claves are examples of the quick , clear , and precise attack . However , there are percussion instruments with a different type of attack . Rather than a rapid and clear-cut attack , the sound envelope of these instruments opens a bit slower ; the attack might be described as fuzzy , ragged , or slushy .
Some of those instruments produce sounds with rather rough edges ; the tones might be described as earthy or folksy . I am a fan of those sounds and use them frequently . Read on and I will share info on a few of the slushy and earthy instruments in my percussion collection .
CHAJCHAS A staple of Andean folk music , the chajchas ( or chullus ) instrument is created by sewing goat or sheep hooves to a cloth loop . The chajchas bracelet produces a bright , clattering rattle with a loose attack as the clustered hooves collide . I tape a couple of loops together , grasp the entire clump , and play downbeats with a quick downward flick of my wrist .
TOGO SEED RATTLE Also known as a pod rattle , this instrument is similar to the chajchas in tone , attack quality , and playing technique . Several empty pods are strung together in a cluster and a holding ring is attached , or the shells are attached to a handle . I find that the Togo seed rattle has a slightly brighter sound than the chajchas .
SHEKERE Just looking at the dozens of beads woven into the loose netting surrounding the gourd-shaped body , it ’ s easy to imagine that the shekere ’ s attack will be a bit blurry . The instrument is a percussion powerhouse when the gobs of beads strike the resonant chamber . The slushy sound is effective when performing either simple downbeats or rhythmically active patterns .
SLEIGH BELLS You might raise a few eyebrows when you
TOGO SEED RATTLE
92 October 2024 Subscribe for Free ...