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PERCUSSION
PERCUSSION IN THE SMALL / QUASI-ACOUSTIC / NO DRUM SET WORSHIP TEAM PART 2: Gear Suggestions
Musical needs and personal tastes( along with requests from the leader) influence the choice of instruments for any worship setting. Playing percussion in a small ensemble without a drum set is a game-changer, as discussed in the opening article of this series. Choosing instruments for this musical setting merits some careful thought.
DRUM SET IN A BOX The cajon has become my go-to instrument when working with the scaled-down / quasiacoustic / drum-set-less worship ensemble. With bass tones produced at the center of the front panel and crisp highs at the upper corners, the cajon can be used to achieve a full-bodied groove. This“ drum set in a box” is great for mimicking kick, snare, and hi-hat parts. For a small group situation, I prefer a cajon equipped with a snare attachment behind the front playing panel. The snare“ buzz” helps to fill sonic space in the ensemble. The economical LP Aspire Accents Cajon is my personal choice.
• Most cajons have screws around the edges of the front panel. Loosen the screws near the upper corners in order to raise the corners away from the side panels. This slight gap will allow for a better slap tone.
• Experiment with inserting card stock( as a shim) to further increase the gap.
• Check out my video demonstrating how to“ soup up” the slap.
SHAKING STUFF Add another layer of sound above a cajon pattern by including a shaker, caxixi, or headless tambourine. Shaking out eighths or sixteenths with one hand while the other paw covers both the bass and slap on the cajon creates a hefty three-part groove. See the notation below.
When I am playing cajon and tambourine simultaneously, I favor shaking a lighter instrument. Weighing in at 159 grams, the 8” single-row Baja tambourine from Sound Percussion Labs is about 55 % lighter than a standard size double-row tambourine. Fewer jingles make for a leaner sound that fits nicely with a smaller group of musicians.
Seasoned percussionists know that a shaken percussion instrument by itself can provide some gentle rhythmic movement when a song breaks down to a subtle moment.
TASTY TOUCHES In addition to timekeeping duties, you should be prepared to add splashes of ambient texture to a song.
• A suspended cymbal can supply a variety of sounds such as rolls with soft mallets, scraping with a triangle beater, and single strikes with bundled rods.
• Spice up a musical moment with a wellplaced shaker roll.
• One delicate“ ding” from the triangle or finger cymbals can be just the right touch--and those instruments won’ t take up much real estate in your set-up.
• A set of bar chimes is always with me for this type of ensemble.
THREE MORE These instruments can easily find a place in your percussion arsenal for the small / quasiacoustic / no drum set worship team:
• The Foot Tambourine from Meinl fastens onto your foot with an elastic strap and allows you to jingle away with every tap of your toes. Capable of a fair amount of volume and easy to toss in your mallet case, the Foot Tambourine is a budget-friendly way to add some high-end sparkle above a cajon pattern.
• Wearing a Finger Shot( by Latin Percussion) on each hand allows you to add a shaker sound with every downstroke onto a cajon or hand drum.
• Tap the flat surface of the Sizzle Board with your palm and you will hear the“ sizzle” from the fill material inside. Produced by the German company Schlagwerk, this little gadget also sounds great played with a brush or bundled rods. The device comes with straps so that you can attach it to your thigh and play the Sizzle Board along with the cajon.
Deciding which instruments to play goes handin-hand with making rhythm and orchestration decisions. Look for the next installment in this series, in which I will provide some advice for creating parts for songs.
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MARK SHELTON An active freelance musician, Mark’ s percussion work can be heard live and on recordings with Gateway Worship. A member of the Texas Commission on the Arts Touring Roster. PercussionForWorship. blogspot. com.
48 Mar � Apr 2017 WorshipMusician. com