PERCUSSION
[ ROCK THE COWBELL | Mark Shelton ]
Before joining the percussion family, the cowbell Most cowbells include a device built onto the If a passage of music calls for a consistent
was simply a “livestock locator” that produced closed end of the bell that allows for attaching muted sound, you can grip the bell (and apply
sound when the clapper hanging inside struck the instrument to a stand. Applying tape to a muting pressure) with fingers on the lower side
the sides of the bell. Since a stick was needed mounted bell is a time-honored method for and thumb on top of the playing surface.
to execute precise rhythms, the clapper was darkening the tone and/or reducing sustain. deleted from the percussion version of the Another solution is to stuff a chunk of foam cowbell. Usually manufactured from steel, rubber into the bell; this allows you to quickly cowbells are produced in a wide variety of sizes change from a muted sound to an open tone and thicknesses to cover a broad spectrum of by removing the foam rubber. Although it is frequencies, timbres, and sustain lengths. If sometimes necessary to play the instrument in you have a specific cowbell sound in mind, you the mounted position, I prefer to hold the bell in can probably come close to finding it among my hand if at all possible.
the dozens of models available. One of the
major percussion companies displays over fifty To hold the instrument in your hand, place different cowbells on their website! the cowbell in your non-dominant hand with Check out my short video tutorial on rock
the open mouth of the bell pointed away from cowbell.
Although the “cencerro” is often associated with your body. The instrument rests on top of your Latin American music, the distinctive sound of palm and the broad sides of the bell are roughly the cowbell is heard in other genres including parallel to the floor. Your thumb and fingers grip pop, rock, funk, and disco. In contrast to the the cowbell’s narrow sides. One of the broad more active and syncopated cowbell rhythms sides rests against your palm. This grip allows in Latin American music, the cowbell parts you to place your palm against the bell for a in mainstream popular music are often very closed (muted) sound, or lower your palm away simple with an emphasis on the downbeat. The from the bell (with fingers and thumb remaining The etude on the next page will hone your ability
“rock cowbell” style common to mainstream in position) for an open (ringing) tone. to move between open and closed tones. Play
the cowbell with the side of the stick striking
music will be the focus of this article. Get ready
for tips on tone production along with exercises
Closed Position
across the edge of the mouth to bring out more
fundamental and less highs.
to develop your open/close cowbell chops.
Experiment with the cowbell to discover the
timbral possibilities of the instrument. Discover
an assortment of sounds by tapping on various
places on the instrument and by striking with
different areas of the beater. You can hear a
significant difference between striking the flat
surface of the bell with the end of a stick, and
Open Position
using the side of a beater across the “mouth”
of the instrument. Explore timbres produced by
implements such as bundled rods, brushes,
and yarn-wrapped mallets. For the rock style Learn the entire exercise and you’ll be on your
of cowbell, I suggest a commercially available way to rockin’ the cowbell.
“cowbell beater” or a 1 5/8” diameter dowel cut
Mark Shelton
Freelance musician based in Dallas, TX Performance
credits include North Carolina Symphony, Tin Roof
Tango, Dallas Wind Symphony, Daystar Singers &
Band, Strata Big Band, and Gateway Worship
www.marksheltonmusic.com
to a length of approximately nine inches. A 3S
drum stick chopped to the proper length can
be also be used for this method of playing.
68
May 2018
WorshipMusician.com