Up until recently the percussionist has had to use a variety of sources on the internet or in books to find information about many of the important things that every percussionist and/or timpanist needs to know at some point in their careers whether they are a student, amateur or professional player. But make sure you […]
How to Play Orchestral Castanets
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Orchestral Castanets are fun to play but they take a bit of practice to learn how to play well. To play the castanets, hold them by the handles and keep one finger touching the top castanet. You then strike the castanet against your knee. You can play the castanets one at a time or together. […]
How to Make a Triangle Clip
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The poor triangle is often mistreated and subjected to a variety of inappropriate methods of suspending the instrument in playing position. A good triangle clip allows that triangle to ring and vibrate to its maximum potential and it needs to be held in a stable manner so that it doesn’t swing and sway when the […]
How to Play the Tambourine
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The Basics of Playing the Tambourine Hold the tambourine in one hand and strike the head of the tambourine with your other hand. If you are right handed I suggest that you hold the tambourine in your left hand and strike it with your right. Different sounds are made depending on what part of your […]
How to Play a Crescendo and a Diminuendo Tambourine Roll
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Crescendo means to get louder and Diminuendo means to get softer. When you want to play a Crescendo Tambourine Roll start by playing your tambourine way down low and as soft as you can play. As you roll louder, raise the tambourine up high as you shake it more vigorously. When you want to play […]
How to Play a Thumb Roll and a Finger Roll on the Tambourine
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A thumb roll is a wonderful technique to be able to perform when you need to play a quiet roll on a tambourine. The first thing you need to do is to get your tambourine a little sticky. I use bee’s wax, but you can use rosin or the Grover Roll Ring to make your […]
