Playing with a Shaker

[Monica McCoy]

I got hired to play a gig at the end of the month and the singer/songwriter wrote a song that doesn't use the kit. I had never heard the song and he handed me a little egg with beads in it and said, "use this."

So I just shook it in time and he didn't seem to have an opinion on it after we played it. Having never played one since I last used a rattle as a baby, are there any technique I should be aware of.

I've sort of been playing around with controlling the volume based on the number of fingers I have on the egg and how much pressure I apply. But which end is up? What way do you flick your wrist? What else should I know about them (or "it" I should say). It's just one egg.

[mrchattr]

I got hired to play a gig at the end of the month and the singer/songwriter wrote a song that doesn't use the kit. I had never heard the song and he handed me a little egg with beads in it and said, "use this."

So I just shook it in time and he didn't seem to have an opinion on it after we played it. Having never played one since I last used a rattle as a baby, are there any technique I should be aware of.

I've sort of been playing around with controlling the volume based on the number of fingers I have on the egg and how much pressure I apply. But which end is up? What way do you flick your wrist? What else should I know about them (or "it" I should say). It's just one egg.

Just like any percussion instrument, an egg shaker is something that can be played in a very simple manner, but there are also lots of techniques that you can use to get different sounds and effects from it. Play it loosley clutched between just two fingers...then play it with your hand clamped tightly around it. You will notice totally different tones. Play it by locking your wrist, and moving your arm back and forth in time. It's got a totally different sound than when you snap your wrist on each beat, which gives it more of an accent pattern. Grab a second egg (they cost like three bucks), hold them together in one hand, and shake. Then smack them together. Then hold one loosely in one hand, while holding the other very tightly in the other hand, so that you now have two different tones to play with. The list goes on and on.

[paramac]

Man O Man! Shakers a a bitch! Awesome stuff..THAT"S WHERE THE POCKET IS!!!! I remember I was playing snare in a local Samba group and one night of of the dancers( there were quite a few that played shakers) handed me a shaker and I SUCKED at it...I think they are great and a real challenge to to play..I think it changes ones whole concept of time, pocket and feeling subdivisions...When you go back to kit with sticks or play a shaker in one hand I elongate the notes I'm playing slightly and lay it back more...The tendency for most folks is to rush so playing with shakers is a GREAT thing..I have since spent some time on sambas and funk on traps with a shaker in stead of my cymbal hand...Even when I play a rock tune say where I'm playing 1/8s on the hit hat, I think much more about the upstrokes as the "e" and the "a" as if I was playing a shaker...This has helped my pocket..Have fun...Tamborines are awesome too...Btw, I took 4 eegs shakers and taped them together and it has a real nice big full sound....It's also easy to hold.....Great post...

[JimmyK]

shaker is boss. I hold the egg horizontal for a more legato sound. And then i just imagine im hitting a cymbal with a drumstick. Nice and relaxed and all that. And just bring out the accents like you would with a stick. practicing shaker definitely gets your drumset groove up too.. DO IT MONICA!

[Deathmetalconga]

All good advice here so far. I also suggest you try different patterns of movement. As viewed from the side (and then the front), try back-and-forth, side-to-side, U-shaped, inverted-U-shaped (one of my favorites), circular and triangular movements. Don't worry about describing the exact shape of a triangle or circle; this is just to form your groove.

There are many sounds hiding inside shakers. Have fun with them.

[Joe P]

Take it driving with you and play along to whatever's on the radio. It's hard to find a technique that works for you and that sounds smooth and consistent. I remember trying to teach people how to do it and you really can't. The only way to really learn is to pick up a shaker and experiment with different ways of holding it and different ways of shaking it.

[thelimpingtoad]

Take it driving with you and play along to whatever's on the radio. It's hard to find a technique that works for you and that sounds smooth and consistent. I remember trying to teach people how to do it and you really can't. The only way to really learn is to pick up a shaker and experiment with different ways of holding it and different ways of shaking it.

I've seen some people doing some stupid and crazy stuff in a car while driving... but i will probably just crack up the day i see someone driving down the road and playing an egg shaker with their right hand up in the air.

[JimmyK]

HAHAHA yea that is dedication... I wanna be that guy

[wy yung]

Here ya go!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCJ1j3mRSZE

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