the sounds

homemade percussion home | summer 2000 d/fw workshops | trip to the hardware store

The sounds of the homemade percussion orchestra
Click the links to listen to the sounds in RealAudio:

The PVC Tube Drum/Shaker thing. We took the 24"x4" PVC pipe, put a package of bb's in it, and capped it up with the plastic caps. As a shaker, it is usable but a bit unwieldy, good for certain moments, but too big for all purpose use. As a drum/clave thing, however, it is superb. tight and punchy, it is best played with the thin sticks with the latex tips, and works well as a combined clave/cascara device, with one hand playing clave on the "head, and another playing cascara or another bell part on the side.

The family of MOONDRUMS (water bottles): the different pitches allow us to orchestrate in traditionally effective ways, even though we are working with GENERIC rhythms and principles. To select a family of drums, one must become a shopper of water bottles. Folks may look at you a little strangely as you stand there tapping various bottles searching for pitch differences, or exploring the properties of a particular bottle, but don't let them daunt you. There are many different ways to play the water bottles, and many sounds to be had from them..

Papa Water Bottle This one is sitting on the lap, and I am playing it with a 1" x8" dowel, round on the edges by sandpaper and wrapped heavily in tape at one end, to give it more weight and a softer attack..

Mama Water Bottle Same playing technique

Bubba Water Bottle (the eldest son/big brother) For this one, we used a much thinner dowel, and put a couple inches of latex tubing on one end.

Another bottle technique this is another example, playing a Sparklett's 5 gallon bottle upright in the lap, with the hands on the sides and shoulder of the drum. Playing the sides brings out the low end, but it's hard to do because of the (lack of) weight. 

The Bushel Basket: keep in mind that these sound samples only represent one way of playing these things. there are always several other sounds available as well, by playing with a different beater or on a different surface...

The coffee can, part 1: way underrated; here it's being played on the side with the 1/4" dowel with a latex tip

Coffee Can, Part 2: played again with the 1/4" dowel, but on the end, muffling with the other hand.

More sound samples are on the way. First we'll add some old standards, things that have worked well in previous situations; these include a couple of brake drums (one from an 18 wheeler) a fire extinguisher body, a family of 3 kitchen pots that we've grown to love,  and a bevy of sticks and shakers. We are also working on a CD of music utilizing homemade and found sounds, and we'll leave word here when it's available.

We call polycarbonate resin containers "Moondrums" because they're the first drum light enough to be carried into space...the underrated sound source of the 21st century.