Even More Homemade Instruments

If you have one of the electronic self-triggering drum samplers, you can have a wonderful time coming up with new "attachments" for your rig, or even try to bring along the analog version if you have space. A big rug hung up on a line and beaten can create a great thump, not just a small dust storm-you might clean it before bringing it along, or just settle for the sampled version. Chairs with ladder or stick backs can be fun to run sticks along, just like running one along a fence when you were a kid-think of it as a very big washboard. Various sizes of boxes will each have their own pitch, as will paint cans-you can even try filling them with stuff and see if that adds another dimension, especially if they are fun rattly things to give you that shaker effect as well as a percussive one. Soda bottles filled with rice, peas, rocks, beads or BB shot can also make a quick set of maracas. Strung up Mardi Gras beads in a box also make a big rattle that isn't "clean" like a maraca would be or if the beads were individual pieces, and can make yet another odd sound that can be used by itself or sampled. Try hitting them, not just shaking them, too, and you may find you like this sound better than your usual tambourine or blocks, and you can mount them alongside to give you yet another option when you work up your next killer drum groove.

So keep your eyes peeled everywhere you are for sounds, and find out what is making that wonderful noise, not just sit and appreciate it. If nothing else, it's another great excuse to get the kids involved in your songwriting, or even your performances or enhance the ones they do at school. It also might just get you the notice you need to get your songs recognized, even if they only reason people remember it is the cool rubber band solo in the middle-a hit is a hit.

So just keep writing, and keep having fun!

(C)2005 Cindy Lee Haddock

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