Box Shaker Playing Techniques
Videos:
Introduction to Box Shakers
Muting and Un-Muting
Two-Box Rhythms
Tambourine-Style
You can do A LOT with a single shaker!
- Side Panel Front to Back
- Faceplate Front to Back
- Up & Down
- Side Panel Front to Back / Accent Faceplate on down beat
- Side Panel Front to Back / Accent on up beat
- Tremolo - wrist twist
- Tremolo - side walls
- Tremolo - faceplates
- Tremolo - wrist twist with crescendo
- Tremelo - wrist twist with mute/un-mute by palm
- Tremolo - side walls with crescendo
- Tremolo - faceplates with crescendo
- Mute and un-mute - Faceplates front-to-back bottom grip with finger “damper’
- Mute and un-mute - Faceplates front-to-back top grip with finger “damper”
- Mute and un-mute - Faceplate up/down using palm as “damper”
- Two handed mute and un-mute
- 6/8 rhythmic pattern (Also use mute / un-mute accents)
- Hammering the faceplate with closed fist
- Tambourine two hand pattern
- Tambouring triplet using second hand strike on up beat
- Spoon style roll
- Two handed drumming
- Vertical circular pattern (up to four rhythmic patterns are possible)
- Horizontal circular pattern (using side walls)
- Figure eight pattern (up to four patterns are possible)
- Windshield washer
- Tremolo with “zip”
- Extremely slow, one shot accents
- Dead stop when finishing a pattern
- Shaker and clave combination (requires small wooden mallet)
AND many, many more!
Natural Acoustics Lab Box Shaker Techniques
Playing two shakers - the possibilities are IMMENSE!
- Unison Side Panels Front to Back
- Unison Faceplate Front to Back
- Unison Side Panels Up & Down
- Unison Faceplate Up & Down
- Alternating Side Panels Front to Back
- Alternating Faceplate Front to Back
- Alternating Side Panels Up & Down
- Alternating Faceplate Up & Down
- Unison Side Panels Front to Back / Accent Faceplate on down beat with one hand
- Alternating Side Panels Front to Back / Accent Faceplate on down beat with one hand
- Unison Side Panels / Accent Faceplate on up beat with one hand
- Alternating Side Panels / Accent Faceplate on up beat with one hand
- Tremolo - Two Handed Using Wrist Twist
- Tremolo - Two Handed Using Side Panels
- Tremolo - Two Handed Using Face Plates
- Tremolo - Two Handed Wrist Twist Crescendo
- Tremolo - Two Handed Side Panel Crescendo
- Tremolo - Two Handed Face Plate Crescendo
- Mute and un-mute - Unison Face Plate Front to Back Bottom Grip with Finger “Damper”
- Mute and un-mute - Unison Face Plate Front to Back Top Grip with Finger “Damper”
- Mute and un-mute - Unison Face Plate Up & Down with Palm “Damper”
- Mute and un-mute - Alternating Face Plate Front to Back Bottom Grip with Finger “Damper”
- Mute and un-mute - Alternating Face Plate Front to Back Top Grip with Finger “Damper”
- Mute and un-mute - Alternating Face Plate Up & Down with Palm “Damper”
- Cat’s Paw Triplet (Alternating)
- Unison Faceplate / Windshield Wiper Motion
- Alternating Faceplate / Windshield Wiper Motion
- One Hand Up & Down / One Hand Windshield Wiper
- One Hand Up & Down / One Hand Double Time Front to Back
- Opposing L/R Circular Motion on Side Panels (Parallel to Floor)
- Alternating Side Panels / Vertical Orientation / One Hand Up & Down / One Hand Vertical Circles
MANY MORE Sounds can be created by muting and un-muting during the playing of these patterns. Playing half-time or double-time will also change the sound characteristics of the instruments.
Introduction to Box Shakers
Muting and Un-Muting
Two-Box Rhythms
Tambourine-Style
Spoon Playing
Natural Acoustics Lab Box Shaker TechniquesYou can do A LOT with a single shaker!
- Side Panel Front to Back
- Faceplate Front to Back
- Up & Down
- Side Panel Front to Back / Accent Faceplate on down beat
- Side Panel Front to Back / Accent on up beat
- Tremolo - wrist twist
- Tremolo - side walls
- Tremolo - faceplates
- Tremolo - wrist twist with crescendo
- Tremelo - wrist twist with mute/un-mute by palm
- Tremolo - side walls with crescendo
- Tremolo - faceplates with crescendo
- Mute and un-mute - Faceplates front-to-back bottom grip with finger “damper’
- Mute and un-mute - Faceplates front-to-back top grip with finger “damper”
- Mute and un-mute - Faceplate up/down using palm as “damper”
- Two handed mute and un-mute
- 6/8 rhythmic pattern (Also use mute / un-mute accents)
- Hammering the faceplate with closed fist
- Tambourine two hand pattern
- Tambouring triplet using second hand strike on up beat
- Spoon style roll
- Two handed drumming
- Vertical circular pattern (up to four rhythmic patterns are possible)
- Horizontal circular pattern (using side walls)
- Figure eight pattern (up to four patterns are possible)
- Windshield washer
- Tremolo with “zip”
- Extremely slow, one shot accents
- Dead stop when finishing a pattern
- Shaker and clave combination (requires small wooden mallet)
AND many, many more!
Natural Acoustics Lab Box Shaker Techniques
Playing two shakers - the possibilities are IMMENSE!
- Unison Side Panels Front to Back
- Unison Faceplate Front to Back
- Unison Side Panels Up & Down
- Unison Faceplate Up & Down
- Alternating Side Panels Front to Back
- Alternating Faceplate Front to Back
- Alternating Side Panels Up & Down
- Alternating Faceplate Up & Down
- Unison Side Panels Front to Back / Accent Faceplate on down beat with one hand
- Alternating Side Panels Front to Back / Accent Faceplate on down beat with one hand
- Unison Side Panels / Accent Faceplate on up beat with one hand
- Alternating Side Panels / Accent Faceplate on up beat with one hand
- Tremolo - Two Handed Using Wrist Twist
- Tremolo - Two Handed Using Side Panels
- Tremolo - Two Handed Using Face Plates
- Tremolo - Two Handed Wrist Twist Crescendo
- Tremolo - Two Handed Side Panel Crescendo
- Tremolo - Two Handed Face Plate Crescendo
- Mute and un-mute - Unison Face Plate Front to Back Bottom Grip with Finger “Damper”
- Mute and un-mute - Unison Face Plate Front to Back Top Grip with Finger “Damper”
- Mute and un-mute - Unison Face Plate Up & Down with Palm “Damper”
- Mute and un-mute - Alternating Face Plate Front to Back Bottom Grip with Finger “Damper”
- Mute and un-mute - Alternating Face Plate Front to Back Top Grip with Finger “Damper”
- Mute and un-mute - Alternating Face Plate Up & Down with Palm “Damper”
- Cat’s Paw Triplet (Alternating)
- Unison Faceplate / Windshield Wiper Motion
- Alternating Faceplate / Windshield Wiper Motion
- One Hand Up & Down / One Hand Windshield Wiper
- One Hand Up & Down / One Hand Double Time Front to Back
- Opposing L/R Circular Motion on Side Panels (Parallel to Floor)
- Alternating Side Panels / Vertical Orientation / One Hand Up & Down / One Hand Vertical Circles
- Alternating Side Panels / Vertical Orientation / One Hand Up & Down / One Hand Horizontal Circles
- Alternating Faceplates / Vertical Orientation / One Hand Up & Down / One Hand Vertical Circles
- Alternating Faceplates / Vertical Orientation / One Hand Up & Down / One Hand Horizontal Circles
- Unison Fast Tremelo with Deceleration
- Tremolo with “ZIP” Downwards
- Extremely slow, Single Shot Accents
- Dead stop when finishing a pattern
- Alternating Fast Triplets - Castanet Style
- Alternating Down “Flicking” of Both Hands (No Recoil)
- Play shakers of different sizes (tonal variance)
- Alternating Faceplates / Vertical Orientation / One Hand Up & Down / One Hand Vertical Circles
- Alternating Faceplates / Vertical Orientation / One Hand Up & Down / One Hand Horizontal Circles
- Unison Fast Tremelo with Deceleration
- Tremolo with “ZIP” Downwards
- Extremely slow, Single Shot Accents
- Dead stop when finishing a pattern
- Alternating Fast Triplets - Castanet Style
- Alternating Down “Flicking” of Both Hands (No Recoil)
- Play shakers of different sizes (tonal variance)
MANY MORE Sounds can be created by muting and un-muting during the playing of these patterns. Playing half-time or double-time will also change the sound characteristics of the instruments.