Shaker description and playing a musical instrument

Among the large number of percussion musical instruments, there are a number of devices that are called "shakers". They will be discussed in the future.

The name of these percussion instruments comes from the English word shaker, which means “to shake”. However, the name does not diverge from the deed: the percussion musical instrument shaker really needs to be shaken in your hands to get the sounds for which it was created.

Shakers come in different shapes: a ball, an ellipse (this option is usually called an "egg"), a cylinder, or something else. Their appearance is also quite diverse: there are shakers in the form of vegetables, fruits, a bucket, a baby rattle. By the way, the baby rattle is quite a vivid example of a shaker.

Any shape chosen for the product is, in fact, a closed container (container, box), partially filled inside with some loose material, emitting various percussion sounds during its movement (for example, continuous rustling or, conversely, rhythmic intermittent slaps, and so on) ... Specific noise effects are created both during the friction of individual filler particles with each other, and due to impacts and friction against the inner walls of the container.

It becomes clear that the nature of sounds (timbre, volume, rhythm) reproduced by individual shakers depends on the following factors:

• filler material (it can be coarse or fine sand, beads, metal balls, cereals, hard plant seeds and much more);
• body material (hard plastic, metal, wood);
• the shape and size of the container;
• the volume of the body occupied by the filler;
• techniques of the performer's movements when playing the instrument.

Quite a lot of ready-made models of the described tool are produced. Each of them can be chosen according to your preference, taking into account its purpose, sound effect, noise volume and other criteria. In addition, it is not difficult to make such a product independently, using wooden or aluminum containers (cases, tubes, aluminum beverage cans, coffee cans) as a filler body.

Shakers are small percussion instruments that can be found in the arsenal of almost every serious percussionist. Often, a musician has several dozen of them, made of different types of material, having all sizes and emitting unique sounds. They are used in musical groups of many trends and styles. You could even say that these percussion instruments will decorate and diversify any musical style - from folk to jazz to hard rock.

The shaker has quite a few purposes:

• creating a unique background noise for the music being performed;
• accentuation of strong beats in a measure;
• building a richer rhythmic structure of a piece of music;
• giving music a special originality and clarity.

Of the many tool body shapes, three are most commonly used:

1. ellipse ("egg");
2. simple cylinder;
3. rectangular box.

All other types, rather, are of some kind of "nationality", therefore they are used mainly among performers of folk songs and dances, as well as in entertainment, children's and folk festive events. As a rule, these shakers are painted in bright or “fabulous” colors. For example, to match the skin color of a dinosaur:

A couple of rainsticks below, which can also be considered shakers (these percussion items are better known as the "Rain Staff"), also look pretty festive.

Shaker refers to the percussion group of idiophones, that is, to such noise instruments, the sound in which arises from their own body. Examples of other members of this group: gong, bell, vibraphone.

The shaker is played not only with hands, but also with feet. You can act with two tools at once or only one. Basic methods of movement:

1. shaking up, down, in front of you or to the sides;
2. circular or patterned (you can write out a variety of patterns in any plane of the available surrounding space);
3. axial (by means of rotational movements of the hand simultaneously with the forearm in the same plane as a "gimbal" with a reverse).

The more actively the movements occur, the louder the sounds are played.... To provide the best accent, you should act abruptly, harshly, thereby creating clarity and volume at certain beats of the measure in accordance with a given rhythm.

In cases where the percussionist additionally plays another musical instrument with his hands, the shaker can be attached to the leg or a special pedal. As a result, it becomes possible to combine two instruments by shaking the shaker in the right places with your foot. True, the choice of movements in this case will be very limited when compared with the actions of the hands.

Example of foot shakers: