Hi!
My name is Andy. I just joined--thanks for letting me in.

I joined because I've recently gotten into making and playing homemade percussion instruments. For example, I made a percussion instrument out of tin can lids loosely attached to a board, played with sticks. I ask my wife to save big plastic containers such as coffee cans and the big jars that our cats' and dog's treats come in to make drums, and maybe other things to shake and bang on. I've made LOTS of shakers out of used pill bottles.

I need to have folks to turn to for advise.

Like now: Does anyone have any experience putting together drum racks or percussion "walls" for recycled stuff big plastic containers, tin can bells, pie plate gongs and such? I need to find ways to make the frames and ways to attach the instruments to it so that they are playable and maybe a little bit portable.

I got into percussion on recycled stuff as an offshoot of my building stringed instruments out of recycled boxes (cigar and silverware boxes) and cookie tins and scrap wood. I have a LOT of fun with both, and I've even recorded a little. I need to have a way to put my percussion stuff up in an orderly and musically useable fashion.

Any help here?
Thanks!

If you have made any videos of your art please share! I volunteer at a veteran's home and the hands on creative arts are in hot demand. My son did his Eagle Scout project having the folks decorate 5 gallon buckets donated by Home Depot and by fast food restaurants (empty pickle buckets from Burger King and Foster Freeze). Walmart donated decoration materials (beads, shells, bells, hot glue gun kits, and decorative bolts of cloth in Native American and African styles).

We have done drum therapy groups for soldiers and vets, as well as AA and Veteran's organizations. Your talents will receive a warm welcome in these venues wherever you are.

I have a variety of stuff I picked up around the world as I have toured. Though I am not really a drummer as I play keys, my father was a big band drummer and so I collected a lot of stuff in my studio incl. 3 drum kits, full latin percussion rig and a variety of hand drums big and small.

Welcome to JPF Andy!

Brian

Well,
I'm not sure anybody plays the Washboard anymore. Any Washboard players out there?

Some of my favourite memories are playing with my pot as a young man....

I have messed around with a zydeco frottoir a few times. And I have a washboard that I'm customizing with a couple of wood blocks, a metal ask tray--works as a really good bell or gong, and a horn.

Yes, but my tracks have fallen flat.
I don't know enough about rythmn, but when I have something like that it is too generic and does not reflect what is in my head.
But I posted both to learn and be myself doing it.
Four beats and copping musical hereos is not enough.