Orchestral Tambourine 101: A Guide to Professional Sound and Technique
- Nathan Coles
- 5 hours ago
- 6 min read
Discover the nuanced techniques that transform tambourine into a professional, musical performance.
Many developing percussionists view the tambourine as a simple auxiliary instrument. You just pick it up and hit it, right? The reality is that orchestral tambourine requires significant nuance and technical skill to blend effectively with an ensemble. When played incorrectly, it can sound muddy, choked, or perpetually "late" to the conductor's ear. When played well, it adds brilliant color and rhythmic clarity to the orchestra. In this guide, we are diving deep into the fundamentals of concert tambourine playing to help you make thoughtful, musical decisions behind every note.
Table of Contents
Tambourine is a Two-Handed Instrument
The Critical Importance of Angle
Striking Techniques: Achieving Consistent Dynamics
Navigating Tempo with Knee and Fist Techniques
Demystifying Tambourine Rolls
Student Action Plan
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Meet Your Instructor
Dr. Trevor Barroero is an award-winning percussionist and dedicated educator. Currently serving as the Principal Percussionist of the Tucson Symphony Orchestra, Trevor has performed as a soloist across the globe, including appearances with the Moscow Symphony and The U.S. Army Band "Pershing's Own." His diverse performance career includes sharing the stage with Andrea Bocelli and appearing on ABC Primetime Specials.
A founding member of the history-making trio Lineage Percussion, Dr. Barroero is passionate about empowering musicians. He holds a Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Georgia and maintains a private studio of over 40 students.
Gear Tour: The Overture Series
In this video series, Trevor utilizes the Black Swamp Overture Series Tambourine (Model TDOV). This instrument features a 10-inch maple shell, a Remo Renaissance head, and a double row of hammered brass jingles.
Why does this matter for a student? The Overture series is specifically designed to bridge the gap between student models and high-end professional gear. The lighter ply shell design makes it easier for developing players to hold properly without fatigue, which is crucial for learning good technique. However, it is sturdy enough for daily band rehearsals and provides a rich, resonant tone suitable for concert performance. It is an accessible instrument capable of producing a truly professional sound.
Tambourine is a Two-Handed Instrument
Before discussing specific strokes, it is vital to understand what actually creates sound on a tambourine. There are three distinct sound sources: the head, the shell, and the jingles.
A common mistake students make is focusing only on the hand that is striking the head. However, the goal of every stroke is to get all three components vibrating simultaneously. This creates a full, rich tone. If they don't vibrate together, the sound becomes muddled or unclear.
Therefore, you must treat the tambourine as a two-handed instrument. Even though only one hand might be striking, your holding hand is constantly involved in controlling the instrument's resonance and position. You must always be aware of what both hands are doing to achieve a professional sound.
The Critical Importance of Angle
How you hold the instrument is perhaps the single most important factor in your sound and timing.
The 45-Degree Solution
If you hold the tambourine too horizontally (flat), the jingles have to fight gravity to move. They will respond slowly, causing your rhythms to sound late. If a conductor frequently tells you the tambourine is dragging, it is often not a timing issue, but an angle issue. Conversely, holding the instrument vertically removes all resistance from the jingles, resulting in a lack of articulation and a muddy sound.
The ideal position is holding the instrument at a 45-degree angle directly in front of your body. This angle allows gravity to help articulate the jingles without causing delay, resulting in a clear, prompt sound.
The Relaxation Exercise
Tension kills resonance. A death grip on the shell and head will choke the sound. To find the correct holding pressure, try this relaxation exercise:
Let the tambourine dangle loosely at your side in your non-dominant hand. Shake it gently to feel how relaxed your hand is. You should barely be hanging onto the shell.
Slowly bring the instrument up into playing position without adding any extra "squeeze."
If you feel tension creeping in, drop your hand, reset, and try again.
Striking Techniques: Achieving Consistent Dynamics
Where and how you strike the head changes depending on the required dynamic.
General to Loud Playing
For most general playing, aim for slightly off-center on the head. This provides the best balance of head, shell, and jingle response.
For the striking hand, use a "shadow puppet mouth" shape. Bring your thumb underneath your middle and ring fingers to brace them, creating a firm striking surface. Strike the head perpendicularly—don't just slap it with your fingertips.
Soft Playing
For softer dynamics, move your striking area out to the rim, directly above a set of jingles. You can use one or two fingers, but keep them braced with the thumb for consistency. To dry out the sound for extra articulation, you can rest the heel of your striking hand gently on the head, or brace the instrument on your leg.
Dynamics Comparison Table
Dynamic Goal | Striking Zone | Hand Technique | Dampening |
General / Loud | Slightly Off-Center | "Shadow Puppet" braced fingers | None (let it ring) |
Soft / Articulate | Near the Rim (over jingles) | 1-2 Braced Fingers | Heel of hand or leg brace |
Navigating Tempo with Knee and Fist Techniques
When rhythms become too fast for a single hand to execute smoothly, we utilize knee and fist techniques.
For these passages, it is crucial that the sound created by your hand matches the sound created by your knee. You can use a regular hand shape or a fist, as long as the timbres match. You can also flip the tambourine upside down (head hitting the knee) for a punchier sound, or keep it right side up (shell hitting the knee) for a lighter sound.
Pro-Tip: Don't try to balance on one leg. Prop your foot up on a chair or the base of a snare stand to create a stable surface.
A good rule of thumb for sticking: Play the first and third 16th notes of a grouping with your hand, and the second and fourth notes with your knee (Hand-Knee-Hand-Knee).
For softer, fast passages, you have two options for bracing the instrument:
On the Kneecap: Provides the driest sound.
Tucked under the stomach: Provides a slightly warmer, more resonant tone.
Demystifying Tambourine Rolls
There isn't just one type of tambourine roll. There are several variations, each serving a different musical purpose.
1. The Multi-Bounce Roll
This is used for soft, sustained sounds with very little articulation. It is an effect used for delicate textures. Hold the tambourine vertically and move your entire arm side-to-side in small motions to create a gentle shimmer.
2. The Single-Stroke Shake
This is the loudest option. It is highly articulate and best suited for massive ensemble fortissimos where a finer roll would get lost. Hold the tambourine vertically and use your wrist to shake the tambourine by rotating it back and forth.
3. The Triple-Bounce Shake (The "Go-To")
This is the preferred roll for about 90% of orchestral situations. The jingles move in an "S" or snake-like pattern, providing a perfect blend of an articulate front end with a colorful, sustaining shimmer in the back.
To develop this motion, practice slowly rotating your forearm to create three distinct jingle sounds with each rotation, eventually speeding it up into a sustain. Overextending your forearm will help get the "flop" from your hand to create the triplet on each rotation.
Note on Rolls: It's always important to start and stop a roll with a clear attack, unless dynamics dictate otherwise.
The Friction Roll (Finger Roll)
For very soft dynamics or short rolls embedded within a rhythmic phrase, the shake roll is often too heavy. This is where finger rolls are your best friend. To achieve the necessary friction, apply a small amount of beeswax in a semicircle around the head—start with a little, as you can always add more later. Check out our lesson on how to properly apply wax to your tambourine.
I recommend using your middle or ring finger, braced by the thumb for added stability. If you are struggling to get the roll to sustain, try using your thumb along the beeswax path to create tiny "speed bumps" that help the finger skip across the head. You can vary the texture by changing your pressure: press firmly for a tight, dense sound, or loosen up for a lighter, open tone. When it’s time to stop the roll, use your index finger or off-hand for a soft release, or the heel of your hand for a louder arrival.
Student Action Plan
Download Percussion 101 lesson resources for free 👇
Here are three ways to immediately apply these concepts to your practice routine:
The Mirror Check: Practice in front of a mirror to monitor your angle. Ensure you are maintaining that critical 45-degree slope and that your playing position remains center-body, rather than drifting overhead.
The Relaxation Reset: Before starting any etude or excerpt, perform the "dangle exercise" to ensure your grip is relaxed and free of tension.
Roll Differentiation: Dedicate practice time to switching between the three roll types. Play a measure of multi-bounce, a measure of triple-bounce, and a measure of single-stroke shake to clearly define the sonic differences between them.
Developing a great tambourine sound takes patience and a willingness to focus on the small details. By prioritizing relaxation, maintaining the correct angle, and choosing the right technique for the musical moment, you will feel much more confident the next time a challenging tambourine part appears on your stand.