A shaker is a dried hollow shell, such as a gourd, partly filled with hard pieces that rattle against the wall when it moves. Dry the shell until the seeds inside rattle loose, choose fillers too large to swallow, and never use wild seeds you cannot identify, because some common seeds are poisonous. Seal the opening so nothing escapes, and keep shakers away from toddlers.
Part of Music & Simple Instrument Making
Gourd shakers, container rattles and ankle or wrist rattles: materials, sealing, and the choking and poison risks of the filler.
A Shaker Is A Shell Plus A Filler
The sound comes from the filler striking the inside wall, and the shell shapes it. A thin, hard shell with a few large fillers gives a clear, dry sound; a thick shell or many small fillers gives a soft hiss. The parent article names three forms, gourd shaker, container rattle and ankle or wrist rattle, and all three work the same way.
I have no sourced fill ratio. Fill by ear: start with a small amount, shake, and add more until you have the density of sound you want. Too much filler dampens the sound because pieces cannot move freely.
What You Need
- A gourd, coconut shell or small hollow container — a hard, dry shell with an opening
- Filler — pebbles, dried beans of a known edible kind, or the gourd’s own seeds
- A sealing material — beeswax, clay or a tight wooden plug; see Beeswax
- Cordage for ankle or wrist rattles; see Two-Ply Twist
- A knife for cutting the opening
Method: A Gourd Shaker
Step 1: Choose a small, thin-walled gourd with a neck, picked when its skin is hard and dull rather than glossy and green.
Step 2: Dry it until it rattles. Hang it in an airy shaded place. You know it is dry when the seeds shake loose inside. This can take months.
Step 3: Cut the opening at the neck or top with a knife, cutting away from yourself and bracing the gourd.
Step 4: Clean out the pulp and wet seeds. The gourd’s own seeds make a good filler once dry.
Step 5: Add filler a little at a time, shaking after each addition.
Step 6: Seal the opening with wax, clay or a plug, and check that it cannot be pulled out by a child. A handle can be the neck or a stick passed through.
Method: Ankle Or Wrist Rattle
String shells, seed pods or bone pieces on cord, with knots between so they do not slide together. Tie around the wrist or ankle loosely enough not to cut off circulation; check after an hour of dancing.
Common Mistakes
- Sealing before the gourd is fully dry. Damp pulp rots inside and gives the shaker a bad smell.
- Using a sharp-edged tin. A cut tin can cut hands; fold the edge over or use a smooth shell.
- Choosing a filler by looks. Bright seeds are not necessarily safe; see below.
Safety
Poisonous seeds and swallowed fillers
Some attractive seeds are poisonous if chewed or swallowed, and the best-known examples are castor beans and the red-and-black seeds of rosary pea. A shaker made with wild seeds you cannot name is a poison in a child’s hand. Use pebbles, glazed-clay beads or beans you know are edible. Fillers small enough to swallow are a choking hazard for young children, so give a toddler only a shaker sealed so the filler cannot come out. For wild-plant identification see Poisonous Plants.
What’s Next
- Learn next: Claves & Rhythm Sticks — a sharper sound to sit above the shakers
- Combine with: Group Singing Without Instruments — shakers under a song