A shaker is simply some form of sealed vessel filled with seeds or small balls or pebbles. Rhythmically shake your shaker to give a beat more drive and without shouting over the other instruments in the rhythm section.
Percussive Shakers: Egg Shakers, Caxixi & More
Egg shakers, caxixi and kashakas all have the same design and are made to produce the same sound effect. By sealing a handful of small and hard balls insides a hollow vessel, these instruments can be shaken to collide and throw those little balls against the sides of the vessel and create a distinct percussive sound. One of the most well-known shakers ever are maracas, but you'll also see cylindrical shakers in the hands of many professional percussionists. If you're looking for a rain-stick, see our Sound Effect department.
Plastic, Metal or Wooden Shakers
So they can be mass produced at a lower cost, a lot of shakers are made from plastic. While plastic shakers are more flexible when it comes to the shape (so you can get plastic shakers shaped like an egg or ball, or shaped specifically to improve the sound or grip), the advantage of picking out a wooden shaker is that you'll get a warmer sound. If you're looking for a more bright and fierce shaker sound, then you'll probably prefer a metal shaker.
Playing Shakers
To play a shaker, you simply shake it in a rhythmic pattern in time to a beat. Normally, the shaker is held in the palm of your hand and shaken back and forth while keeping your wrist relaxed. From there, you can experiment with accents and rhythm variations to make your shaker technique more dynamic. For example, you could try playing one strong accent (hard shake) followed by three softer accents (lighter shakes) to vary the beat. Of course, there are endless shaker variations to discover.
Frequently Asked Questions About Shakers
What are shakers made of?
Most shakers are made of plastic, which brings the price down and means that a shaker can take virtually any form. Some shakers are made from wood for a warmer shaker sound, or from metal for a brighter and fiercer shaker sound.
What are shakers used for?
A shaker is some form of sealed vessel filled with small balls, pebbles, or seeds that can be rhythmically shaken along with a beat and other musical instruments to inject a little drive into the music. Shakers are a big feature of samba music, but can actually be used in any genre.
