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Re: Top tambourinist

At last!  Someone who is prepared to ask the really burning questions.
These are matters that have been troubling me for some time too, but I was
too timid to ask.  As an ardent admirer of several  professional tambourine
exponents, I am loathe to pick out any as being really head and shoulders
above the others - each can execute a dazzling thumb roll and their shaking
technique leaves me breathless with admiration.

In my experience, it is best to employ one of the custom fit double jingle
row vellum headed models.  The companies who make these are happy to let you
choose the donor beast for quality of hide.  They also will make a caste of
your hand in much the same way as a dentist would of your gums so that they
can size the hole and bevel the edges for an exact fit for your hand.  This
is a real bonus in pieces such as "The James Bond Collection" where thumb
fatigue can pose a real problem.  I would only use the plastic-framed models
when it is necessary to affix the instrument to a stand.  How do others feel
about this?

I am usually fairy serious about my tambourine playing and eschew the use of
ribbons for serious pieces - I am concerned that they add unnecessary drag
and don't usually flap properly in time with the music.  In more
light-hearted concerts however, I am pleased to attach ribbons (only to one
of my less valuable instruments, of course) in the colours of the band
uniform.  If I can get advanced information about the decor of the concert
venue I will sometimes select ribbons to tone in.  I consider that switching
ribbons to suit a particular piece of music - for example, colours of the
Italian flag for "Napoli" - is a frivolous and timewasting activity.  Others
might think differently.

I am certain that the best exercise is simply in practising the parts
themselves, although repeated raising of a glass weighted with beer to one's
mouth can increase wrist strength and endurance.  Alternating hands is best.
I have seen some players spend hours selflessly devoted to this repetitive
drudgery in order to make better players of themselves.

Unfortunately my library of tambourine recordings is rather limited and I
believe that the old favourite, "Non-Stop Tambourine Dancing Hits" is now
very difficult to obtain.  If anyone can direct me to where I can purchase a
copy of this or my other source of inspiration, "Tibetan Tambourine
Tintinnabulation" I would love to replace my rather worn copies.  Does
anyone know if these have been re-released on CD?  Do you have any contacts
in the business Murray?

Thanks for the opportunity to get my thoughts off my chest.

Wendy Spencer
sometime tambourine jangler
and struggling euphonium player

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