sound ideas

chimes
Hang resonating objects in ropes, next to each other, and set them in motion. Shells, bamboos, forks, sticks, ice, screws… whatever you've got, and believe in. These sounds are great for blending into pads or strings and especially in film-related settings. They can bring synthetic sounds stuff to life

On some filmwork I did last year, I used a violin-bow on some dangling metalchimes. Came out pretty nice in the end, as a light angelic atmos-thingy tingeling-thing,

Typewriter
If you’re into doing strange stuff, take it apart and install the typing-hammers it in front of other objects. Maybe piano strings(!) or mallets?, strings, Drums ?

scraping

Scraping percussion are usually associated with guiros – an instrument found in the perc section of latin-music. But you don’t need a standard guiro to make scraping sounds. In-fact anything with ridged surfaces can be used, from guitarstrings to radiators.
Select the pieces that will work by judging its clarity in tone, its sound and pitch. Focus on the mid-tones, and the richness in the timbre. Much mid-tone is an advantage, and gives more character.

Some objects might surprise you. And reveal timbre that you would not have guess by its appearance. Some smaller things might produce rich and deeper sounds, while other bigger objects might be brighter than expected. With close mi-placements you can get great bottom-end even with small instruments.

The guiro that we like to use is made out of bamboo. The one I like to use is a closed guiro with small beans inside. So it also works as a shaker, two instruments in one. It has a lovely soft scraping sound. Another favorite is to scrape the deeper pianostrings (the death-scrape). But we have also collected industrial scrap and offbeat materials ranging from accordion parts to artillery shells, washboards, sandpaper, huge springs and large screws

BICYCLE WHEEL
The spokes are struck with mallets or bowed. Preferably with a bassbow or cello bow. You can also spin the wheel while holding some hard paper or stick into the spokes for a guiro kind of quality.

Household instruments

Gonna expand my blogwritings with some info about how I work with sound – in a broader sense. It’s about seeking the possibilities that are there, be open minded, and seek what possibilities that are inherent in the instruments, and whatever you might have at hand. Let the sounds inspire you to go down new creative roads. Let´s start in the deepest end in the perc dept. with the bassdrum.

USE DOOR AS BASSDRUM
I’ve had some success by sitting on the floor while holding a open wooden-door with my knees. Placing a mic on one side, and striking and hitting the other side. With your knees and your body, you adjust the sound by dampening the vibrations. The last time I did this, I used a regular SM57 mic close to the center of the door. Sounded very cool, bit "Tom Waits´ish". A bassdrum mic might be cooler for more bottom.

other household alternatives
With a mic up close, you can achieve a deep bassdrum sound by hitting a wall. Depending on the wall, and the sound, but find something not to hard- but not to soft either to use as a stick. Maybe just the palm of your hand is enough. A resonating big woodbox – preferably with a mic inside, can also produce some quite fabulous kicks. These can be stepped on, or just struck like a normal drum. A nearby solution can be to pull out a drawer, empty it, and turn it around on the floor.

washing-machine tub - you could try to make a drum out of the tub from a washing machine A trashy metallic sound! It will look kinda cool. And all the small drain holes will contribute to a special perc sound.