Bass String Tambourine
Powerful chords that fill the room
The string tambourine originally comes from France, where it was used in the Middle Ages as an accompaniment instrument, similar to a hammered dulcimer or a chorded zither. Each chord is made up of three strings which are hit with a mallet, a plectrum or the fingertips.
The string tambourine is ideal for people who like singing but up to now have not had a simple accompaniment instrument for that.
Sound
The bass string tambourine has a powerful, warm, deep tone and is ideal as an easy-to-play accompanying instrument for simple songs or as a harmony-forming element in improvisation with all kinds of melodic instruments.
With the six basic chords C major, G major, F major, A minor and D minor, the scope for design remains clear and yet there are enough combination options to create a varied, musical exchange. The string spacing is generous so that all chords can be plucked without any problems. Playing with the mallets creates a very unique timbre and allows for a rhythmic style of playing.
Applications
The string tambourine is suited to accompanying songs with chords, similar to a guitar. And yet it is much simpler to play because you only have to hit the chords and don’t have to change the fingering as with guitar chords.
This instrument has therefore proven particularly useful in school music lessons, as both children and teachers learn to accompany songs themselves in a very short time using the string tambourine. As part of the Jekits project, the instrument has already been used with great success in many schools nationwide.