First Shekere

[KidCuba]

I finally got around to stringing up my first shekere.

I purchased the gourd on E-bay and used 8mm wooden beads.

Definatley learned a lot from the experience. My skills in term of knotting the skirt definately need improvement. Overall, it sounds pretty good and will work well within a rumba context.

Here is a picture, please, no laughing from you master craftsmen - but feed back is appreciated.

[bongosnotbombs]

Nice job, not too many beads, I prefer that way for sound. I haven't tried that beading method before, though you see it on a lot of the Cuban shekeres. Nothing like building your own instruments. I'm sure it won't be your last one

[KidCuba]

I backed up into that design out of necessity. Unable to find a shorter, wider gourd, I went with a more narrow gourd and shot for a design similar to those I saw in Pogoloti, while in Cuba, during a bembe.

In terms of knoting, it is sparse and very uneven. I wanted a few more beads, but ran out.

I kept it as natural looking as possible. I would have liked to tie off the bottom strand with a ring of cord, but figutre out how to do that. I ended up tying the vertical cords and cuting them down.

I learned a lot, but need to study up a bit more.

[bongosnotbombs]

To put a bottom ring on, you need to tie one more diamond at the bottom of the net, then just loop a cord through the holes of the diamonds, tie it off, then trim the ends of the net string.

[windhorse]

This is a Guiro being demonstrated by my friend Thom. I recorded this so I could study different Guiro styles. He's not a world-class player by any means, but he's one of my teachers. He subscribes to the belief that more beads - denser skirt is better. The reason being that less motion on the player's part gets more sound out of the gourd. Makes sense to me.
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/10287309/Bamboche/Guiro.m4v

I used to play a gourd with less beads and lower density:
http://www.youtube.com/user/windhorsage?feature=mhee#p/u/20/lCxnjZPrFOk

And then had it re-beaded with more denser beads and tighter skirt:
http://www.youtube.com/user/windhorsage?feature=mhee#p/u/10/tR4niWiWt8Q

Sorry about my crappy singing.. It's getting better now, after working on it for several years..

[KidCuba]

In terms of the skirt, what sort of string or cord are you using? I think my string (thin nylon) was not thick enough and too light.

Any recommendation on a particular size, or distributer on the Internet, or elsewhere?

[bongosnotbombs]

I'm using braided nylon, I think it is .7 or .9 mm.

[OLSONGO]

I use braided nylon also, you can get it at home depot in different colors. they sell it as leveling cord.
Peace
Olsongo