Cowbells

One of the easier percussion instruments to play

Resourceful percussionists can find rhythm in just about anything. Take the classic cowbell, for instance. What was once used to locate cattle and differentiate one herd from another, the cowbell (minus its clanger) somehow found its way into some of the most popular music from the past 30 years. Percussionists found that by striking their cowbell with a stick, they could keep time with just about any style of music. Listen closely to some of your favorite tunes and you might hear the familiar tapping sound of the cowbell. Artists like Madonna, the B-52’s, Pink Floyd, Britney Spears, The Beatles and many other famous acts have prominently used the cowbell one way or another in selected songs they perform. You can too.

If you’re a drummer or percussionist who doesn’t have a cowbell in your kit or collection, now’s a great time to add one. Not only is it one of the easier auxiliary percussion instruments to learn and play, it also gives you lots of different tones depending on where you strike it, from thick, lower pitched sound on the fat end versus thinner, lower pitched sounds on the slender end. Played with the tip of your drumstick, the cowbell delivers a softer sound, while striking the cowbell with the side of your stick adds loudness and projection power.