Tamborim Beater

by drumperry

12K914

Intro: Tamborim Beater

A tamborim is a small percussion instrument from Brazil, used in samba music and other styles of Brazilian music. They are played with a flexible plastic beater, which is basically a bundle of two or more thin plastic rods.

I bought a tamborim beater in Brazil that is made with two high quality flexible plastic sticks. Unfortunately, these plastic sticks are rather hard to come by outside of Brazil. I've searched everywhere but I can't seem to find the same material. Companies like LP and Meinl make tamborim sticks, but they are poor quality and don't last very long. They also cost about $5 or more. I've found that you can make a better beater with plastic coat hangers and stuff you can find around the house!

STEP 1: Materials and Tools

Like I said, you can probably find all the materials you need around your house.

You'll need:

2 or 3 plastic coat hangers
Electrical tape
A file(or the sidewalk)
Wire cutters(or something else that can cut plastic)

STEP 2: Making the Sticks

You can use 2 or 3 sticks to make your beater depending on what you prefer. I even saw some tamborim players in Brazil that used a beater with seven sticks! They were very thin sticks though.

Plastic hangers seem to make really good sticks. I used plain white hangers, but you could use different color hangers if you like. Blue, yellow, and green would make a nice Brazilian flag colored beater or red, green, yellow, or black would make a cool Axe/Olodum colored beater.

To make the sticks you'll need to cut the long part of the hanger off. Then use a file to round one end of each stick. If you don't have a file, just go outside and scrape the stick on the sidewalk until it is round.

STEP 3: Taping the Sticks Together

I used electrical tape, but you could use duct tape or some other kind of tape that is fairly durable. I think electrical tape works the best though. You can also get electrical tape in different colors!

To tape the sticks together, start by wrapping a small piece of tape over the non-rounded end of the sticks. Then spiral the tape up the sticks until you get a little less than halfway up, circle around a couple of times and then spiral back down to the bottom and cut the tape.

STEP 4: That's It!

You're finished! Now you have a nice tamborim beater. I actually like the one I made better than the one I bought in Brazil. Also, if you loose or break your tamborim beater, you can now easily and cheaply make another one!

Now go play some samba!!! :D

14 Comments

Jesus DavidM 8 years ago

gue bien

tamborim

I love en tamborim.

SuriSean 13 years ago

Well, I just finished building a tamborim from a 6" pvc ring, some music wire, some hardware parts and anaconda skin... it looks neat, and it sounds nice. For the very few of you that do not have anoconda skin, rontgen pictures make great drumskins! I am not sure how to do a tutorial on how i did it all though, but am willing to share information!

eshneto 14 years ago

 I love playing tamborim. Ta caraca tá caraca tá... or teco teco teleco teleco teco, ah ah ah!

Cardinal Fang 15 years ago

Tamborims (or "tams) have a loud, fairly high pitched "crack" when hit. You can fake one on many things including pots and pans. Not quite the same as a real tam, but good enough if you're improvising.

gmoon 16 years ago

Anyone have a link where I might hear a Tamborim? That's such a cool little drum--and I though a bodhrán was small....

rikkdbomb 16 years ago

yeah this is cool and all but who the hell has a tamborim... i wish this was on how to make a tamborim, not just a drumstick. those are easy to buy, but I guess you wanted something specific to the instrument.

drumperry 16 years ago

This was intended for people who already have a tamborim and don't want to spend the extra money on a stick. Also, for a school or community samba group to save money.

joejoerowley 16 years ago

I love the Tamborim. It is a great instrument. Very Loud!!

drumperry 16 years ago

Yeah, this beater I made is even louder than the one I got in Brazil too!

Tonamel 16 years ago

Now if only I could make the tamborim as cheaply and easily!