Washboard rhythms are primarily made up of taps and scratches. How you choose to combine these taps and scratches into rhythmic patterns is up to you, but here are a few hints to get you started.
When to Tap and When to Scratch
Most of a washboard’s accompaniment will be created with the short taps rather than the long scratches. The scraping sound commonly associated with this instrument is a great accent, but it tends to take over a tune when used too frequently.
In addition to the taps and scratches, many washboard players toss in added percussion from cans, bells, horns, or wood blocks they’ve attached to their board. These sounds can be perfect touches at just the right moment, but should be used sparingly most of the time.
Remember, your job as the washboard player is to back up and fill out the tune. As a rule, you’ll want to focus on keeping a steady rhythm while you’re playing remains simple and unobtrusive. Don’t worry, even washboard players get solo breaks every now and then.
How to Play Easy Washboard Rhythms
To work your way into a song, you can start by tapping on the downbeats. These are the places where you’d be clapping if you didn’t have thimbles on your fingers. Once you get a feel for the tune, work in a scratch or two on the beats you want to emphasize. You can try taps on off beats to add syncopation.
Simple Rhythm Patterns for the Washboard
Your scratches are the beats that will be most emphasized. Try counting 1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2, 3, 4. When you have a steady beat, scratch on 1 then tap on 2, 3, and 4. This simple rhythm will compliment most songs in 4/4 time.
To change things up, try tapping on 1, 2, and four, and saving your scratch for 3. Another variation is a simple scratch, tap, scratch, tap.
Longer scratches covering two beats can add a whole new sound. Try a slow scratch on 1 and 2 followed by two taps for 3 and 4. This rhythm will sound something like “scra-atch, tap, tap, scra-atch, tap tap.”
Another pattern involves a tap on an off beat as well as a drawn-out scratch. Three taps come before the long scratch and are counted as 1, 2 and, scra-atch
Like mandolin chops, washboard scratches can sound good on the upbeats too. Try A tap on one, followed by a short scratch, then three other taps. The pattern is counted 1, scratch, 3, 4 and.
When you use a whisk or wire brush on your washboard, the scratches are less prominent and can appear more often. With a quick up-down flick of the wrist after a short tap on the downbeat, you can achieve a “Scratcha” sound that emphasizes the “and a” beat in a count of 1-and-a-2-and-a-3-and-a-4-and-a. The rhythm sounds something like 1 scratcha, 2 scratcha, 3 scratcha, 4 scratcha.
In related articles, readers will discover:
- A history of washboards as musical instruments,
- Ideas and instructions for customizing a washboard with homemade percussion,
- And an introduction to holding, scratching, and tapping a washboard.
Marcy Paulson - From the moment Marcy Paulson picked up a recorder in fourth grade music class, she was hooked. Since then, her passion for music has ...
