playing scallop shells

12 Oct 08 - 07:17 PM (#2463979)
Subject: playing scallop shells
From: Jack Campin

I have a few big scallop shells which should work well as friction idiophones. I believe they've been used in Cape Breton music among others. Anybody got any YouTube or soundfile links showing them in use, or know of commercial recordings?

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14 Oct 08 - 07:17 PM (#2465766)
Subject: RE: playing scallop shells
From: Jack Campin

Come on, SOMEBODY must know more.

I'd expected dozens of posts about exactly which species to use, whether both halves make the same sound, how to get better tone by soaking them in whisky or urine, and a link to a Google Books version of a 1922 tutor on scallopshell playing in Guarani by the Paraguayan Ministry of Ocean Fisheries. Has nobody else here even heard of the idea?

(I play the washboard; scallops have a brighter sound but seem a bit more rhythmically limited. And they're fragile - the one first-hand description I've heard said there were splinters of shell flying everywhere in performance).

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14 Oct 08 - 07:21 PM (#2465772)
Subject: RE: playing scallop shells
From: Tim Leaning

How can you tell the males from the females?
Maybe the males not so sharp

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14 Oct 08 - 07:38 PM (#2465788)
Subject: RE: playing scallop shells
From: Sorcha

Maybe like Spanish castanets?

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14 Oct 08 - 07:41 PM (#2465792)
Subject: RE: playing scallop shells
From: katlaughing

Ha! Found this at This Site:

    AS CUNCHAS (SHELLS)

ORIGIN AND HISTORY: Pilgrims have used them as a rhythmical instrument since the Middle Ages.

FAMILY TO WHICH IT BELONGS: Percussion (scraper).

MATERIAL: Scallop shells.

DESCRIPTION: It is a device used as a Galician folk instrument made up from two scallop shells because these are the biggest of all.

HOW TO PLAY IT: One shell is struck and scraped across the other to produce sound. They are usually used to accompany the bagpipe and the singing.

TYPE OF SOUND: It is characteristically sharp.

PERSONAL OPINION: We think it is a very typical Galician instrument due to the fact that it is easy to play and has a long tradition.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Off to look for more

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14 Oct 08 - 07:42 PM (#2465793)
Subject: RE: playing scallop shells
From: katlaughing

Also, this from Tattie:

Subject: RE: BS: Odd percussion indtruments
From: Tattie Bogle - PM
Date: 02 Dec 02 - 09:20 PM

From Santiago de Compostela: two scallop shells ( the symbol of St James -Sant Iago -) Hold one in left hand and run the rim of the other against it plus chink-chink in between: very effective, but when you use new shells expect bits to come flying off like dandruff everywhere!

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14 Oct 08 - 07:45 PM (#2465796)
Subject: RE: playing scallop shells
From: katlaughing

One more on the Galacian tradition:

The Cunchas Click Here for a photo (scroll down)(Figure 24)
Figure 24. The Cunchas
Figure 24. The Cunchas.

The cunchas or vieiras (scallop shells) have a privileged rank among the percussive instruments of popular Galician folk music. There is no need for many rules to be able to master and play them; all that is needed is a lot of practice. Place one in each hand, back to back, to obtain sharp sounds by rubbing the tips together; to obtain low sounds, rub the ends together. Another way to obtain different sound effects is to open and close your hands while rubbing the scallop shells together.

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14 Oct 08 - 07:52 PM (#2465800)
Subject: RE: playing scallop shells
From: katlaughing

I *think* they are the percussion heard, sort of, in this video.

Of course, you might ask the scallops if they'd like to play themselves as this one does about 1:45 into the video!**bg**

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14 Oct 08 - 07:53 PM (#2465801)
Subject: RE: playing scallop shells
From: Peace

I'm all for it!

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14 Oct 08 - 08:06 PM (#2465817)
Subject: RE: playing scallop shells
From: GUEST,hg

So are you actually IN Germany, garg?

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15 Oct 08 - 04:23 AM (#2466019)
Subject: RE: playing scallop shells
From: Old Roger

Sid Kipper plays scallop shells as a percussive accompaniment to some of his extremely funny songs. They are genuine Norfolk(UK) scallop shells. He also does likewise with two pairs of walnut shells which he attaches to his fingers and thumb like mini castanets. He takes these out of posh padded and lined case along with the story of his grandfather's virtuosity on those very instruments. Sid Kipper is not wholly loved by the British Folk fraternity as he basically takes the mickey out of many well known British folk songs by creating very funny parodies. He has quite a few CDs available if you can track down his website. He does complete shows. I am waiting for an opportunity to see one of his more recent works blowing the gaffe on the folk song collectors = "Vaughan Williams Stole My Folk Song".

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15 Oct 08 - 04:28 AM (#2466023)
Subject: RE: playing scallop shells
From: Peace

www.sidkipper.co.uk

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15 Oct 08 - 10:41 AM (#2466282)
Subject: RE: playing scallop shells
From: maeve

www.sidkipper.co.uk

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15 Oct 08 - 11:23 AM (#2466319)
Subject: RE: playing scallop shells
From: GUEST,Dazbo at work

A half Breton/half Swiss woman I know uses them, mainly scrapping them across each other with maybe a percussive hit at the start of the scrap (down and then across sort of motion) with the ridges at 90 degrees to the direction of motion. Can be a very effective accompanyment.

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31 Jul 11 - 08:05 AM (#3199021)
Subject: RE: playing scallop shells
From: Jack Campin

Found a video from the St Chartier festival this year where they feature, near the end:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxQnAr_D9Nk

What is the shirtless guy playing? A pair of razor clams?

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16 Dec 19 - 05:14 AM (#4024015)
Subject: RE: playing scallop shells
From: Jack Campin

I've been going back to these things over the last year and I've found a lot more tricks. Middling sized ones with deep ridges give you the most options. Can't do such complex rhythms as (ten-finger) washboard but the sound is quite different. I can easily pull off far more complex patterns than the guy in that St Chartier clip.

They have a problem you don't get with any other instrument. I was playing in a gastropub and came back from the loo to find the barman clearing them away with the dishes - they use identical shells to serve things on and he assumed mine belonged to the pub. I suppose bagpipers used to have the same issue in taverns where wine came in leather bags.

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16 Dec 19 - 06:04 PM (#4024158)
Subject: RE: playing scallop shells
From: Tattie Bogle

Ha-ha! I still have the ones I brought back from Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, as well as a tape cassette of a group called Tunas de Compostela who used to busk around the big square in front of the Cathedral there, including, of course, playing scallop shells!
Aye and watch out for the Coquilles St Jacques!

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19 Dec 19 - 07:53 AM (#4024560)
Subject: RE: playing scallop shells
From: Thompson

In the Spanish style

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19 Dec 19 - 08:10 AM (#4024563)
Subject: RE: playing scallop shells
From: Johnny J

There was a woman(Audrey) whom Jack will remember, I'm sure, who used to to play shells in some sessions around Edinburgh particularly Sandy Bells and The Fiddlers Arms in the old days. I can't remember if they they were scallop shells or something else.

Audrey's son Colin used to be quite active in the ceilidh dance scene as a caller and so on.

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19 Dec 19 - 08:21 AM (#4024567)
Subject: RE: playing scallop shells
From: Jack Campin

The guy in this related video gets sounds a bit like what I do:

Carlos Nunez in Compostela

I use a slightly different grip - static one held in the left hand the same way, but the striking one in the right is the same rather than inverted. Makes it more effective to scrape the thin edges together, which gives you the highest pitch available, while all the other sounds are still doable. And holding both by the side edges means no damping.

They're stronger than they look - I haven't broken one yet.

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19 Dec 19 - 09:20 AM (#4024579)
Subject: RE: playing scallop shells
From: Jack Campin

Audrey used a pair of spoons carved out of one piece of wood in a tong-like arrangement - she said she got it in Montreal. Dunno what you call that. And she played the bodhran (a lot) but I never heard her on scallops. Do you remember what kind of tune she used them for? Jigs are easiest, or jotas/fandangos if you use a lot of heavy whacks, but almost any rhythm is doable.

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19 Dec 19 - 09:27 AM (#4024580)
Subject: RE: playing scallop shells
From: John MacKenzie

Like this Jack ?

https://www.knockonwood.co.uk/Knock-on-Wood-Wooden-spoons

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19 Dec 19 - 09:29 AM (#4024582)
Subject: RE: playing scallop shells
From: Johnny J

Yes, I remember her on the bodhran and other things but she did play some kind of shells too.
It's a long time ago but it was particularly Irish and Scottish tune sessions she seemed to prefer.

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19 Dec 19 - 10:36 AM (#4024606)
Subject: RE: playing scallop shells
From: GUEST,Jack Campin

Audrey's spoon things were much better made than the ones in John's link - smoothed off more, and made from one piece of wood rather than two fixed together (which probably made no difference to the sound, simply showing off by the maker). But the same basic design. I have seen other people with them.

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