about
The inspiration for my instruments comes from the music we play, the musicians who play it, as well as the artisans and makers of instruments who came before us and whose work makes it possible for us to bring a musical story to life.
I have brought a sound to life which had been in my mind’s ear for many years. It is a musical instrument with great sensitivity and response that easily blends with other instruments. It sounds interesting and complete when played by itself and allows the player to bring their personal voice to the music. It is easy to play, easy to hold, and helps the player with their musical choices with a truly bespoke musical instrument.
EVERYTHING OLD IS NEW AGAIN, VINTAGE STYLE AND VINTAGE SOUNDS.
Artisnal
BALANCE OF JINGLES TO FRAME TO SKIN. EVERYTHING WORKING TOGETHER IN HARMONY.
Simplicity
BRILLIANCE OF BRASS
AN NO EXTRA PINS, TIES, NAILS, OR STAPLES. JUST A SKIN ATTACHED TO THE FRAME.
Elegance
tambourineLAB* instruments are made in small batches. They have a thin and shallow maple veneer frame, while each jingle is hand-cut, hand-hammered, and hand-shaped and tested before setting them into the frame. mixedJINGLE* (patent pending) is my creation for distributing the jingles in different weights, so there is a blend of colours and response through the dynamic and textural range. It is a new and innovative way to create a voicing which is unique to each tambourine.
I love working with brass for my jingles. It is a beautiful material with great connection to the instruments used by our colleagues in orchestras and ensembles and more so with the history of our own instrument family through beautiful drums over hundreds of years. The skins are natural, kangaroo hide, ethically sourced here in Australia. They are soaked in harvested rainwater and are the very strongest skin suitable for drums. I am very proud to offer an instrument which is organic, and hand made with local materials. There is a very small piece of Australia in every instrument.
YOUR TAMBOURINE
SHOULD SOUND EXOTIC.
IT SHOULD EXCITE YOU
AND IT SHOULD EXCITE THE LISTENER.
Exotic
BRING YOUR PERSONAL MUSICAL VOICE TO LIFE.
Character
YOUR TAMBOURINE
IS YOUR TAMBOURINE.
IT'S MADE FOR YOU, WITH YOUR CHOICES,
FOR THE MUSIC YOU ARE PLAYING.
Personalised
Each tambourine is numbered and has the name of the player, ensemble or school stamped into one of the jingles along with the year it was made. I keep a record of every tambourine, including notes about the makeup of jingles and heads and sizes. Each tambourine is unique and made to order and is the only truly custom and personalised tambourine available anywhere in the world.
Full Mix
Full Mix is a distribution of three weights evenly around the frame.
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Up and Down
Up and Down is voiced for supporting a crescendo or decrescendo around the frame.
Natural
Natural is all the same jingle, usually a medium weight all the way around.
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What is Colour?
For me, colour goes with context and character. How does the instrument fit with itself and music you are playing?
How does it fit with the instruments around you? How does it fit with the music you are all playing? Does it blend, does it dominate, does it cut through, does it bring magic to special moments?
At this level, it’s not about the jingle material, or the shell material, or the skin material individually, it’s about how they work together. How big are your hands? How long are you fingers? I’m around 5’11” and there are tambourines I own and love which are just too deep and too heavy to hold and practice with for a long time.
I struggle with how to fit these instruments into some musical settings because, I know, like a pair of sticks which are too big and heavy, they will lead my technique and musical concepts in one direction when what I really need, is the flexibility, colour and response from an instrument which supports my musical choices and musical journey.
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Colour can mean many things, but I think of it in terms of the instrument being in balance. It must balance with the colleagues and the music.
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There is not one tambourine, the same way there is not one snare drum or pair of cymbals....we must think more about how the choices we make help to tell the musical story and for me, this is the process which starts my musical choices - and is never to be made by the instrument
on my behalf. Often, some instruments make all the important decisions, and our musical concepts and physical technique are boxed into a corner without us even realising.
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- Guy du Blêt
