Hippie Dance Takeover: All You Need Is A Tree

 
Music

Oh I tried, yes I tried! Tried to fine-tune that shaker sound of a bitch, ending up rocking back and forth in the corner of my studio, pulling at my hair and banging my head on the padded walls.

Staying up night after night trolling through eBay looking for unaffordable vintage drum computers until- drum-roll – Aksel and Mauricio took me, as if for rehab, to this forest of shaker solutions. 

Fantastic Twins: Sometimes I wonder, since it is a familiar place for you, you might not see it as strange as it looks- or do you?

Rebolledo: I really don't see it as strange at all. Hahahahahaha.

That's 'cause you're mental. Now, tell our friends about what grows on the trees over there.

Musical instruments! These trees make some kind of long bean seeds that have a pretty nice sound and can be used as shakers. I have used them many times on my recordings, solo or together with Aksel for some Pachanga action. 

Do you know what these trees are called?

Framboyanes- in the right season they have beautiful red flowers.

How long does it take the beans to grow?

Not sure about that. I guess it's an annual cycle since that's how they spread their seeds and they fall at some point.

Are those beans a common feature in traditional mexican music or is it just us who feel a special connection to them?

I've never really seen them being used as we do. I guess we made them our own.

Can you describe the bean sound?

It depends on how you use them. In general, it's similar to a shaker but kind of less messy because the seeds don't move around so much. Each one has its own individual space, which makes the sound pretty precise. If you move it in a wave motion the sound can be a bit longer and round. If you move it faster it becomes more definite. If you move it sideways instead of backwards and forwards there's another effect. Then you can also slap it and it becomes a clap with a tail or you can grab two or three at a time and have a "choir of seeds"- a more robust shaker sound. I really enjoy using them.

What makes the difference between a good sounding bean and a bad one? How do you choose them?

Hard to say. I guess it depends on the taste. Some are looser so they actually shake more. The tight ones almost don't make any sound. Then you would see how high or low their sound is. It's nice to pick many in order to have a spectrum of sound.

Your uncle has got another special fancy collection inside his house. What is it?

Jejeje. This guy. He's always had a special unique taste and likes to collect different kinds of stuff like strange mineral stones, bar/casino items, but I think you're referring to his antique gun collection- very old revolvers from different origins and eras. I guess they match pretty well with the surroundings. 

See.

All. You. Need. Is. A. Tree.


Follow Rebolledo HERE.

Follow Fantastic Twins HERE.

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