Cowbells are used across the world to make noise at celebrations and sporting events. This began because celebrations and sports are often held in fields near herds of cows, who traditionally had bells around their necks so their owners knew where they were. The cowbell or agogo percussion instrument found in Africa and South America developed from this. It consists of two differently sized metal ‘bells’ that create two different notes. These do not have clappers — to play them you hit them instead of shaking them.
To make an ‘agogo’ cowbell recycled percussion instrument, you will need:
- 2 differently sized clean tins or 2 differently sized clean plastic bottles.
- assorted medium and large size rubber bands
- a large cooking spoon (the size you would use to stir a saucepan)
- a dessert spoon (the size you would use to eat pudding or cereal)
Agogos are not decorated instruments, so you don’t need paint or pens for this.
Click on the pictures to make them bigger.
Using the bottles (scroll down to see the instructions using tins):
1) Find a rubber band that fits around the larger bottle and slide it on near the bottom. (The bottoms of the bottles will become the tops.) Push the handle of the cooking spoon into the rubber band and twist it round again once. Push the bottle and rubber band up towards the bowl of the spoon. Keep the spoon to the left of the bottles if you are right-handed, and to the right of the bottles if you are left-handed.
2) Find a rubber band that fits around the smaller bottle, and attach it to the bottle and spoon handle as before. Then push the smaller bottle up so it touches the larger one. Finally, put 2 large rubber bands around both bottles to hold them together.
Now your cowbells are ready to play. They will have two different notes so you can play a rhythm. Hold the bowl of the cooking spoon in one hand so the cowbells swing freely, and hit the bottoms of the bottles with the dessert spoon, holding it by the bowl again.
Using the tins
1) Find a rubber band that fits around the larger tin and slide it on near the bottom. (The bottoms of the tins will become the tops.) Push the handle of the cooking spoon into the rubber band and twist it round again once. Push the tin and rubber band up towards the bowl of the spoon. Keep the spoon to the left of the tins if you are right-handed, and to the right of the tins if you are left-handed.
2) Find a rubber band that fits around the smaller tin, and attach it to the tin and spoon handle as before. Then push the smaller tin up so it touches the larger one. Finally, put 2 large rubber bands around both tins to hold them together.
Now your cowbells are ready to play. They will have two different notes so you can play a rhythm. Hold the bowl of the cooking spoon in one hand so the cowbells swing freely, and hit the bottoms of the tins with the dessert spoon, holding it by the bowl again.