How to Do Thumb Rolls on Tambourine

Tambourine is a simple percussion instrument, yet have multiple methods to play with. One interesting technique to play tambourine is “Thumb Rolls”. The thumb roll or can also be called finger rolls technique can be played to add the flavor of the music piece because of the soft roll that will be produced. Sometimes, some songs require this technique to be played. There are some types of tambourine but this method needs a tambourine with a flat surface on one side instead of an open ring.

First, the most important of the technique is to not to try so hard on the tambourine surface and makes it hard to produce the sound. Try to add some wax on the surface or wet your thumb so you have an adequate friction applied on the surface. Take your thumb like a hitchhiking, rub around the head and just following the curve. Try push you thumb from softer and then repeat the same way harder until you found the accurate pace to produce the perfect thumb roll sound. It won’t work the first time you rub it, but if you keep using the same way as mentioned and finally found the exact way to roll it, you will not regret learning it. This video will show you how it’s done plus using index finger to make rolls on tambourine.