Woodblocks
About Woodblocks
The woodblocks are a small, two-toned slit drum made from a single piece of wood. It is basically a percussion instrument. Although it is popular in the western orchestra, it has its origins in the Han Chinese culture.
Because of the fact that the Chinese were the first people to invent this instrument, woodblocks are often referred to as the “Chinese woodblock.” Some people also spell the word into two parts, like wood blocks. Other names for this instrument include clog box and tap box. As the name suggests, this instrument is of teak or other hardwood. It is either a rectangular or a cylindrical block of wood with one or two horizontal cavities. However, the exact dimensions will differ from model to model. Read this article to find out more about them. Having a better understanding of them will help you make the right choices when you are shopping.
A beginner’s guide to buying woodblock instrument
It falls into the category of handheld percussion instruments. Up until a century ago, not many people outside Asia were aware of this instrument. It was a group of jazz musicians that popularised this instrument in the 1900s. These days, drummers commonly use it. Most woodblocks have a rectangular shape, but there are some that are also cylindrical. Although this might sound ironical, some modern wood blocks are of plastic instead of wood. Then there are also the “Jam Blocks”, which are stronger than their wooden counterparts.
Origin of the woodblocks
The origins of wood blocks are in traditional Chinese culture. For the Chinese, however, this instrument was much more than that. They widely used this instrument as a part of their religious rituals and as part of festivals and celebrations. Today, most historians accept that it was jazz and vaudeville drummers of the early 20th century that brought this instrument into the western music scene. There is also another instrument that is a slight variation of the woodblocks that are the temple blocks.
Playing the woodblocks
You need either a drumstick or a mallet to play a woodblock. When struck, this instrument creates vibration. These vibrations travel across the wood and produce a variety of different sounds. You can change the notes and characteristics of the sound by striking at different spots on the wood and varying the pace. If you want more range of sounds than what a single woodblock can produce, you can also use a set of woodblocks with each one of them tuned to a different pitch.
Sound of the woodblocks
Basically, they sound similar to what knocking on a hollow door sounds like. However, the sound changes depending on where you hit and how hard you hit. This also depends on the construction of the block itself. Unlike hitting on a plain wooden piece, the sound of woodblocks is penetrating and resonant. It can have either a medium-range or a high-range pitch, depending on the size of the woodblock and how it is tuned. By controlling the location and style of the strike, drummers can control the notes.
Plastic woodblock instruments
Traditionally, wood was the only material for making woodblocks. Given the fact that these instruments are simply a piece of wood with a hollow cut out, this also makes sense. But recently, woodblocks have also been manufactured from high-density moulded plastic. These instruments will have an internal cavity that serves as a resonating space, just like wooden woodblocks. Because of the advancements in material science, it is possible to make plastic ‘woodblocks’ that have comparable quality to wooden woodblocks.
Tips on how to buy Woodblocks Online
The woodblock instrument is basically a rectangular piece of wood with a horizontal hollow cut out that works as a resonating chamber. Technically, this is a simple instrument. But finding the right instrument can be much harder than you might think. This is because of the sheer variety of them on the market. However, it can be easier if you know what factors to consider in these instruments. Here are a few things to keep in mind while you are shopping for woodblocks instruments online.
- Volume of the instrument – First of all, you should decide how loud you need the instrument to be. Depending on your needs you will either need a block that can easily fill big, enclosed spaces (like gymnasiums) or one that can fit well with a microphone attachment if you’re playing for a large audience.
- Material – The primary material of the woodblock will dramatically influence its sound quality. To ensure quality, make sure to choose models that use high-quality materials such as hardwood, Siam wood, cedar, maple, and mahogany. Unlike woodblocks, jam blocks use synthetic materials such as PVC, ABS, and bakelite. There are, however, plastic wood blocks that use special proprietary blends of plastic. These can create sounds that closely mimic those of the wooden blocks.
- Sound quality – Woodblocks should have full resonating tonal characteristics. Wood blocks of poor quality create flatter sounds, and the sound will be lower in intensity. Just by listening to them, you can easily distinguish a good woodblock from a poor one.
- Price and durability – Just like any other wooden instrument, woodblocks also tend to lose their characteristics over time. This can be because of the accumulation of moisture in the wood or drying of the wood. But good quality wood that is treated properly can ensure long life and preserves the sound quality for many decades.
If you are a musician, you will need many other things apart from musical instruments. These include accessories like instrument cases, instrument stands, cleaning kits, microphones, mixers, amplifiers, preamps, and audio cables. You can find any of these using our shopping search engine . It will also allow you to compare the prices and features of different products and pick the best one among them. So, don’t forget to check out all the other amazing products from the Musical Instruments category.
Question & Answer
How to choose a woodblock instrument?
There are a variety of different types of woodblocks. For beginners, there are really affordable ones that will cost only a few hundred dirhams. At the same time, this type of woodblocks is durable enough for casual users. The tuning of these instruments won’t be of professional quality. Then there are the really high-end ones that will cost you a few thousand dirhams. However, the high-end models will give you great built quality and perfect tuning. Interestingly, there are also more affordable plastic models.
Can children play woodblocks?
Yes, woodblocks are very versatile instruments and can be played even by young children. Also being a simple instrument, they can also be used as toys. Keep in mind that kids love to play with whatever that is interesting and makes noise. But make sure you double-check the minimum age requirement before buying. Most children’s wood blocks will have an age limit of three or four years old. Just like children’s building block sets, woodblocks made for children tend to have bright colours.
Where to buy woodblock instruments online in the UAE?
Woodblocks are simple yet interesting musical instruments. Despite the fact that there are no complex mechanisms that go into their construction, it is imperative to consider the quality of the instrument. Fortunately, there are plenty of places that offer woodblocks. But if you want access to thousands of different models, you should look for them online. You can find a wide range of good quality yet affordable woodblocks instruments using our retail search engine. Shops.ae will help you find the best prices for all other kinds of musical instruments and musical accessories as well.
If you are looking to buy woodblock instruments online in the UAE, look no further as you are in the right place. There are more than 500 shops and brands offering musical instruments online on Shops.ae. These shops offer products from popular brands like Basic Beat, Blocks, Gon Bops, Green Tones, LP, Ludwig, and Meinl.