Making a Shekere

• You'll need to acquire a gourd, some nylon string and some beads, buttons or shells.
  Gourds are basically fruits like melons, squash and pumpkins. You may find gourds for sale at a supermarket, farmers market or fruit stand during the months of October and November. Be sure to select one with a neck.
  The gourd must be dried. This can take one to six months, depending on its size and the climate. Elevate the gourd on a screen or wire rack so that air can circulate around the entire fruit. Keep it in a warm, dry area and check it every few days to wipe off any mold so that it doesn't rot. When the gourd is brown, hard and light, it has been successfully dried.
  
  Once dried, scrub the outside with soap and water, removing all of the blemishes. Using a hacksaw, cut off the top of the gourd, leaving enough of the neck to be able to hold it with one hand. Using a long stick, loosen the seeds and fibers so that you can shake them out. Be careful because the shell may crack. Also be aware than when cleaning the insides, there may be dust and fumes that may be irritable. You may want to wear a mask and clean the gourd outside. Consider this while cleaning: the smoother and cleaner the walls, the more it will resonate.
  
  Once cleaned, you may choose to add a stain to deepen the color or add protection by using a finish like shellac.
  
  Next, tie a piece of string around the neck. Then, take 15 to 30 lengths of string, the number depending on the size of your gourd. Each string should be about eight times longer than the gourd. Take the middle of each length and place it underneath the string collar at the neck, forming a loop. Then take the two loose ends and run them through the loop, creating a slipknot around the collar. After each string is tied to the collar in this manner, it's time to string the beads.
  
  On one loose end of each string, thread a bead and push it to the top. Tie a half knot with the loose ends then move on to the next string until you've completed a row all the way around. Repeat this process until you've almost reached the bottom of each string. If you're feeling creative, you can experiment with the way you thread the beads onto each string. For instance, you can thread beads on both ends or thread multiple beads on one end before tying the half knot.
  
  At the bottom, take a separate piece of string and tie each of the beaded strings around the collar to close the net. If the gourd is small and the net hangs below the gourd, you can tie all of the loose ends together, creating a tail.
  
  

Playing the Shekere

• You don't want to play your shekere with a heavy beater or mallet. If you choose to use a striking implement, use something light, such as a wire hanger or a very thin, light stick.
  
  The shekere can be played seated or standing. Holding it at the neck by one hand, you can use the other to tap the shell, move the net of beads against the shell wall or pull on the net. With both hands, you can shake the instrument like a maraca.
  
  You'll get one set of tones from the beads by holding it diagonally, hands on the top and bottom. Then, without it leaving your hands, shift the weight of the shekere up toward the top hand to a horizontal position. Then, shift it back toward the bottom hand, returning it to the diagonal position.
  
  You can achieve other bead tones by holding the shekere horizontally with both hands and, using a sharp wrist movement, flip the beads away from or toward you.
  
  As for striking the shekere, if you hold it with a hand at the top in an upright or slightly diagonal position, and let if fall against heel of your palm, you'll get a bass tone. Tapping it with your fingers will give you a sharper, higher attack.