Hello again,
I seem to be posting an awful lot lately.
Here's the situation. We are doing a small skit for a very large group of children and parents on Wednesday, July 20th. Our skit involves 2 of us being knocked out by shovel. We've rehearsed the death out of the skit, but a big problem is that, aside from slapping our hands together, stomping on the ground, or slapping our sides, we have no way of making a good bang sound. Ideally we'd like it to sound like two pots banging together, or even like someone banging on a gong, but we don't know of a way of carrying something around like this, without it being obvious. We thought of bringing in another person who's only job is to make the sounds, but everyone in our group already has a job to do and can't be spared for this.
Any suggestions, or ideas on a way to carry something either hidden, or as part of the outfit that will produce a nice bang sound?
Thanks in advance for any and all suggestions.
Sir. Kindle
What about a digital recorder (i.e. iPhone) with the sound recorded on it. One of the members not in at that point could sound it off.
Quote from: Dinobabe on July 02, 2011, 07:31:14 PM
What about a digital recorder (i.e. iPhone) with the sound recorded on it. One of the members not in at that point could sound it off.
Possibly, but the skit will take place outside, weather permitting, and it's right near the ocean. I'm afraid it might not be loud enough to be heard over all the ambient sound in the area.
Thanks for the suggestion though. Who knows, it's a very ritzy place that's hired us. Perhaps they have a stereo system hooked up outside. If so, this might work nicely.
Any other suggestions?
Sir. Kindle
Can whoever is doing the knocking out surreptitiously strike the blade of the shovel (with his fist or something) at the moment of impact?
And not to be morbid, but the impact of shovel upon head doesn't really make a bang. It would be more of a wet thunk.
Quote from: gem on July 02, 2011, 08:06:16 PM
And not to be morbid, but the impact of shovel upon head doesn't really make a bang. It would be more of a wet thunk.
Kind of what I was thinking too. ;)
Maybe some confetti poppers -of course, it would look like your brains exploded if the kids saw the confetti part. Not that they wouldn't enjoy that in the 7-12 year old group but the parents might object a bit. (I took morbid to a whole new level, didn't I?)
A couple of tiny cymbals? The kind that modern belly dancers use?
Have someone off scene bang two pots together. Or hang something metal up underneath a costume and have something metal in their hand and strike that at the appropriate time.
Quote from: gem on July 02, 2011, 08:06:16 PM
Can whoever is doing the knocking out surreptitiously strike the blade of the shovel (with his fist or something) at the moment of impact?
And not to be morbid, but the impact of shovel upon head doesn't really make a bang. It would be more of a wet thunk.
Yes, that is a bit morbid. :o
I don't think the people hiring us would appreciate it much, if we went for a realistic sound. We are aiming for light hearted fun, not bone crunching realism. :D
Unfortunately, the person hitting us, is doing so unintentionally, with the shovel over his shoulder. He knocks each of us out while turning to face the other person, so he won't be able to see when the hit takes place, or have the shovel in a position where he could strike it to make a sound.
isabelladangelo; you certainly did take the morbidity to another level. :o :o ;D
The tiny cymbal idea is great though! My mind is now swarming with ideas. That reminded me of seeing some pirates who were wearing bells on their boots at the last faire I went to. That, or placing the small cymbals somewhere on our belts, so we can strike them when we need the sound. I will have to test this over the next few days to see what might work best. Thank you!!
Lord Dragon; I've thought of hanging a pot inside of my outfit somehow, but haven't been able to come up with a way that isn't obvious, or comfortable yet. I've also thought of bringing in another person, just to make the banging sounds, but I'm trying to avoid this, as I'd hate to have someone come with us for the whole event (probably 3 hours, or so), just to spend 30 seconds of that time to bang the pots. I might be able to find someone willing to do this, but I'd feel awful guilty asking them. Thank you though, I might end up having to do this, if the cymbal idea doesn't work.
Thank you all for your ideas. I'll try to fill you in on the success of the cymbals, once I've had time to test the idea.
Sir. Kindle.
Have the people being hit each tie the symbols to the inside of their knees or ankles. Each can make their own sound when they get hit.
Have you thought about putting taps on the shows of the performers.. either the front or on the heal. The heal might work best, and can make a good loud sound if emphasized... works really well with boots of any kind, and you can be deliberate or not so with them.
There was someone that use to be at our faire that hit himself with a frying pan but he had built a clacker into the pan, could this work for the shovel? The sound would go when the shovel stopped moving as in make contact with said head
how about you have one of folks not involved in that part whack a big arsed pot? ya know like the ones that are used for canning. They make a very good BONG when you whack it.
Just to update everyone, we have tried pretty much every small banging instrument we could get our hands on...Cymbals, bells, and even maracas and small Japanese toy taiko drums. Aside from the drum, which we can't seem to limit to just one "bang" sound and actually didn't work as well when hanging from a belt, none of the instruments worked very well. They either didn't make the sound we were looking for, weren't loud enough, or we couldn't make them fit into our outfits in a way that worked. We are starting to get nervous, as the day is quickly approaching and we can't seem to find a working solution.
Sadly, there is simply too much moving about during the scene for something place on the bottom of our boots, or strapped between our legs to work. Either idea would constantly be making noise throughout the scene, even if we tried to reduce our movements in order to compensate for them.
We haven't tried placing some form of noise maker on the shovel yet, so that might be an option. However, the shovels is also grabbed a lot by each of us during the scene, so I'm not sure how we could control when it made the banging sound.
Sorry that this is proving to be difficult. All of you have made some great suggestions, which may work under different circumstances. Unfortunately, you only have the information regarding this event, that I am providing, which clearly hasn't painted a very good picture.
Let me, quickly, explain the skit. There are only three of us. The Captain, the First Mate, and the Quartermaster. We arrive on scene, having followed the captain's map to the location where we plan to bury the treasure. The scene unfolds where, in the process of burying the treasure, the Quartermaster's ability to dig without covering the Captain (who, is conveniently laying down, relaxing next to where he is digging) in sand is questioned, because he only has one eye. He grabs the big shovel from the First Mate (he was using a tiny, toy shovel to do the digging) and, after a comical exchange regarding his one eye, he eventually puts it over his shoulder and turns to address the First Mate directly, in the process knocking the Captain out with the end of the shovel. He then turns back to speak with the Captain, knocking out the First Mate. These two spots are where we need the sound to be made.
While we DO have a fourth person, a staff member from the country club, who will be knocking out the Quartermaster with a plastic bat, we hesitate to use her to also bang something together because we fear that we are already asking too much from Her. They gave us the impression that we were to do our thing with the kids, while their staff was busy doing other things. They agreed to letting someone knock us out, but they seemed reluctant to let us "borrow" her for too long, or to ask her to do too much that will distract her from her other, apparently more important obligations that day.
This is proving to be frustrating, because we have done this skit once before at a birthday party, where we had the mother bang the Quartermaster over the head and take the treasure. She was more than happy to do it and she even provided the pots and happily banged them together when we needed her too. She didn't time it that perfectly, but it was close enough and the kids didn't notice.
Anyway, sorry for the long rant, but I'm hoping this will give you a better understanding of what we need and how/when we'll need it to work.
Sir Kindle
One last try....
Each victim wear a large metallic bracelet. Hold that up when the shovel comes round so it hits that.
That reminded me: There is something being used in another skit for similar effect, by a couple of wenches.....
She keeps a good sized coconut shell strapped to her bosom (which is artificially enhanced for that purpose) so that she can make a loud hollow 'clop' when she strikes her self in the chest with a spoon for good comic effect.
Perhaps you could rig something under a bulky headscarf that will make that noise when struck? You could even borrow the clapper idea, and fix a loose wooden ball inside the cup to make it less complicated. A good shake of the head will make a funny rattling sound too.... Just an idea.
Interesting Ideas. I like the possibility of both, but think something metal on the arm might be the easiest to try out. I'll let you know after our next rehearsal if this will work.
I'll also have to see if I can place a coconut shell somewhere to make the sound. I think this would probably make the best sound, if we can rig something together to make it work.
Thank you both for the great ideas. I especially thank YOU Lord Dragon for not giving up on me and continuing to come up with ideas!
Sir. Kindle
Since it is a comic skit, ;D why not suspend disbelief by simply having each of the victims obviously pick up some conveniently placed noise maker (two pan lids, blocks of wood, whatever) just before each hitting sequence and bang them together just as the shovel hits that victim. A dead pan look by each victim directly to the audience just before getting hit might work. Putting the noise slightly following the hit and a delay in the fall could also work.
As they say, timing is everything.
Polly PoPo
Quote from: PollyPoPo on July 09, 2011, 07:48:49 AM
Since it is a comic skit, ;D why not suspend disbelief by simply having each of the victims obviously pick up some conveniently placed noise maker (two pan lids, blocks of wood, whatever) just before each hitting sequence and bang them together just as the shovel hits that victim. A dead pan look by each victim directly to the audience just before getting hit might work. Putting the noise slightly following the hit and a delay in the fall could also work.
As they say, timing is everything.
Polly PoPo
I like this idea, but sadly, as part of our skit, it is important that we DON'T know that the audience is there for a couple of reasons. 1) I, as the captain, ask Dead-Eye (the Quartermaster) right at the beginning of the skit to check to see if the coast is clear. He then pulls out his (very small) spyglass and holds it up to his eye-patched eye and proceeds to look closely at the audience. Obviously not seeing them, he tells me that it's all clear. 2) Later in the skit, after we wake up from being knocked out, I need my crew to read the clue that the person who knocked "us all" out has conveniently dropped for us. I soon find out that my whole crew, minus my Quartermaster and First Mate, has quit, so I give them 10 minutes to find me a new crew. THIS is when they discover the audience and the fact that they've been there all along. We then proceed to "test" the children, so that they can be part of my crew. It's a little more complicated than that, but that's the basic idea.
I wrote the original version of this script a few years ago for the first birthday party we performed at and have been constantly tweaking and modifying it over that time. I swear we sometimes change/modify it, just to make things more difficult though... ??? :P :-\
This is an idea we might be able to use in the future though and would be quite funny to do. I'll have to talk the others and see if we can work this in, in future performances. It would certainly save us a lot of hassles.
Something small that could be used is a cowbell such as the kind that bands use. It would provide the funny metallic sound you're probably after and could be easily hidden until needed...
What about the hit-ee holding up a metal pie pan to receive the whack with the shovel? It should make a nice bang sound, although I can't really figure out how to make a pie pan part of the regular props. Maybe the Capt could be using the pan to dig (instead of the little shovel), toss the pan aside, grab the shovel and the hit-ee grab the pie pan?
Good luck!
Quote from: Sir. Kindle on July 08, 2011, 11:31:14 PM
Interesting Ideas. I like the possibility of both, but think something metal on the arm might be the easiest to try out. I'll let you know after our next rehearsal if this will work.
I'll also have to see if I can place a coconut shell somewhere to make the sound. I think this would probably make the best sound, if we can rig something together to make it work.
Thank you both for the great ideas. I especially thank YOU Lord Dragon for not giving up on me and continuing to come up with ideas!
Sir. Kindle
Quite welcome. Just happy to help if I can. 8)
Sudden flash inspiration. I carry a pewter mug on my pirate garb belt. It would be very possible to strike that at the appropriate time and I know it would make some sort of sound as well. It can be seen here just behind the sash. Perhaps a flintlock or heavy metallic ring that is worn.
(http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p138/AnnMason9877/Scarborough%20Faire/SF006.jpg)
Quote from: Lord Dragon on July 09, 2011, 11:17:22 AM
Quite welcome. Just happy to help if I can. 8)
Sudden flash inspiration. I carry a pewter mug on my pirate garb belt. It would be very possible to strike that at the appropriate time and I know it would make some sort of sound as well. It can be seen here just behind the sash. Perhaps a flintlock or heavy metallic ring that is worn.
(http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p138/AnnMason9877/Scarborough%20Faire/SF006.jpg)
Oh, I really like this idea!!! My mug is wooden (figures), but both Dead-Eye AND Mad Dog carry a metallic mug. We'll have to see if a ring hitting one of them would make a loud enough sound.
As for a cowbell, I like the sound it makes, but the bell we have (it's a little smaller than a cowbell and didn't make the right sound) was very difficult to stop ringing more than once. Any suggestions on how to make a bell strike only once (and again only once)?
I like the pie pan idea as a possible future prop, but to add a new digging item would change several lines in the script to work. If our rehearsals weren't so limited at this point, it probably wouldn't be a problem, but I can't risk mistakes because of last minute changes at this point.
Thanks again everyone! Our next rehearsal is Monday night. If I have time after it, I'll let you know how things go. (crossing my fingers that the mug idea will work, since it's so simple and already there...)
Get a cow bell without the ball clanker (?). The kind you have to strike to make a sound. Which comes to another idea. You could have a metal stick on your belt that you hit the shovel with as it "hits" you. Call it a divining rod if anyone asks at any other point.
Also, the clapper could be on the handle of the shovel. It could be held fast by a rubber band. That way it won't clap on accident. You must pull it to clap it. A little timing involved but better than nothing!
We'll keep coming up with ideas for you!
Cowbells that you would get at a music store do not have a clanger. You use a drumstick to whack. From what you are describing, I think the sound would be perfect.
http://www.moretoyguns.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Session_ID=c7537780efb28de5902826e595187e00&Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=4T&Category_Code=cap110
Cap guns! I remember hitting the refills with a penny or a rock and they'd go off. I'm sure they still do and still make that loud "bang". If you stuck a couple to the buttons on your outfit and hit them with a penny or some other object that is not your hand, I'm sure that would work.
What about Snappers (http://www.amazon.com/Toysmith-Pop-Poppers-Snappers/dp/B00283FZOS/ref=sr_1_2?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1310286772&sr=1-2). Those little firework like things that you throw on the ground and they make a nice loud "BANG" noise. There are a few different kinds on Amazon. I think you can get them at party stores too.
Depending on how hard you have to toss them, you may be able to just flick your hand to get them to go off when needed. They'd be easy to palm to as you wait to be knocked out. Browsing the internet it looks like some of the snappers you can step on to set off, which might also be an option.
I agree with Fransisco Paula..... A clacker type deal built into the inside of the shovel.
A piece of metal attached to a leaf spring type of metal attached to the near the lower side of the inside of the shovel.
As the shovel it brought down towards the head, as you stop the shovel abruptly the metal piece then swings into the inside of the shovel with a "BANG". Or CLANG.
Just keep the shovel turned away from the audience so they never see the built-in swing piece.
Quote from: Leyla on July 10, 2011, 03:34:57 AM
What about Snappers (http://www.amazon.com/Toysmith-Pop-Poppers-Snappers/dp/B00283FZOS/ref=sr_1_2?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1310286772&sr=1-2). Those little firework like things that you throw on the ground and they make a nice loud "BANG" noise. There are a few different kinds on Amazon. I think you can get them at party stores too.
Depending on how hard you have to toss them, you may be able to just flick your hand to get them to go off when needed. They'd be easy to palm to as you wait to be knocked out. Browsing the internet it looks like some of the snappers you can step on to set off, which might also be an option.
You can set those off by grinding them between thumb and forefinger, too. I don't know if it's the right sort of sound though.
Quote from: Merlin the Elder on July 09, 2011, 10:03:09 PM
Cowbells that you would get at a music store do not have a clanger. You use a drumstick to whack. From what you are describing, I think the sound would be perfect.
Thank you Dinobabe and Merlin, I had forgotten that music bells don't have the bell clanger in them.
And thanks for the snapper idea, we had thought about it, but decided not to go this route for a few of reasons. First, they didn't seem to make the sound we wanted. Second, they have the chance to leave burn marks where the land, which we don't want to do, especially if we end up having to do the skit indoors due to rain. Third, on a more personal level, just last week I had children at a parade throwing those things at me because they thought it was funny...I'm not to keen on having even small, mostly harmless explosives thrown at me, so I'd like to avoid having any of those things around. :P
On the plus side, we were dressed in garb yesterday for a huge pirate themed baseball game (great fun was had by all) and we, at one point, quickly tested the banging on his mug idea. It seemed to make a nice clang sound, so we think Lord Dragon has come up with the easiest solution, which we can incorporate without having to add anything to our outfits, or to the skit.
Thank you all for the excellent ideas. There are several here that we might look into for future events, which will probably provide a better clang. However, for simplicity's sake, I think the mug being struck is the best for this particular event.
Sir. Kindle
Just updating everyone on how things went. Despite a lot of practice with the cup, we missed the cue...both times... :-[ ;D Oh well, the performance was still a complete success and much fun was had by all! I doubt they really noticed, or even cared about the sound, despite all the effort and time spent in coming up with a solution.
Thanks again for all the great suggestions. We will now start trying other options, so that we can truly find what will work best for our next performance.
Sir. Kindle
Glad it went over well.
Missed cues, well...I really can't help ya there....I am seeking a solution to that myself. ;D