Need something added to my outfit to make a nice bang sound

[PollyPoPo]

Since it is a comic skit,  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

[Sir. Kindle]

Since it is a comic skit,  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...

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.

[Merlin the Elder]

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...

[Lady Kett]

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!

[Captain Teague]

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.

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.

[Sir. Kindle]

Quite welcome. Just happy to help if I can.

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.

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...)

[Dinobabe]

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!

[Merlin the Elder]

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.

[isabelladangelo]

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. 

[Leyla]

What about Snappers. 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.

[Capt Spleen]

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.

[Koshiba]

What about Snappers. 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.

[Sir. Kindle]

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.

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

[Sir. Kindle]

Just updating everyone on how things went. Despite a lot of practice with the cup, we missed the cue...both times... 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

[Captain Teague]

Glad it went over well.

Missed cues, well...I really can't help ya there....I am seeking a solution to that myself.