LeDuff Musical Instrument Collection
The two little woven coir ones (left foreground) each contain several tiny metal jingle bells and there is little space within for the jingles to move. As a result, when shaken you hear several light metallic tings. The coir doesn't muffle the sound but I would say softens it slightly. All the other rattles contain river pebbles and have bottoms composed of dried gourd. The dried gourd bottom is hard and when struck by the pebbles has a crisp sound. When the pebbles hit the sides of the rattle the sound is soft and diminished. A good musician can roll the pebbles on the inner sides and create a lovely prolonged softer sound to contrast with the raspier harder sounds produced when shaken towards the gourd bottom. To the far left are a pair of midsize double rattles, each having a U shaped handle. (You can see them clearly in my other photo). In all cases, the quality of sound is dependent on the skill and knowledge of the percussionist.
