Rainmaker for Hire

The rainmaker is a comparatively modern percussion effect. There are several styles and makes of rainmaker each giving a slightly different sound. The rainmaker is basically a tube of indefinite length about 2" in diameter. Inside the tube, evenly spaced, there are circular discs fixed to a central pole. Each of these discs have 3 or 4 large holes which do not match each other if taking a birds eye view. There is also an amount of lead shot inside the tube, which means that when turned on the vertical the shot will settle due to gravity. When the player turns the tube through 180 degrees the shot starts its journey to the other end of the tube falls through the holes in the discs. It is the shot backing up and then falling through the holes that creates the rain effect. The effect changes due to amount of shot, material of the tube and length of the tube. These factors will make a difference between a short, sharp shower and a steady downpour.