Shhhh - Silent Pandeiros

Why a silent pandeiro will make your life so much easier

Silent instruments can really help improve your skills and give you the freedom to practise at any time of the day without getting in your neighbours' way, bothering family members or waking up small children. Contemporanea's silent samba practice instruments are a hit.

Internalise movement patterns and practise, practise, practise.

Actually, it's very simple: a practice pad on which you can play when and wherever you like, under the most realistic conditions possible. While the obvious reasons for, say, a practice pandeiro (and any other silent instrument) are mainly that you have much more flexibility in when and where you can rehearse without getting into trouble with non-percussive neighbors or family members, there are also a few aspects we bet you have probably hadn't thought of before. For example, you can accompany songs you as a play-along and fully concentrate on listening to the music and what's happening musically around you. Silent pads are basically ingenious for pushing your playing technique to another level, no matter if you are a beginner or a pro.

Of course at some point you will need to pick up a real pandeiro, hear your mistakes and make your skills work with the band or music you are playing with. But to start of, it can be a really good idea to practise with a mute mesh pandeiro until you're comfortable with the vibes of the instrument and the techniques that are involved.

Ingenious: Brush up on playing skills, practice to play-alongs, absolute time flexibility, and no rehearsal room needed

If you're new to the pandeiro, you'll quickly realise that you've chosen a technically challenging instrument that - like any other musical instrument - requires you to invest time in mastering the technical basics. With a silent pandeiro, you can always explore what it feels like to hold a pandeiro, get comfortable with basic playing techniques, and familiarise yourself with the new movements and weight of the drum. You can kick-start your technique without getting in anyone's way acoustically. Obviously, a pad is no substitute for a real pandeiro. But practice pads are great jump-starts that can be used in addition to a real instrument in a variety of ways until you become familiar with the vibe of the instrument and gain technical confidence.

"Finally total freedom: being able to practice whenever I want and not getting in anyone's way"

Another fabulous aspect for newbies on the pandeiro is that with a silent pandeiro, you can jump right into your new band or Pagode group without getting in the way of other musicians while you're still in the initial stages. This way you'll not only learn the songs in your repertoire, but you'll get a good idea of the rhythms, breaks and cues.

Play along with and be a part of your group right away

Advanced pandeiristas won't bother with any of this, of course, but even so, they too might need some extra rehearsal time before their performance, and we all know that these extra sessions often have to take place at a time when we're usually quite alone in our desire to create a percussive soundscape. Neighbors, children, non-drumming partners or simply partners who want to sleep at normal times. A silent pandeiro can be a life-saver here.

"Absolute freedom as a musician"

Sure - some will disagree - but the feeling is different. There is no rebound. The attack is not authentic. The pad gives no direct musical feedback. Yes, obviously, but that's not the point. The whole purpose is to create the opportunity to silently practice the pandeiro's movement flow, your holding posture and to improve or develop playing technique. The pad is the perfect way to practice all of this, whenever, wherever and at any level, without any limitations, without annoying people and no matter what time of day it is. At home, on the train, at the airport, at night, on the bog - you name it.

Why shouldn't sambistas practice on silents pads like drummers have been doing for decades?

Contemporânea first launched its Linha Estudo Silent collection during the peak of the Covid 19 pandemic, when we were all in lockdowns and wishing we had live music back in our lives as soon as possible. Who would have thought that even the Samba and Brazilian percussion world would have to adapt to these circumstances? Since we added the Linha Estudo series to our web shop, we've received overwhelming feedback from sambistas and pandeiristas around the world. And why not - after all, drummers have been successfully using silent gear for decades.

Silent instruments as a collaborative investment for samba groups

Oh, and by the way - practice pads are definitively not just for beginners! Advanced pandeiristas and professional musicians benefit just as much from using silent gear, gaining autonomy while practicing, and making friends for life with their neighbors :)

The Linha Estudo Silent Gear is a great addition for any private musician, sambista or percussionist. But it's also a valuable tool for groups and bands to share equipment and get new people involved in rehearsals right away, without them getting in the way of the rest of the band. Experienced pandeiro players can work on specific techniques and transfer their skills directly to a real pandeiro.

Let us know what you think! Do you use silent gear? What is your greatest achievement and what's the most important thing you gained from it?
Send us an email to info@kalango.com

PLAY SAMBA - BE HAPPY
Your Kalango Team