Washboard

The Washboard is a tool designed for hand washing clothing. With mechanized cleaning of clothing becoming more common, by the end of the 20th century the washboard became better known from its originally subsidiary use as a musical instrument.

The washboard as a musical instrument

The Washboard and Frottoir are used as a percussion instrument, employing the ribbed metal surface of the cleaning device as a rhythm instrument. The washboard is used in many diverse forms of music such as jazz, cajun, jug band and old time music.

Related Topics:
Percussion instrument - Jazz - Cajun - Jug band - Old time

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The washboard is mounted in a wooden frame while the frottoir is made only from the metal ribbing and is hung around the neck and called the Cajun or Zydeco Rub-Board Vest; this is a late 20th century variation on the washboard designed specifically for musical use. It was, almost certainly, invented by one of Clifton "King of Zydeco" Chenier's associates (or, possibly, by Mr Chenier himself).

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The frottoir or vest frottoir (from Cajun French "vest to be rubbed") is played as a stroked percussion instrument, often in a band with a drummer, while the washboard generally is a replacement for drums.

Related Topics:
Drummer - Drums

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In a jug band, the washboard was stroked with a single whisk-broom and functions as the drums for the band, playing only on the back-beat, for most songs, as a substitute for a snare drum. In a four-beat measure, the washboard will stroke on the 2-beat and the 4-beat. Best sound is achieved using a single steel-wire snare-brush, or whisk-broom.

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However, in a jazz setting, the washboard can also be played with thimbles on all fingers, tapping out much more complex rhythms, as in the Washboard Rhythm Kings, a full-sized band.

Related Topics:
Jazz - Washboard Rhythm Kings

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Some washboard players may add other small percussion devices to the washboard, such as a cymbal, woodblock, or cowbell, which can periodically be struck to vary the effect.

Related Topics:
Cymbal - Woodblock - Cowbell

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A frottoir is played with a stroking instrument (usually thimble-gloves or a pair of bottle-openers) in each hand. In a 4-beat measure, the Frottoir will be stroked 8 to 16 times. It plays more like a Latin percussion instrument, rather than as a drum. The rhythms used are often similar to those played on Guiro.

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