The Case of the Recognizable, Yet Unknown Instrument: The Vibraslap

The vibraslap is one of the most distinctive sounds in music, yet many don’t know exactly what it is, or how it's been used in some of our most favorite songs. 

Written by Catalina Perez

Photo courtesy of Alamy

The Vibraslap. No, it’s not what you think. It’s a percussion instrument which has slipped under the radar when it comes to musical discussions. Many listeners have probably heard the distinct sounds of the vibraslap while listening to their favorite songs, but just haven’t recognized the source of the unusual sound.

Aurally, the sound of a vibraslap can be described as a rattle, usually only lasting a few seconds due to the short duration of its vibration. Visually, the vibraslap is commonly a wooden cowbell-like “resonator” with metal prongs — or “teeth” — on the inside. This resonator is attached to a U-shaped metal wire with a wooden ball on the other end, which sits hovering over said resonator. The vibraslap is played by holding it in one hand, by the bent metal wire, with the ball facing an open palm. The ball is then struck on the palm which makes the teeth vibrate, producing the rattle. 

The vibraslap’s origins can be traced back to its roots in African and Latin American music, where it began as more of a “naturally sourced” instrument, typically made from the jaw of a donkey or horse. This instrument was called a Quijada or Quijada de Burro, which translates to jawbone/jawbone of donkey. The quijadawas reportedly brought to Latin America by slaves and continued to be used primarily in Afro-Latin styles of music afterwards. The quijada is played by holding the chin of the jawbone and striking it with one’s hand or a stick, making the teeth rattle, thus being the original inspiration for the vibraslap. Now fast forward to the 1960s, where a man by the name of Martin Cohen constructed a patent for the vibraslap which was audibly modeled after the quijada. Cohen’s intended to create an instrument that sounded like a quijada but not as fragile, as the teeth of the quijada would fall off over time.

Image courtesy of Steve Weiss Music

As the quijada evolved into the vibraslap, its use in music crossed genres from Afro-Latin music to Rock. In 1967, the Lemon Pipers released their hit,  “Green Tambourine,’’ which one could describe as a psychedelic, Beatles-esque song. The piece utilizes the vibraslap very early on, with the instrument striking at 3 seconds in, adding in a very unique and definite sound. Not much later, Joe Cocker released his 1968 hit, “Feelin’ Alright,” a groovy soul piece which showcases the congas alongside the prominent vibraslap. Although used very sparingly throughout music history, the vibraslap has also been used in pieces that are more popular and recognizable.

 “Sweet Emotion” is another very popular example of the vibraslap in action. On the Howard Stern Show in 2013, Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler explained the use of the vibraslap in the song. Tyler expressed to Stern that while recording the piece, he played the vibraslap and broke it during the recording, to which the sound of it breaking was decidedly left in. The band CAKE also features it in their pieces quite often, including but not limited to the songs, “Nugget,” “Mustache Man (wasted),” “Love You Madly,” and, most famously, “Short Skirt/Long Jacket”. Other notable pieces which use the vibraslap are “Crazy Train” by Ozzy Osbourne, “Teenagers” by My Chemical Romance and Jimi Hendrix’s famous, “All Along the Watchtower” which features the late Brian Jones from the Rolling Stones on the vibraslap. 

The vibraslap’s role and impact in the aforementioned songs and other songs alike is incomparable, leaving listeners curious yet astonished at its rattle. Arguably, the use of the vibraslap in “Crazy Train,” “Teenagers,” and “Sweet Emotion,” has added to the success of these songs by contributing a sense of peculiarity, providing a break from the normal music flow. Not to mention, the amount of times people have sung along to “Crazy Train” and included the vibraslap strike is innumerable. 

With its distinguishable sound and lengthy history, the vibraslap continues to be used sporadically in many different genres and pieces. Although not very common, it is still clear that its impact is undoubtedly unique just like its sound. A hidden gem, the vibraslap’s profound effect on music is hopefully one that will get more recognition as music evolves.