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My friends and I are performing "Don't Stop Believing" and I think the triangle is the only instrument I can play and not ruin everything. Are there any better basic instruments. We are just doing this for fun.

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  • Even a triangle has to be played in time and with a suitable 'feel' - that is to say, it requires a lot of the skills that other instruments do! Still, seeing a triangle played with suitable 'attitude' would be quite fun.
    – Нет войне
    Commented May 25, 2016 at 21:53
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    you may wish to look at the cowbell. It has a history in rock music: vimeo.com/55624839
    – Doktor Mayhem ♦
    Commented May 25, 2016 at 23:17
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    A tambourine might be better than a triangle, if you want to move about on the stage while playing. You don't have to do anything more technically challenging that holding it in one hand and hitting it with the other.
    – user19146
    Commented May 26, 2016 at 0:34
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    You could always play maracas like Bez en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bez_(dancer)
    – Dave Halsall
    Commented May 26, 2016 at 10:37

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The rock band Rush has used the triangle a lot of times and also Dream Theater in some old songs and they fit very well. If you like it, do it!

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I've always thought you need nerves of steel to play the triangle in an orchestra - you wait for 400 bars and then ding.

But in a band, you can play without having to count lots of bars rest. Suspend the triangle from a stand, and then you can experiment - hold the beater in one hand, and be ready to damp the triangle with your other hand after you've struck it. You can generate some funky rhythms that way, and probably replace the high hat part using this method. Experiment with where to strike to get the best sound.

Also, for a different sound, if you hit the triangle and then wave your hand in the space in the middle you can get a subtle vibrato effect.

All triangles are not the same - if you do a side by side between a cheap one (just bent chromed steel) and a proper heavyweight bronze triangle the difference is like night and day - the cheapy doesn't cut through the other instruments.

But don't limit yourself - you can incorporate home-made percussion instruments or found items (water cooler bottles, fire extinguishers, scaffolding pipe, etc.) - as long as you're playing in time you'll be fine.

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