I just got a really nice teefer made by Donne Montoucet, and am in love with the sound it has. I am curious if anyone on here knows how to play it and perhaps can point me in the direction of a good resource to learn it?

If you have a decent sense of rhythm, you should be able to play teefer with no trouble. But, you can also get as fancy as you want.

The usual way to hold it is with the small leather strap at the top. I put it through my left index finger. There are two basic sounds you can get. First, if you hold it in such a way that your hand is not touching it at all, you get a clear open sound. You can also grasp it with the thumb on one side and the middle, ring and pinky on the other - this gives a closed or muffled sound. If you are playing a two-step rhythm, you alternate with the closed sound on beats one and three, and the open sound on beats two and four. For a waltz, you can use closed on beat one, and open on beats two and three. Another way to think of it is to use the open sound at the same time as the drummer plays the snare drum, and the closed sound the rest of the time.

The basic rhythm for the right hand is steady 8th notes against two of the sides of the triangle, coordinating with the open and closed sounds of the left hand. For a bluesy rhythm, you can use a shuffle (pairs of dotted 8ths and 16th notes).

That should be plenty to take you a long way.

One other thing - try not to be too overpowering!

Have fun!

-David

Thanks David, that's a very quick reply.

Take the tit fer in the hand and the iron rod in the other. Stick the rod into the tit fer and move the rod upside down hitting two sides of the tit fer.
The movement of the rod must have the same timing as the music. It's also useful to open and close the hand wich hold the tit fer. I don't know at wich count the hand mus be open or closed.
For a waltz you can close the hand at the first and open on two and three. Also the opposite is posible.
Because a tit fer has three sides, it's maybe also possible to play triplets on a tit fer.
On some movies they only hit the teefer.
Link2 waltz example
Link3 two step example
We do it this way and we Hope it's the right way.
Please let the real cajuns wrote how to do it?

Get red bandana, Natty lite cowboy hat, oversized sunglasses, and very drunk. Then start hittin' that thing.

seriously though, if you play the triangle,
you better be dead on with the rhythm

otherwise you are going to throw off the
whole band

the things really cut through everything else,
it;s what they are made for,
but if your rhythm is off, you will
really kill the music


and - be advised too - there is a whole school of thought
based AGAINST the idea of the triangle doing
triplets, sounding like a drum set, or
ANYTHING but basic triangle 101

dook-a-dang-a for 2 step or
donk-ding-ding or waltz

i like triangle 101, me

wle.

Larry makes some excellent points ..

I recall an additional pointer from a Tracy
Schwartz "Triangle-Class" that I had attended
in the Augusta Heritage college some years back,
and that's volume.

If the other payers turn to you and give you "that
look", you may be playing too loudly.

The triangle *really* carries, so it's advised to
start *quietly* and increase volume only if need be.

The instrument appears humble, but it really deserves
the utmost respect in the rhythm section

I recall seeing Balfa Toujours playing as a trio
with Kristine playing triangle (no drums).

Man, can she drive that rhythm section with only a
triangle! Its quite amazing when done well

Keep squeezin' (and, triangulating!)

--Big

Following the good words of Big Nick. Tracy's rhythm classes and T-fee classes at Augusta are the best. And you should play way away from the main action, then if no one glares at you, creep in closer and closer.

Quoting Tracy, the sound should be Clunk-a-Ring-a (for a 2Step) and Clunk-a-Ring-a-Ring-a (for a waltz). (The small a's are upbeats.)

The triangle is, indeed, a real instrument, not just something to keep someone busy. As Nick also said, just watch Christine B!

Finally, no more than one terr-fer per jam.

Gene

Thanks for that last note, Gene! Haha. Darn straight!

Larry is right on with this!
Learning to play the ti fer is more than just hitting it. It's also more than just being in time and at the right volume.

The rhythm (syncopation) must fit the other musicians with whom you are playing. Every song may require different treatment.

If you are a musician already, you will have no trouble understanding how to fit the ti fer in the music. However, if it is your first instrument, BEWARE.

Go home and practice to some CDs and drive your dog and spouse nuts until you have it right.

Everyone (except the above mentioned) will love you for it!

DP

It's all been said right by Larry and Nick.
The folks here in Ireland think it's a bit of a joke and don't take it seriously when
we mention ti fer. But oh! Holy God, if someone thinks you just hit it? They might just end up wearing it.
Ti fer is a REAL instrument.

Can someone send me Don Montoucet's address or phone number. When I was in Lafayette for the International Festival, the Brazilian bands bought all he had at the time and I would like to get a triangle from him. Also, if you have not heard his new CD, "Don Montoucet, et ses amis", it is a wonderfull CD to have in your collection.

We all know who's who among Accordion makers, but can anyone offer up a list of names for Te-Fer makers? And what cost should one expect for a good Te-Fer?

Not that I want to be anal, but here's the proper spelling above. The word comes from Petit Fer, with a the word Petit in diminutive as Tit. Fer means Iron. So literal translation is Little Iron.

OK, Maz. Seeing I messed up my spelling in my post (a typo, really!), I need to add something. Yes, it is Tit Fer. Fer is for iron. If your remember your high school chemistry iron (element #26) has the symbol Fe, from the latin ferrum.

Gene, the chemist

Gene,

My petite ferrous had turned into ferrous oxide!

The last female vocalist that I was working with
broke 2 of 'em at the "elbow".

The two triangles quickly turned into a di-angles!

Anyone else break one of these?

--Big

Gene, you don't by chance have family in or around Lake Charles, LA ?

No relatives in the South that I know of. It's clear from my accordion
skills, that there isn't any Cajun blood in my veins!! Altho' maybe that
would help.

Gene