The Boomwhackers Moove&Groove Bag consists of 25 Boomwhackers, covering all notes of the chromatic scale within the middle octave and makes it possible to play in all keys. The set is put together in such a way that it contains the notes from the simple sharp and flat keys (C major, G major, and F major) in two to three versions each, while the notes from the lower ranges of the circle of fifths are provided once each. The additionally included set of eight octave caps allow individual Boomwhackers to be transposed down by one octave. The set can be enhanced with a diatonic/chromatic bass set if desired and comes with a handy carrying case for transport and storage.
Boomwhackers are tuned percussion tubes made of recyclable plastic that enable playful music-making in groups without major financial or organisational effort. The name is made up of the onomatopoeic "boom" and the colloquial "whack" for hitting hard. Boomwhackers can be played and create their sound in many different ways, which include striking them against your own body (e.g. hand or thigh), on the floor, or against other surfaces, and also by playing them with different drumsticks. Moreover, you can easily create intervals by beating two Boomwhackers against each other.
Extremely simple in concept, Boomwhackers are perfect for use in music classes and especially in drum circles or percussion groups. Students of all ages can practise an interplay that contains rhythmic, melodic, and harmonic parts all at once without any prior musical knowledge. From an educational point of view, the group aspect is particularly interesting because a set of Boomwhackers can essentially be understood as a single instrument that is played in a coordinated manner by several players. And if the players are musically more advanced, quite impressive performances can easily be put together.
Since its inception in 1961, American company Rhythm Band Instruments has specialised in the manufacture of instruments for elementary music education and classroom music-making. In addition to a wide selection of percussion instruments, the product range includes stringed instruments, flutes, and a variety of teaching materials. The products, some of which are very innovative, are developed by musicians and educators. Their construction reflects a high quality of workmanship, and the instruments are designed specifically to meet the increasing demands of teaching music to groups of children.
Especially with groups of children without any prior musical knowledge, arrangements for Boomwhackers can be written down in an understandable way using simple graphic notation (e.g. on a blackboard). The colour coding for the different pitches is extremely helpful and makes it easy for the young players to intuitively hit the right Boomwhackers at the right time without having to be familiar with regular notation. And the concept of solmisation can also be easily applied thanks to the printed syllables (related to the fundamental C).