rain sticks

Cascading pebble instruments

Rain sticks are hollow tubes filled with small objects—pebbles, beans, or beads—that cascade over internal obstacles when tilted, producing a sound like falling rain.

Traditionally made from dried cactus with thorns pushed inward, they originated in Latin America as ceremonial instruments.

Modern versions serve as percussion instruments or meditative sound tools: She tilted the rain stick slowly, letting the beads trickle down.

Opposites
sound production method

rain sticksdrums

Struck membrane instruments

cymbals · gongs · snare drums · bass drums · xylophones

sonic quality

rain stickscymbals

Clashing metal percussion

air horns · drums · sirens · klaxons · crash cymbals

cultural/ritual function

rain stickswar drums

Military percussion instruments

air horns · sirens · alarm bells · crash cymbals · jackhammers

Family

rain, stick, rains, rained, raining, rainy, rainiest, sticks, sticked

Familiarity
Top 200,000
Profile
Known to kids · Used worldwide · Timeless · Concrete · Positive · Everyday, not technical · Rated G