How to Play the Rainstick For Beginners (Tutorial)

Learn how to use a rainstick in this simple beginner tutorial. In this video, you’ll see how a traditional Chilean cactus rainstick works, how to position it correctly, and how to control the flow of the internal seeds to create a smooth, natural rain sound. This instrument is widely used for relaxation, soundscapes, and ambient percussion, and with the right technique, you can produce long, flowing tones with minimal effort. You’ll learn what a rainstick is and how it creates sound, vertical vs diagonal playing and how it affects sustain, how to control the speed and duration of the sound, why diagonal positioning produces longer rainfall effects, using the rainstick in rhythm and ambient settings, and finally the limitations of using it as a shaker. Explore our Rainstick collection: https://www.carvedculture.com/collections/rainsticks