Cowboy Western - Clip/Clop Sound?

Hi, I'm not a drummer/percussionist, but need some info. I'm writing an old-fashioned cowboy western song and it requires that "clip-clop" percussion sound in the background. Does anyone know what's used for that kind of sound? Is it woodblocks, or some other instrument?

The Sound Effects Bible by Ric Viers says that coconuts are indeed used for this sound. Cut the coconut in half and scoop out all the fruit. "The best surface for hooves walking on the ground is an earth mix of dirt and straw. If the coconuts have a thin, unnatural sound, try padding them with some foam."

If your interested in these type of "recipes", the book is a fantastic resource and is available on Kindle as well.

Obviously, this would be Foley sound design. In a musical setting where the attack and body of the sound is important, I'd might look at starting with playing the coconuts on a block of wood or a concrete or hardwood floor.

I'll just leave this here....

european swallow or an african swallow?

Thanks, but I wasn't talking about movie foley, but rather the "clip-clop" sound in recorded music.

Here's an example:

I wish to not add anything as well.

Just throwing this out there as an aside to my coconut post.

I was once, and for the majority of my years, in the mind-set that to make "professional music" you needed to buy "professional instruments". After reading through the sound-effects bible and spending some time investigating traditional sound-design (and foley) techniques, it turns out that mindset couldn't be further from the truth.

ANYTHING can make music and it can all be, certainly, profssional quality -- especially when you delve into percussion. A fork and a knife and a single microphone or contact mic can be incredibly expressive -- you just need to spend some time exploring (a) the range of sounds an object can make; (b) how to weave those sounds into dynamic passages; and © how to capture the performance.

So, your wood-block sound can probably be made from any range of objects. But I would start with "what has been done in the past" and see how they work for you. A coconut is certainly not an expensive or hard to find item. And hey, if you're buying one for the shell, then the meat is free.

Other than that, maybe try a re-pitched temple block with a bit of room reverb thrown on.