The ratchet is perhaps one of the oldest instruments known,
going at least back to the ancient Hebrews, and possibly
further. It’s a simple mechanism really; a gear assembly and a
stiff piece of wood that rotates. As it rotates the wood slaps
down on the next groove of the gear, making a harsh, flat noise.
If you swing it quickly, then the ratchet, also called a
noisemaker, will make a faster, machine gun rattling noise. This
is the un-musical sound it’s most known for, and it’s used
everywhere from holidays to football games, and everything in
between. Despite the image of the ratchet as a toy though, it’s
been used as a genuine instrument. Placed firmly in the
percussion section, it’s not something that you see much of in
the classical scene, or hear too much of in opera. However there
are musical styles, such as those that are heavy on the use of
synthetic melodies, that love the noise produced by a ratchet.
For heavier, industrial tunes the steady sound of a metal
ratchet (the sort used as a tool in facto