The stompbox has found a place in a variety of musical genres, including American folk, blues, and classic rock and roll, as an example of a simple but effective percussion instrument. The stompbox, also known as a footswitch, is now available in both acoustic and electronic versions.
The most basic stomp box is a small wooden box that is placed under the musician’s foot. Stompboxes produce a sound that is very similar to that of a bass drum when tapped with the foot. The benefit of using a stompbox is that it allows a singer or stringed instrument player to create accompanying percussion rhythm without requiring the assistance of another musician. Folk musicians frequently use the combination of a guitar and a stompbox during a performance, and this is one of the more common applications of the acoustic stompbox.
While solo stage performers initially preferred the stompbox, record producers and agents quickly realized the importance of using small percussion instruments in addition to drums in the studio. The stompbox, like many other traditional musical instruments, has been improved by modern technology. Today, a microphone is frequently placed inside the box to amplify the sound produced by the rhythmic tapping.
While folk musicians were the ones who used the stompbox the most, it has since made its way into a variety of other genres. The stompbox was used in a variety of ways by classic rock and roll bands on stage. Blues musicians have been using stompboxes almost as long as folk musicians. The number of country and bluegrass musicians who use the stompbox in recording sessions and live performances has increased dramatically since the 1970s. Nothing beats the stompbox for sheer ease of use when it comes to adding a little extra hint of rhythm to just about any musical performance.