My experience and what I know of other studio percussionists ... the Tambourine is typically played live, by hand, for Tambourine rolls and rhythms. Sticks can be used if you want the sound that you get when using drumsticks ... which is a lot of attack ... the sticks clicking on the instrument.

I'm assuming that you are talking about the modern-day, headless, Tambourine.

Samples can be used and are used. To say which is used more, samples or live playing, would be hard to access without listening to every album in existence or speaking with every producer/engineer or drummer/percussionist who uses Tambourine in the studio.

Pro Tools (and the like) plus samples have allowed musicians to add Tambourine quite easily. Especially useful when the Tambourine is not going to be exposed in the track ... like when using it with a loop. Even though I'm a studio drummer and percussionist, I've used Tambourine samples on my projects ... especially when it's just backbeats and not a rhythm. It allows me to quickly line up the Tambourine with the Snare drum. Many engineers will trigger the Tambourine using the Snare drum track.

I'm not exactly sure what your aim is with your questions or what purpose the answers might serve. My suggestion is to cut to the chase. Are you needing to add Tambourine to a project and don't know what to do?

Each situation is different and unique. There are many variables that affect my decision as to whether I would use a live Tambourine or a sample.

I'm not sure what you mean about the "rolling" sound.
Is it a shake roll, continuous sound ... or is it a rhythm, like consecutive sixteenth-notes?

If you can't play it then it would seem you have three options:
1) Hire someone who can play it.
2) Use samples.
3) Experiment and see what you can come up with.

I can't say that what you are trying to do by mounting the Tambourine and using a apparatus to strike the instrument will work and sound the way you want. The instrument, the apparatus, the room, the mic, etc., are all factors in getting a desired sound.

I would suggest trying what you are wanting to try and see what happens. That will be the quickest way to get an answer and we won't have to guess whether it will work or not. 

You can send me the Pro Tool files and I'll track the Tambourine for you here at my studio! 

I've used a Tamborine many times over the years. I prefer a wooden style about 14" diameter with great sounding "bells" that jingle real nice when they strike each other. I've use them both by hand hitting against the palm of the other hand. Or by shaking the Tamborine holding wrist in a back and forth fashion. If you practice it you can get a jingle going in time with each other. It can sound very much like a snake ratteling it's tail when shaken fast enough. That type of Tamborine can also be laid on your top high hat cymbal. If the hat has a strong enough spring it can be played with the time of the hat. But if the hat has a weak spring it's better to just keep the cymbals together and strike the Tamborine with a stick. Whenever I bought a hat that's why I always insisted on a good one. I knew what was in store for it.   

I do a fair amount of 16th tambourine stuff, and it's pretty straight ahead. I hold the tamb in my right hand, and with horizontal movements 'play' 8ths to my left hand. I hit my hand for the accent - whether it's on the upbeat or backbeat, it falls on an 8th - and the 16ths come from the back & forth movement.

Recording is also easy, and a good engineer will know this. Mic placement is obviously important, but to get even levels so the shaking cuts through, some compression will smooth things out. The 'hit' will still be prominent since it has a different sound to begin with. A trick the Beatles used was to gaff tape 2 tambourines together for a really thick sound. No telling how hard that was to play, but there's no denying that it always sounded great on their recordings!

Also, tambourine sounds vary somewhat. I usually start with a nickel or brass jingle Rhythm Tech (half-moon) tambourine, but I also have a container full of maybe 25 tambourines of various sizes, materials, with & without heads, and with single and double-rows of jingles. (If you think that's a lot, you should see my maraca/shaker collection!) So a tamb that sounds sweet and jangly by itself may not cut through the music well... something drier may have the right vibe.

It's probably a good idea to get 3 or 4 sufficiently different tambourines to have on hand so you'll always have a variety of sounds. And they don't have to be the $40-60 high end ones either - Stagg has one for about $15, and the Rhythm Tech ones are $20-22.

Have fun!

Bermuda

One other thing.  If you're just going to shake it, use both hands.  More control, less fatigue.  Also, the lighter it is (assuming it sounds alright), the easier life will be.

But then you don't have a hand free for accents.

And sadly the best sounding tambourine isn't always (actually rarely - see Bermuda's Beatles post above) the lightest. So unless you've really got your chops together (and I never have) there is no avoiding the infamous cramping right arm in the last chorus syndrome. :-)

dc

My preferred tamborine for shaking and hitting accents is a crappy little 6" Remo.  You can shake and slap for the duration of a song with it without killing your hands.

I have also had a tambourine and a riq overdubbed on the same track.  I thought it was going to be one or the other, but the engineer used them both.  No duct tape. 

Excellent video lesson Bart!