If these are the medium size at seven inches long, I wonder how small the small size is? I would say the sound is like that of a coarser egg shaker, though louder. The shaker material inside are about the size of peppercorns, which I find strike the right balance between being too sandy or too beady. I like the look of the sewn rawhide, it's nice to have a set a maracas that's not your standard three color palette. The wooden handles are also ideally formed for better grip and playability.