Percussion instruments are a category of musical equipment in which the sound is produced by blows or rocking on the sounding body. Sticks, mallets, hammers are used as an accessory for blows. Percussion musical instruments have different designs and types of surfaces. It can be metal or wooden elements, as well as special membranes.
Depending on the purpose, you can buy percussion instruments of different categories. There are options with the pitch of a certain parameter. They are tuned to the provided notes of the sound range. These are xylophones, timpani, bell or vibraphones.
Models with an undefined pitch cannot be tuned to a particular sound. These include percussion instrument drum, tam-tam, castanets, triangles, as well as cymbals and tambourines.
It is worth buying percussion musical instruments to develop a sense of rhythm and improve your professional qualities. There are three types of instruments according to the parameters of the sounding body: lamellar type, webbed, and self-sounding models. In addition, such instruments are divided into two types according to the formation of sound. These are membranophones (where the stretched membrane is the sounding element) and idiophones (where the entire instrument is the sounding element). Also percussion instruments include strings - piano and cymbals.
The timbre characteristics of drums may differ, depending on the shape, material and method of impact of the sounding element. If we talk about the volume of the tones of this group of instruments, then it depends on the force of impact, due to which it is possible to regulate the amplitude of vibrations of the sounding element and the dimensions of this element. Some models are equipped with resonators to enhance the sound power.
Agogo is a Brazilian folk percussion instrument, which consists of two sheep bells of different colors without tongues, connected by a metal curved handle. There are various variations of agogo. For example, with three bells; or agogo, made entirely of wood (also with two or three bells). The rhythmic pattern performed by agogo players is the basis of the polyrhythmic structure of the Brazilian carnival samba.
Basic information Asatayak is an ancient Kazakh and ancient Turkic percussion musical instrument. The shape resembles a wand or cane with a flat head, decorated with ornaments and metal rings, pendants. Asatayak had an open and sharp sound. To enhance the sound of the instrument, the bucks used konyrau - bells that were attached to the head of the asatayak. When shaking the instrument, konyrau complemented the sound with a metallic ringing. And asatayak,
Basic information Ashiko is a West African percussion instrument, a truncated cone drum. Ashiko is played with the hands. Origin Ashiko is considered to be the homeland of West Africa, presumably Nigeria, the Yoruba people. The name is most often translated as "freedom". Ashiko was used for healing, in initiation rituals, military rituals, communication with ancestors, for transmitting signals over distances, etc. Drums
Bania (Bahia) is a Bengali percussion instrument, distributed in Northern India. It is a single-sided small-sized drum with a leather membrane and a bowl-shaped ceramic body. The sound is produced by the blows of the fingers and the hand. Used with tabla. Video: Bania on video + sound Video with this instrument will appear in the encyclopedia very soon! Sale: where to buy/order?
Basic information Banggu (danpigu) is a Chinese percussion musical instrument, a small one-sided drum. From the Chinese baths - a wooden plank, gu - a drum. There is a female bangu and a masculine bangu. It has a wooden case in the form of a bowl with massive walls, facing the convex side up. There is a small hole in the middle of the case. The leather membrane is stretched over the convex part of the body
Basic Information The bar chimes are a self-sounding percussion musical instrument related to traditional Asian wind chimes. The instrument was introduced into the everyday life of percussionists by the American percussionist Mark Stevens, after whom he received the original name Mark Tree, widely used in the West. In Russia, the name Bar Chimes is more common. Metal tubes of different lengths that make up the instrument sound when they touch each other.
Basic information, device Drum - percussion musical instrument, membranophone. Common in most peoples. It consists of a hollow cylindrical wooden (or metal) resonator body or frame, on which leather membranes are stretched on one or both sides (plastic membranes are now used). The relative pitch can be adjusted by tensioning the membranes. The sound is produced by striking the membrane with a wooden mallet with a soft tip, a stick,
The Boyran is an Irish percussion instrument resembling a tambourine about half a meter (usually 18 inches) in diameter. The Irish word bodhran (in Irish it is pronounced boron or boirOn, in English - bouran, in Russian it is customary to pronounce boiran or boran) is translated as “thundering”, “stunning” (and also “annoying”, but this is only in some cases ). They hold the boyran vertically, playing it in a specific way with a wooden
Basic information The big drum (bass drum), also sometimes called the Turkish drum or "bass barrel" is a percussion musical instrument with an indefinite pitch, low register. It is a drum - a wide metal or wooden cylinder, covered with skins on both sides (sometimes only on one side). The sound is extracted by hitting a mallet with a massive head wrapped in dense material. If it is necessary to perform complex
Basic information Bonang is an Indonesian percussion instrument. It is a set of bronze gongs, with the help of cords, fixed in a horizontal position on a wooden stand. Each gong has a bulge (pencha) in the center. The sound is produced by hitting this bulge with a wooden stick wrapped at the end with cotton cloth or rope. Sometimes spherical resonators made of burnt clay are suspended under the gongs. Sound
Bongo (Spanish: bongo) is a Cuban percussion instrument. It is a small doubled drum of African origin, usually played while sitting, holding the bongo between the calves of the legs. In Cuba, the bongo first appeared in the province of Oriente around 1900. The drums that make up the bongos vary in size; the smaller of them is considered "male" (macho - Spanish macho, literally
Basic information A tambourine is a percussion musical instrument consisting of a leather membrane stretched over a wooden rim. Some varieties of tambourines have metal bells suspended from them, which begin to ring when the performer strikes the membrane of the tambourine, rubs it, or shakes the entire instrument. A tambourine is widespread among many peoples: Uzbek doira; Armenian, Azerbaijani, Tajik def; shaman tambourines with a long handle among the peoples
Basic information Bell (bell) - a percussion musical instrument, a small metal rattle (bell); is a hollow ball with a small solid ball (several balls) inside. It can be attached to a horse harness (“Three with bells”), clothes, shoes, headgear (jester's cap), a tambourine. Video: Bell on video + sound Video with this instrument will appear in the encyclopedia very soon! Sale: where
Bugai (berbenitsa) is an accompanying frictional percussion musical instrument that sounds like the roar of a bull. The bull is a wooden cylinder, the upper opening of which is covered with skin. A tuft of horse hair is attached to the skin in the center. Used as a bass instrument. The musician, with his hands moistened in kvass, pulls his hair. The pitch of the sound changes depending on the place of contact. Bugai is widespread
Basic information Vibraphone (English and French vibraphone, Italian vibrafono, German vibraphon) is a percussion musical instrument related to metal idiophones with a certain pitch. Invented in the USA in the late 1910s. The instrument has wide virtuoso capabilities and is used in jazz, on the stage and in percussion ensembles, less often in a symphony orchestra and as a solo instrument.
Basic information Gaval (daf) is an Azerbaijani folk percussion musical instrument. Very similar to tambourine and tambourine. One of those rare musical instruments that has retained its original form to this day. The Gaval device is a wooden rim with sturgeon skin stretched over it. In modern conditions, the gaval membrane is also made of plastic to prevent moisture. To
Basic information, device, system Gambang is an Indonesian percussion musical instrument. It consists of wooden (gambang kayu) or metal (gambang gangza) plates, fixed in a horizontal position on a wooden stand, often richly decorated with paintings and carvings. The sound is extracted by blows of two wooden sticks with a flat puck-shaped winding at the ends. They are held loosely between the thumb and forefinger, the other fingers
Basic information Gender (gender) is an Indonesian percussion musical instrument. In gamelan, gender carries out a variational development of the main theme given by the gambang. The Gender device consists of 10-12 slightly convex metal plates, fixed in a horizontal position on a wooden stand with cords. Bamboo resonator tubes are suspended from the plates. Gender plates are selected in accordance with the 5-step slendro scale
Basic information Gong is an ancient percussion musical instrument of a symphony orchestra, which is a relatively large concave metal disk freely suspended on a support. Sometimes gong is mistakenly confused with tam-tam. Varieties of gongs There are a huge number of varieties of gongs. They differ in size, shape, character of sound and origin. The most famous in modern orchestral music are the Chinese and Javanese gongs. Chinese
Guiro is a Latin American percussion instrument, originally made from the fruit of the gourd tree, known in Cuba and Puerto Rico under the name "iguero", with serifs applied to the surface. The word "guiro" comes from the language of the Taino Indians who inhabited the Antilles before the Spanish invasion. Traditionally, merengue often uses metallic guiro, which has a sharper sound, and in salsa
Basic information Gusachok (goose) is an unusual old Russian folk noise percussion musical instrument. The origin of the gander is vague and ambiguous. It is possible that buffoons also played on it, however, in modern specimens, the clay jar (or “glechik”) is replaced by a papier-mâché model of the same shape. The gander has close relatives in different countries of the world. Let's face it, all relatives are very
Basic information Dangyr is an ancient Kazakh and ancient Turkic percussion musical instrument. It was a tambourine: a rim covered with leather on one side, inside of which metal chains, rings and plates were hung. Both dangyra and asatayak were attributes of shamanic rituals, which is why they were not widely used in the musical life of the people. Since the beginning of the 19th century, both
Basic information Darbuka (tarbuka, darabuka, dumbek) is an ancient percussion musical instrument of indefinite pitch, a small drum, widespread in the Middle East, Egypt, the Maghreb countries, the Transcaucasus and the Balkans. Traditionally made of clay and goatskin, metal darbuks are also common now. It has two holes, one of which (wide) is covered with a membrane. According to the type of sound production refers to
Basic information A wooden box or wood block is a percussion musical instrument. One of the most common percussion musical instruments with an indefinite pitch. The sound of the instrument is a characteristic clattering sound. It is a rectangular bar of sonorous, well-dried wood. On one side, closer to the top of the bar, a deep slit about 1 cm wide is hollowed out. The instrument is played with wooden or
Djembe is a West African percussion musical instrument in the form of a goblet with an open narrow bottom and a wide top, on which a skin membrane is stretched - most often goat. Previously unknown to the West, since its "discovery" it has gained immense popularity. In terms of shape, the djembe belongs to the so-called goblet drums, in terms of sound production - to membranophones. Origin, history of Djembe
Basic information Dholak is a percussion musical instrument, a barrel-shaped wooden drum with two membranes of different diameters. They play the dholak with their hands or with a special stick; you can play sitting Turkish, putting it on your knees, or standing, using a belt. The tension force of the membranes is regulated by a system of rings and rope constrictions. Dholak is common in North India, Pakistan and Nepal; very popular
Basic information Carillon is a percussion musical instrument that, by means of a clock mechanism, makes a series of bells play a melody, just as a rotating shaft sets an organ in motion. Often used in churches, especially in the Netherlands, in China it was already known in ancient times. The carillon is played "manually" using a special keyboard. In total, there are 600-700 carillons in the world. Notable musicians
Basic information Castanets are a percussion musical instrument, which consists of two concave shell plates, connected by a cord in the upper parts. Plates have traditionally been made from hardwood, although more recently fiberglass has been used for this. Castanets are most widely used in Spain, southern Italy and Latin America. Similar simple musical instruments suitable for the rhythmic accompaniment of dance
Basic information Kimval is an ancient oriental percussion musical instrument, consisting of a metal plate (bowl), in the middle of which a belt or rope was attached, to be worn on the right hand. The cymbal was struck against another cymbal worn on the left hand, which is why the name of this instrument is used in the plural: cymbals. When they hit each other, the cymbals make a sharp ringing sound. Jews
Basic information Clave (Spanish clave, literally - “key”) is the simplest Cuban folk percussion musical instrument. Idiophone of African origin. It consists of two sticks made of hard wood, with the help of which the main rhythm of the ensemble is set. The musician playing the clave (usually a singer) holds one of the sticks in his hand in such a way that the palm forms a kind of resonator, and the other
Basic information A bell is a metal percussion musical instrument (usually cast from the so-called bell bronze), a sound source that has a domed shape and, usually, a tongue that hits the walls from the inside. There are also known bells without a tongue, which are beaten with a hammer or a log from the outside. The bells are used for religious purposes (calling the faithful to prayer, expressing the solemn moments of Divine service) and in
Basic information Orchestral bells are a percussion musical instrument of a symphony orchestra (idiophone). It is a set of 12-18 cylindrical metal tubes with a diameter of 25-38 mm, suspended in a rack frame (about 2 m high). They are struck with a mallet, the head of which is covered with leather. The sound range is chromatic. Range 1-1.5 octaves (usually from F; notated an octave higher than it sounds). Modern bells are equipped with a damper. in the orchestra
Basic information Bells (Italian campanelli, French jeu de timbres, German Glockenspiel) are a percussion musical instrument with a certain pitch. The instrument has a light-ringing timbre in the piano, brilliant and bright - in the forte. Bells exist in two varieties: simple and keyboard. Simple bells are a set of metal plates tuned to chromatism, placed in two rows on a wooden
Basic information Congo is a Latin American percussion musical instrument of indefinite pitch from the genus of membranophones. It is a barrel elongated in height, with a leather membrane stretched from one end. It is used in pairs - two drums of different diameters (one is tuned lower, the other is higher), often the congo is played simultaneously with the bongo (collected on the same percussion set). Congo height 70-80
Basic information Xylophone (from the Greek xylo - tree + background - sound) is a percussion musical instrument with a certain pitch. It is a series of wooden blocks of different sizes, tuned to certain notes. The bars are struck with sticks with spherical tips or special hammers that look like small spoons (in the jargon of musicians, these hammers are called "goat legs"). Xylophone tone
Basic information Kuika is a Brazilian percussion instrument from the group of friction drums, most commonly used in samba. It has a creaky, sharp timbre of a high register. Kuika is a cylindrical metal (originally wooden) body, with a diameter of 6-10 centimeters. The skin is stretched on one side of the case, the other side remains open. From the inside, to the center and perpendicular to the leather membrane is attached
Timpani (Italian timpani, French timbales, German Pauken, English kettle drums) is a percussion musical instrument with a certain pitch. They are a system of two or more (up to five) metal boilers, the open side of which is covered with leather or plastic. At the bottom of each boiler is a resonator hole. Origin The timpani is an instrument of very ancient origin. In Europe, timpani, close
Basic information Spoons are the oldest Slavic percussion musical instrument. Musical spoons in appearance are not much different from ordinary table wooden spoons, only they are made from harder woods. In addition, musical spoons have elongated handles and a polished impact surface. Sometimes bells are hung along the handle. The game set of spoons can include 2, 3 or
Basic information, device The snare drum (also sometimes called a military drum or “working drum”) is a percussion musical instrument belonging to membranophones with an indefinite pitch. One of the main percussion instruments of a symphony orchestra, as well as jazz and other genres, where it is part of a drum kit (often in several copies of different sizes). The snare drum is metal, plastic or
Basic information Maraca (maracas) is the oldest shock-noise musical instrument of the native inhabitants of the Antilles - the Taino Indians, a kind of rattle that makes a characteristic rustling sound when shaken. Currently, maracas are popular throughout Latin America and are one of the symbols of Latin American music. As a rule, a maraca player uses a pair of rattles - one in each
Basic information Marimba is a keyboard percussion musical instrument, consisting of wooden bars mounted on a frame, which are struck with beaters, a relative of the xylophone. The marimba differs from the xylophone in that the sound produced by each bar is amplified by a wooden or metal resonator, or a gourd suspended underneath. Marimba has a rich, soft and deep timbre that allows you to achieve expressive sound. The marimba originated in
Basic information Musical pendant (breeze) is a percussion musical instrument. It is a bunch of small objects that emit a pleasant chime when the wind blows, widely used in landscape design, especially when decorating porches, verandas, terraces, awnings, etc., adjacent to the house. It is also used as a musical instrument. Musical pendants are most widely used in the southern regions as an anti-stress agent and
Basic information Pkhachich is an Adyghe and Kabardian folk percussion instrument, a relative of the rattle. Represents 3, 5 or 7 plates of dried hardwood (boxwood, ash, chestnut, hornbeam, plane trees), loosely tied at one end to the same plate with a handle. The usual dimensions of the tool: length 150-165 mm, width 45-50 mm. Phachich is held by the handle, pulling the noose,
Basic information Sencerro (Campana) is a Latin American percussion musical instrument of indefinite pitch from the ideophone family: a metal bell without a tongue, which is played with a wooden stick. Its other name is Campana. Modern senserro have the form of a bell, somewhat flattened on both sides. The appearance of the senserro in Latin American music is associated with the ritual bells of the econ of the Congolese religious cults. It is believed that in
Basic Information Tabla is an Indian percussion instrument. The big drum is called bayna, the small one is called daina. One of the most famous musicians who glorified this instrument all over the world was the legendary tablist - Ravi Shankar. Origin The exact origin of tabla is unclear. But according to the existing tradition, the creation of this instrument (as well as many others whose origin is unknown) is attributed to Amir
Basic information Tala (or talan; Skt. Tala - clapping, rhythm, beat, dance) is a South Indian paired percussion musical instrument from the percussion category, a kind of metal cymbals or cymbal. Behind each of them there is a silk or wooden handle. The sound of the tala is quite soft and pleasant. Video: Tala on video + sounding Video with this instrument very soon
Music surrounds us from childhood. And then we have the first musical instruments. Do you remember your first drum or tambourine? And the shiny metallophone, on the records of which you had to knock with a wooden stick? And the pipes with holes on the side? With a certain skill, one could even play simple melodies on them.
Toy instruments are the first step into the world of real music. Now you can buy a variety of musical toys: from simple drums and harmonicas to almost real pianos and synthesizers. Do you think these are just toys? Not at all: in the preparatory classes of music schools, entire noise orchestras are made up of such toys, in which the kids selflessly blow the pipes, beat the drums and tambourines, spur the rhythm with maracas and play the first songs on the xylophone ... And this is their first real step into the world music.
Types of musical instruments
The world of music has its own order and classification. Tools are divided into large groups: strings, keyboards, percussion, brass, and also reed. Which of them appeared earlier, which later, it is now difficult to say for sure. But already the ancient people who shot from a bow noticed that a stretched bowstring sounds, reed tubes, if blown into them, make whistling sounds, and it is convenient to beat the rhythm on any surface with all available means. These items became the progenitors of stringed, wind and percussion instruments already known in ancient Greece. Reeds appeared just as long ago, but keyboards were invented a little later. Let's take a look at these main groups.
Brass
In wind instruments, sound is produced as a result of vibrations of a column of air enclosed inside a tube. The larger the volume of air, the lower the sound it makes.
Wind instruments are divided into two large groups: wooden and copper. Wooden - flute, clarinet, oboe, bassoon, alpine horn ... - are a straight tube with side holes. By closing or opening the holes with the fingers, the musician can shorten the column of air and change the pitch. Modern instruments are often made not from wood, but from other materials, however, according to tradition, they are called wooden.
Copper brass sets the tone for any orchestra, from brass to symphony. Trumpet, horn, trombone, tuba, helicon, a whole family of saxhorns (baritone, tenor, alto) are typical representatives of this loudest group of instruments. Later came the saxophone, the king of jazz.
The pitch of the brass winds changes due to the force of the blown air and the position of the lips. Without additional valves, such a pipe can produce only a limited number of sounds - a natural scale. To expand the range of sound and the ability to hit all sounds, a system of valves was invented - valves that change the height of the air column (like side holes on wooden ones). Copper pipes that are too long, unlike wooden pipes, can be rolled up, giving them a more compact shape. French horn, tuba, helicon are examples of coiled trumpets.
Strings
The bowstring can be considered the prototype of stringed instruments - one of the most important groups of any orchestra. The sound is produced by a vibrating string. To enhance the sound, the strings began to be pulled over the hollow body - this is how the lute and mandolin, cymbals, harp ... and the familiar guitar appeared.
The string group is divided into two main subgroups: bowed and plucked tools. Bowed violins include violins of all varieties: violins, violas, cellos and huge double basses. The sound from them is extracted with a bow, which is driven along the stretched strings. But for plucked strings, a bow is not needed: the musician pinches the string with his fingers, causing it to vibrate. Guitar, balalaika, lute - plucked instruments. As well as the beautiful harp that makes such gentle cooing sounds. But the double bass - a bowed or plucked instrument? Formally, it belongs to the bowed, but often, especially in jazz, it is played with plucks.
Keyboards
If the fingers striking the strings are replaced by hammers, and the hammers are set in motion with the help of keys, we get keyboards tools. First keyboards - clavichords and harpsichords appeared in the Middle Ages. They sounded rather quiet, but very gentle and romantic. And at the beginning of the 18th century, they invented piano- an instrument that could be played both loudly (forte) and softly (piano). The long name is usually shortened to the more familiar "piano". The older brother of the piano - what's the brother - the king! - that's what it's called: piano. This is no longer a tool for small apartments, but for concert halls.
Keyboards include the largest - and one of the most ancient! - musical instruments: organ. This is no longer a percussion keyboard, like a piano and a grand piano, but keyboard wind instrument: not the lungs of the musician, but the blower machine creates a flow of air into the tube system. This huge system is controlled by a complex control panel, which has everything from a manual (that is, manual) keyboard to pedals and register switches. And how could it be otherwise: organs consist of tens of thousands of individual tubes of various sizes! But their range is huge: each tube can sound only on one note, but when there are thousands of them ...
Drums
Percussion instruments were the oldest musical instruments. It was the tapping of rhythm that was the first prehistoric music. The sound can be produced by a stretched membrane (drum, tambourine, oriental darbuka...) or the body of the instrument itself: triangles, cymbals, gongs, castanets and other knockers and rattles. A special group is made up of drums that produce a sound of a certain height: timpani, bells, xylophones. You can already play a melody on them. Percussion ensembles, consisting only of percussion instruments, arrange entire concerts!
Reed
Is there any other way to extract sound? Can. If one end of a plate made of wood or metal is fixed, and the other is left free and forced to oscillate, then we get the simplest tongue - the basis of reed instruments. If there is only one tongue, we get jew's harp. Linguistics include accordions, bayans, accordions and their miniature model - harmonica.
harmonica
On the button accordion and accordion you can see the keys, so they are considered both keyboards and reeds. Some wind instruments are also reeded: for example, in the clarinet and bassoon already familiar to us, the reed is hidden inside the pipe. Therefore, the division of tools into these types is conditional: there are many tools mixed type.
In the 20th century, the friendly musical family was replenished with another large family: electronic instruments. The sound in them is created artificially with the help of electronic circuits, and the first example was the legendary theremin, created back in 1919. Electronic synthesizers can imitate the sound of any instrument and even... play themselves. Unless, of course, someone will make a program. :)
The division of instruments into these groups is just one way of classifying them. There are many others: for example, the Chinese combined tools depending on the material from which they were made: wood, metal, silk and even stone... The methods of classification are not so important. It is much more important to be able to recognize instruments both in appearance and in sound. This is what we will learn.
Percussion is the most numerous family of musical instruments today. Sound from instruments of this type is extracted by striking the surface of the sounding body. The sounding body can take various forms and be made of various materials. In addition, instead of hitting, shaking is allowed - in fact, indirect blows with sticks, hammers or mallets on the same sounding body.
The history of the appearance of the first percussion instruments
Percussion instruments are among the most ancient. The first prototype of a percussion instrument appeared when primitive people, striking a stone against a stone, created a kind of rhythm for ritual dances or simply in everyday household chores (crushing nuts, grinding grain, etc.).
In fact, any device that produces measured noises can be called a percussion instrument. Initially, these were stones or sticks, planks. Later, the idea came up to tap out the rhythm on the skin stretched over the hollow body - the first drums.
When excavating the settlement sites of the tribes of Central Africa and the Far East, archaeologists discovered samples that were already more similar to modern ones. Obviously, it was they who at one time served as an example for the creation of European percussion instruments.
Functional features of percussion instruments
The sound produced by percussion instruments originated from primitive rhythmic melodies. Jingling and ringing prototypes of modern percussion musical instruments were used during ritual dances by the peoples of Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome, Asian countries.
But representatives of the ancient Arab states used percussion instruments, in particular drums, in military campaigns. This tradition was adopted by European nations much later. Not rich in melodic terms, but loud and rhythmic, the drums became an invariable accompaniment to military marches and hymns.
And in the orchestra, percussion instruments have found quite a wide application. Initially, they were denied access to European academic music. Gradually, drums found their way into dramatic music within opera and ballet orchestras, and only then did they find their way into symphony orchestras. But today it is difficult to imagine an orchestra without drums, timpani, cymbals, tambourine, tambourine or triangle.
Classification of percussion instruments
The group of percussion musical instruments is not only numerous, but also very unstable. Several different ways of classifying them have been developed, so the same instrument can belong to several subgroups at once.
The most common percussion instruments today are timpani, vibraphone, xylophone; various types of drums, tambourines, African drum tam-tam, as well as a triangle, cymbals, and many others.
Percussion instruments, the names and descriptions of which are presented in this article, arose earlier than other musical instruments. They were used in ancient times by the peoples of the Middle East and the African continent to accompany warlike and religious dances and dances. Percussion instruments, whose names are numerous, as well as their types, are very common today, not a single ensemble can do without them. These include those in which the sound is extracted with the help of a blow.
Classification
According to their musical qualities, that is, according to the possibility of extracting sounds of one or another pitch, all types of percussion instruments can be divided into 2 groups, the names of which are presented in this article: with an indefinite pitch (cymbals, drums, etc.) and with a certain pitch ( xylophone, timpani). They are also divided depending on the type of vibrator (sounding body) into self-sounding (castanets, triangles, cymbals, etc.), lamellar (bells, vibraphones, xylophones, etc.) and webbed (tambourine, drums, timpani, etc.).
Now you know what types of percussion instruments exist. Let's say a few words about what determines the timbre and loudness of their sound.
What determines the volume and timbre of the sound
The loudness of their sound is determined by the amplitude of the vibrations of the sounding body, that is, the force of impact, as well as the size of the sounding body. Amplifying the sound in some instruments is achieved by adding resonators. The timbre that certain types of percussion instruments have depends on many factors. The main ones are the method of impact, the material from which the instrument is made, and the shape of the sounding body.
Webbed percussion instruments
The sounding body in them is a membrane or stretched membrane. These include percussion instruments, whose names are: tambourine, drums, timpani, etc.
timpani
The timpani is an instrument with a certain pitch, which has a metal body in the shape of a cauldron. A membrane made of tanned leather is stretched across the top of this cauldron. A special membrane made of polymeric materials is currently used as a membrane. It is fixed on the body with tension screws and a hoop. Screws located around the circumference release or tighten it. The percussion instrument of the timpani is tuned as follows: if the membrane is pulled, the system becomes higher, and if it is lowered, it will be lower. In order not to interfere with the membrane to vibrate freely, there is a hole at the bottom for air movement. The body of this tool is made of brass, copper or aluminum. Timpani are mounted on a tripod - a special stand.
This instrument is used in an orchestra in a set of 2, 3, 4 or more cauldrons of different sizes. From 550 to 700 mm is the diameter of modern timpani. There are the following types of them: pedal, mechanical and screw. Pedal ones are the most common, since you can rebuild the instrument to the desired key without interrupting the game by pressing the pedal. In timpani, the sound volume is approximately equal to a fifth. Below all the others, a large timpani is tuned.
Tulumbas
Tulumbas is an ancient percussion instrument (a genus of timpani). He served in the XVII-XVIII century in the army, where he was used to give alarms. In shape, this is a pot-shaped resonator. This ancient percussion instrument (kind of timpani) can be made of metal, clay or wood. The top is lined with leather. This design is beaten with wooden bats. A dull sound is produced, somewhat reminiscent of a shot of cannons.
drums
We continue to describe percussion instruments, the names of which were listed at the beginning of the article. Drums have an indefinite pitch. These include various percussion instruments. The names listed below all refer to drums (various varieties). There are large and small orchestral drums, large and small pop drums, as well as bongos, tom-bass and tom-tenor.
A large orchestral drum has a cylindrical body, covered with plastic or leather on both sides. It is characterized by a deaf, low, powerful sound, extracted by a wooden mallet with a tip in the form of a ball of felt or felt. For drum membranes, today they began to use a polymer film instead of parchment skin. It has the best musical and acoustic properties and higher durability. At the drums, the membranes are fixed with tension screws and two rims. The body of this instrument is made of plywood or sheet steel and lined with artistic celluloid. It has dimensions of 680x365 mm. The large pop drum has a design and shape similar to that of an orchestral drum. Its dimensions are 580x350 mm.
The small orchestral drum is a low cylinder covered with plastic or leather on both sides. The membranes (membranes) are attached to the body with the help of coupling screws and two rims. To give the instrument a specific sound, special strings or stringers (spirals) are stretched over the lower membrane. They are driven by a reset mechanism. The use of synthetic membranes in drums made it possible to significantly improve the reliability of operation, musical and acoustic characteristics, presentation and service life. The small orchestral drum has dimensions of 340x170 mm. He is included in the symphony and military brass bands. The small pop drum has a device similar to an orchestral one. Its dimensions are 356x118 mm.
Tom-tom-bass drums and tom-tom-tenor drums do not differ in their device. They are used in drum sets. The tenor tom is attached to the bass drum with a bracket. Tom-tom-bass is installed on a special stand on the floor.
Bongs are drums that are small in size, with plastic or leather stretched on one side. They are included in the drum set. Bongs are interconnected with adapters.
As you can see, many percussion instruments are related to drums. The names listed above can be supplemented by including some less popular varieties.
Tambourine
A tambourine is a shell (hoop), on one side of which plastic or leather is stretched. Special slots are made in the body of the hoop. Brass plates are reinforced in them, they look like small orchestral cymbals. Inside the hoop, sometimes small rings, bells are strung on spirals or on stretched strings. All this tinkles at the slightest touch to the tambourine, creating a special sound. The membrane is struck with the palm of the right hand (its base) or with the fingertips.
Tambourines are used to accompany songs and dances. In the East, the art of playing this instrument has reached virtuosity. Solo playing on the tambourine is also common here. Dyaf, def or gaval is an Azerbaijani tambourine, haval or daf is Armenian, daira is Georgian, doira is Tajik and Uzbek.
Plate percussion instruments
We continue to describe percussion musical instruments. Photos and names of plate drums are presented below. Such instruments, which have a certain pitch, include xylophone, marimba (marimbafon), metallophone, bells, bells, vibraphone.
Xylophone
A xylophone is a set of wooden blocks of various sizes that correspond to sounds of different pitches. The bars are made from rosewood, spruce, walnut, maple. They are placed in parallel in 4 rows, following the order of the chromatic scale. These bars are attached to strong laces, and are also separated by springs. A cord passes through the holes made in the bars. A xylophone for playing is laid out on a table on rubber share pads, which are located along the cords of this instrument. It is played with two wooden sticks with a thickening at the end. This instrument is used for playing in an orchestra or for solo playing.
Metallophone and marimba
The metallophone and marimba are also percussion instruments. Do the photos and their names mean anything to you? We invite you to get to know them better.
The metallophone is a musical instrument similar to the xylophone, but its sound plates are made of metal (bronze or brass). His photo is presented below.
Marimba (marimbafon) is an instrument whose sounding elements are wooden plates. It also has metal tubular resonators to enhance the sound.
Marimba has a juicy, soft timbre. Its sound range is 4 octaves. The playing plates of this instrument are made of rosewood. This ensures good musical and acoustic characteristics of this instrument. Plates are arranged in 2 rows on the frame. In the first row - plates of basic tones, and in the second - semitones. Resonators installed in 2 rows on the frame are tuned to the sound frequency of their respective plates. A photo of this tool is presented below.
The main knots of the marimba are fixed on the support trolley. The frame of this cart is made of aluminium. This provides sufficient strength and minimum weight. Marimba is used both for educational purposes and for professional play.
vibraphone
This instrument is a set of aluminum plates, chromatically tuned, which are arranged in 2 rows, similar to a piano keyboard. Plates are installed on a high table (bed) and fastened with laces. In the center under each of them are cylindrical resonators of a certain size. Through them pass in the upper part of the axis, on which fan fans (impellers) are fixed. This is how vibration is achieved. Damper device has this tool. It is connected under the bed to the pedal so that you can muffle the sound with your foot. The vibraphone is played with 2, 3, 4, and sometimes a large number of long sticks with rubber balls at the ends. This instrument is used in a symphony orchestra, but more often - in a pop or as a solo instrument. His photo is presented below.
bells
What percussion instruments can be used to play bell ringing in an orchestra? The correct answer is bells. This is a set of percussion instruments used in symphony and opera orchestras for this purpose. Bells consist of a set (from 12 to 18 pieces) of cylindrical pipes, which are tuned chromatically. Usually pipes are chrome-plated steel or nickel-plated brass. Their diameter is from 25 to 38 mm. They are hung on a special frame-rack, the height of which is about 2 m. Sound is extracted by striking the pipes with a wooden hammer. The bells are equipped with a special device (pedal-damper) for muffling the sound.
bells
This is a percussion instrument consisting of 23-25 metal plates tuned chromatically. They are placed in steps in 2 rows on a flat box. The black keys of the piano correspond to the top row, and the white keys to the bottom row.
Self-sounding percussion instruments
Talking about what kind of percussion instruments are (names and types), one cannot fail to mention self-sounding percussion instruments. This type includes the following instruments: cymbals, tom-toms, triangles, rattles, maracas, castanets, etc.
Plates
Cymbals are metal discs made of nickel silver or brass. A somewhat spherical shape is given to the disks of the cymbals. Leather straps are attached to the center. A long ringing sound is emitted when they hit each other. Sometimes one plate is used. Then the sound is extracted by blowing a metal brush or stick. Orchestral cymbals, gong cymbals and Charleston cymbals are produced. They sound loud and harsh.
Let's talk about what other percussion instruments are. Photos with names and descriptions will help you get to know them better.
Triangle orchestral
The orchestral triangle (its photo is presented below) is a steel bar of an open triangular shape. This instrument is suspended freely when played and then struck with a metal stick, while performing various rhythmic patterns. A ringing, bright sound has a triangle. It is used in various ensembles and orchestras. Triangles are produced with two sticks made of steel.
The gong or tam-tam is a bronze disc with curved edges. A beater with a felt tip is struck in its center. It turns out a gloomy, thick and deep sound, reaching full strength gradually, not immediately after the impact.
Castanets and maracas
Castanets (a photo of them is presented below) is a folk instrument of Spain. This ancient percussion instrument is shaped like shells tied with a cord. One of them faces the spherical (concave) side to the other. They are made from plastic or hard wood. Castanets are available as single or double castanets.
Maracas are plastic or wood balls filled with shot (small pieces of metal) and decorated colorfully on the outside. They are equipped with a handle to make them comfortable to hold during the game. Various rhythmic patterns can be played by shaking the maracas. They are used mainly in pop ensembles, but sometimes in orchestras.
Rattles are sets of small plates mounted on a wooden plate.
These are the main names of percussion musical instruments. Of course, there are many more of them. We talked about the most famous and popular.
Drum kit, which has a variety ensemble
In order to have a complete picture of this group of instruments, it is also necessary to know the composition of percussion kits (installations). The most common is the following composition: bass and snare drum, large and small single cymbal, paired cymbal hei-hat (“Charleston”), bongos, tom-tom alto, tom-tom tenor and tom-tom-bass.
A large drum is installed on the floor in front of the performer, for stability it has resistant legs. The tom-tom alto and tom-tom tenor drums can be fixed on the top of the drum with the help of brackets. It also provides an additional stand, on which an orchestral cymbal is fixed. Mounting on the bass drum tom-tom alto and tom-tom tenor brackets adjust their height.
The mechanical pedal is an integral part of the bass drum. The performer uses it to extract sound from this musical instrument. Be sure to include a small pop drum in the drum set. It is fastened with three clamps on a special stand: one retractable and two folding. The stand is installed on the floor. This is a stand, which is equipped for fixing in a certain position, as well as changing the inclination of the snare drum with a locking device.
The snare drum has a muffler and a reset device that are used to adjust the tone. Also, a drum kit sometimes includes several tom-tom tenors, tom-tom altos and tom-tom drums, of different sizes.
Also, the drum kit (its photo is presented below) includes orchestral cymbals with a stand, a chair and a mechanical stand for the Charleston. Maracas, triangles, castanets and other noise instruments are companion instruments of this setup.
Spare parts and accessories
Spare accessories and parts of percussion instruments include: stands for orchestral cymbals, for a snare drum, for Charleston cymbals, timpani sticks, a mechanical mallet for a drum (large), sticks for a snare drum, pop drumsticks, orchestral brushes, beaters and leather for bass drum, straps, cases.
Percussion instruments
It is necessary to distinguish between percussion and percussion instruments. Percussion instruments include piano and grand piano. The strings of a piano are arranged horizontally and are struck by a hammer from the bottom up. The piano differs in that the hammer strikes in the direction away from the player on the strings forward. The strings are stretched in a vertical plane. Due to the richness of sounds in terms of strength and height, as well as the great possibilities of these instruments, the grand piano and piano have received a common name. Both instruments can be called in one word - "piano". The piano is a stringed percussion instrument by the method of producing sound.
The keyboard mechanism used in it is a system of levers interconnected, which serves to transfer the energy of the pianist's fingers to the strings. It consists of mechanics and keyboard. The keyboard is a set of keys, the number of which may vary depending on the sound range of an instrument. The keys are usually lined with plastic overlays. Then they are mounted on the keyboard frame with the help of pins. Each of the keys has lead seals, a pilot, a primer and an overlay. It transmits, as a lever of the first kind, the pianist's effort on the mechanical figure. Mechanics are hammer mechanisms that convert the musician's effort when pressing a key into a blow to the hammer strings. Hammers are made of hornbeam or maple, their head is covered with felt.
