All types of percussion musical instruments. Percussion instruments

09.04.2019

A group of instruments united according to the method of sound production per beat. The sound source is a solid body, a membrane, a string. There are instruments with definite (timpani, bells, xylophones) and indefinite (drums, tambourines, castanets) ...

A group of instruments united according to the method of sound production per beat. The sound source is a solid body, a membrane, a string. There are instruments with definite (timpani, bells, xylophone) and indefinite (drums, tambourines, castanets) ... encyclopedic Dictionary

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Those from which the sound is extracted by a blow. These include and keyboard instruments, but it is mainly customary to call percussion instruments used in the orchestra. They are divided into tools with stretched skins, metal and wood. Some of them have… Encyclopedic Dictionary F.A. Brockhaus and I.A. Efron

percussion musical instruments- ▲ musical instrument strike membrane: drum. tambourine. tom-tom. timpani instr. cauldron-shaped with one membrane. tambourine. flexatone. carillon. self-sounding: castanets. xylophone. vibraphone. glockenspiel. celesta. dishes. ancient: tympanum. ... ... Ideographic Dictionary of the Russian Language

Musical instruments whose sound source is stretched strings, and the sound is produced by hitting the string with a tanget, hammer or sticks. To S. at. m. and. include piano, cymbals, etc. See String musical ... ... Big soviet encyclopedia

Strings Plucked Bowed Wind Wood Brass Reed ... Wikipedia

Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

Extraction Tools musical sounds(see Musical sound). The oldest functions musical instruments, magic, signal, etc. They existed already in the Paleolithic and Neolithic eras. In modern musical practice ... ... encyclopedic Dictionary

Instruments that have the ability to reproduce, with the assistance of a person, rhythmically organized and fixed in pitch sounds or a clearly regulated rhythm. Each M. and. has a special timbre (color) of sound, as well as its own ... ... Great Soviet Encyclopedia

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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 from a variety of 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 one of the oldest. The first prototype of a percussion instrument appeared when primitive people, striking a stone on 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.

During the excavations of the settlement sites of the tribes of Central Africa and Far East archaeologists have discovered samples that are 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 peoples 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 European peoples adopted 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 their classification, so the same tool can belong to several subgroups at once.

The most common percussion instruments today are timpani, vibraphone, xylophone; different kinds drums, tambourines, African drum tam-tam, as well as triangle, cymbals, and many others.

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 (kind 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 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 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 by two wooden sticks having 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.

A metallophone is a musical instrument similar to a 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 tool is used in symphony orchestra, but more often - in pop music 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.

Dishes

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) - this is 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 balls of plastic or wood 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 mainly used in variety ensembles but sometimes in orchestras.

Rattles are sets of small plates fixed 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. Must be included in drum set small pop drum. 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 (its photo is presented below) includes orchestral cymbals with a stand, a chair and a mechanical stand for the "Charleston". Maracas, triangles, castanets and others noise instruments are companion tools to 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 small drum, pop drumsticks, orchestral brushes, mallets 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 sound strength and height, as well as the great possibilities of these instruments, the grand piano and piano have received 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 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 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.

Percussion musical instruments appeared before all other musical instruments. In ancient times, percussion instruments were used by the peoples of the African continent and the Middle East to accompany religious and martial dances and dances.

These days, percussion instruments are very common, as no ensemble can do without them.

Percussion instruments are instruments whose sound is produced by striking. According to their musical qualities, i.e., the possibility of obtaining sounds of a certain pitch, all percussion instruments are divided into two types: with a certain pitch (timpani, xylophone) and with an indefinite pitch (drums, cymbals, etc.).

Depending on the type of sounding body (vibrator), percussion instruments are divided into webbed (timpani, drums, tambourine, etc.), lamellar (xylophones, vibraphones, bells, etc.), self-sounding (cymbals, triangles, castanets, etc.).

The loudness of the sound of a percussion instrument is determined by the size of the sounding body and the amplitude of its vibrations, i.e., the force of impact. In some instruments, amplification of the sound is achieved by adding resonators. The timbre of the sound of percussion instruments depends on many factors, the main of which are the shape of the sounding body, the material from which the instrument is made, and the method of impact.

Webbed percussion instruments

In webbed percussion instruments, the sounding body is a stretched membrane or membrane. These include timpani, drums, tambourine, etc.

timpani- an instrument with a certain pitch, having a metal body in the form of a cauldron, in the upper part of which a membrane of well-dressed leather is stretched. Currently, a special membrane made of high-strength polymeric materials is used as a membrane.

The membrane is attached to the body with a hoop and tension screws. These screws, located around the circumference, tighten or release the membrane. Thus, the timpani is tuned: if the membrane is pulled, the system will be higher, and, conversely, if the membrane is released, the system will be lower. In order not to interfere with the free vibration of the membrane in the center of the boiler, there is a hole at the bottom for air movement.

The body of the timpani is made of copper, brass or aluminum, mounted on a tripod stand.

In an orchestra, timpani are used in a set of two, three, four or more cauldrons of various sizes. The diameter of modern timpani is from 550 to 700 mm.

There are screw, mechanical and pedal timpani. Pedal ones are the most common, since with one click on the pedal, you can rebuild the instrument to the desired key without interrupting the game.

The sound volume of the timpani is about a fifth. The big timpani is tuned lower than all the others. The sound range of the instrument is from the F of a large octave to a small octave. The middle timpani has a range of sound from B of a large octave to F of a small octave. Small timpani - from D small octave to la small octave.

drums- Instruments with an indefinite pitch. There are small and large orchestral drums, small and large pop drums, tom-tenor, tom-bass, bongos.

A large orchestral drum is a cylindrical body covered on both sides with leather or plastic. The big drum has a powerful, low and hollow sound, which is played with a wooden mallet with a ball-shaped tip made of felt or felt. At present, instead of expensive parchment skin, a polymer film has been used for drum membranes, which has higher strength indicators and better musical and acoustic properties.

The membranes at the drums are fixed with two rims and tension screws located around the circumference of the tool body. The body of the drum is made of sheet steel or plywood, lined with artistic celluloid. Dimensions 680x365 mm.

The large pop drum has a shape and design similar to the orchestra drum. Its dimensions are 580x350 mm.

The small orchestral drum has the appearance of a low cylinder covered on both sides with leather or plastic. The membranes (webs) are attached to the body with two rims and pinch screws.

To give the drum a specific sound, special strings or spirals (stringer) are pulled over the lower membrane, which are driven by a reset mechanism.

The use of synthetic membranes in drums has significantly improved their musical and acoustic capabilities, operational reliability, service life and presentation. The dimensions of the small orchestral drum are 340x170 mm.

Small orchestral drums are included in military brass bands, they are also used in symphony orchestras.

The small variety drum has the same device as the orchestral one. Its dimensions are 356x118 mm.

The tom-tom-tenor drum and the tom-tom-bass drum do not differ in design and are used in pop drum kits. The tom-tenor drum is attached with a bracket to the bass drum, the tom-tom-bass drum is installed on the floor on a special stand.

Bongs are small drums with leather or plastic stretched on one side. They are part of the pop drum set. Between themselves, the bongs are connected by adapters.

Tambourine- is a hoop (shell), in which leather or plastic is stretched on one side. Special slots are made in the body of the hoop, in which brass plates are fixed, looking like small orchestral cymbals. Sometimes, even inside the hoop, small bells and rings are strung on stretched strings or spirals. All this from the slightest touch to the instrument tinkles, creating a peculiar sound. Impacts on the membrane are made with the ends of the fingers or the base of the palm of the right hand.

Tambourines are used for rhythmic accompaniment of dances and songs. In the East, where the art of playing the tambourine has reached virtuosity, solo playing on this instrument is common. The Azerbaijani tambourine is called def, dyaf or gaval, Armenian - daf or haval, Georgian - daira, Uzbek and Tajik - doira.

Plate percussion instruments

Plate percussion instruments with a certain pitch include xylophone, metallophone, marim-bafon (marimba), vibraphone, bells, bells.

Xylophone- is a set of wooden blocks of different sizes, corresponding to sounds of different heights. Bars are made of rosewood, maple, walnut, spruce. They are arranged in parallel in four rows in the order of the chromatic scale. The bars are fastened on strong laces and separated by springs. The cord passes through the holes in the bars. To play, the xylophone is laid out on a small table on the share rubber pads located along the cords of the instrument.

The xylophone is played with two wooden sticks with a thickened end. The xylophone is used both for solo playing and in the orchestra.

The range of the xylophone is from the small octave to the fourth octave.


Metallophones are similar to xylophones, only the sound plates are made of metal (brass or bronze).

Marimbafons (marimba) is a percussion musical instrument, the sounding elements of which are wooden plates, and to enhance the sound, tubular metal resonators are installed on it.

Marimba has a soft, juicy timbre, has a sound range of four octaves: from a note to a small octave to a note to the fourth octave.

Playing plates are made of rosewood wood, which provides high musical and acoustic properties of the instrument. The plates are arranged on the frame in two rows. The first row contains the fundamental tone plates, the second row contains the semitone plates. Resonators mounted on a frame in two rows (metal tubes with plugs) are tuned to the sound frequency of the corresponding plates.

The main components of the marimba are fixed on a support trolley with wheels, the frame of which is made of aluminum, which ensures minimum weight and sufficient strength.

Marimba can be used both by professional musicians and for educational purposes.

vibraphone is a set of chromatically tuned aluminum plates arranged in two rows similar to a piano keyboard. The plates are mounted on a high frame (table) and fastened with laces. Under each plate in the center are cylindrical resonators of the appropriate size. Axes pass through all the resonators in the upper part, on which fan impellers - fans are mounted. A portable silent electric motor is mounted on the side of the bed, which rotates the impellers evenly throughout the entire playing of the instrument. Thus, vibration is achieved. The instrument has a damper device connected to the pedal under the bed to dampen the sound with the foot. The vibraphone is played with two, three, four sometimes longer sticks with rubber balls at the ends.

The range of the vibraphone is from F of a small octave to F of the third octave, or from to the first octave to the third octave.

The vibraphone is used in a symphony orchestra, but more often in variety orchestra or as a solo instrument.

bells- a set of percussion instruments that are used in opera and symphony orchestras to simulate bell ringing. The bell consists of a set of 12 to 18 cylindrical pipes tuned chromatically. Pipes are usually nickel-plated brass or chrome-plated steel with a diameter of 25-38 mm. They are hung in a rack frame about 2 m high. The sound is extracted by hitting the pipes with a wooden hammer. The bells are equipped with a pedal-damper device for muffling the sound. The range of bells is 1-11/2 octaves, usually from F to a large octave.

bells- a percussion musical instrument, which consists of 23-25 ​​chromatically tuned metal plates placed in a flat box in two rows in steps. Top row corresponds to black, and the bottom row corresponds to white piano keys.

The sound range of the bells is equal to two octaves: from a note to the first octave to a note to the third octave, and depends on the number of plates.

Self-sounding percussion instruments

Self-sounding percussion instruments include: cymbals, triangles, tam-tam, castanets, maracas, rattles, etc.

Dishes are metal discs made of brass or nickel silver. The discs of the cymbals are given a somewhat spherical shape, leather straps are attached to the center.

When the cymbals hit each other, a long ringing sound is made. Sometimes one cymbal is used and the sound is extracted by hitting a stick or a metal brush. Orchestral cymbals, Charleston cymbals, gong cymbals are produced. Cymbals sound sharply, ringing.

Triangle orchestral is a steel bar, which is given an open triangular shape. When playing, the triangle is freely suspended and hit with a metal stick, performing various rhythmic patterns.

The sound of the triangle is bright, ringing. The triangle is used in various orchestras and ensembles. Orchestral triangles with two steel sticks are produced.

There-there or gong- a bronze disk with curved edges, the center of which is struck with a mallet with a felt tip, the sound of the gong is deep, thick and gloomy, does not reach full strength immediately after the blow, but gradually.

Castanets- in Spain they are a folk instrument. Castanets have the form of shells facing one another with a concave (spherical) side and connected with a cord. They are made from hardwood and plastic. Double and single castanets are produced.

Maracas- balls made of wood or plastic, filled with a small amount of small pieces of metal (shot), maracas are colorfully decorated on the outside. For ease of holding during the game, they are equipped with a handle.


By shaking the maracas, various rhythmic patterns are reproduced.

Maracas are used in orchestras, but more often in pop ensembles.

rattles are sets of small plates mounted on a wooden plate.

Variety drum set ensemble

For a complete study of a group of percussion musical instruments, a specialist involved in their implementation needs to know the composition of drum kits (sets). The following composition of drum kits is most common: bass drum, snare drum, double cymbal "Charleston" (hey-hat), single large cymbal, single small cymbal, bongos, tom-tom bass, tom-tom tenor, tom-tom alto.

Directly in front of the performer, a large drum is installed on the floor, it has resistant legs for stability. On top of the drum, with the help of brackets, tom-tom tenor and tom-tom alto drums can be fixed; additionally, a stand for an orchestral plate is provided on the bass drum. The brackets that secure the tenor tom-tom and alto tom-tom to the bass drum adjust their height.

An integral part of the bass drum is a mechanical pedal, with which the performer extracts sound from the drum.

The composition of the drum set necessarily includes a small pop drum, which is mounted on a special stand with three clamps: two folding and one retractable. The stand is installed on the floor; it is a stand equipped with a locking device for fixing in a given position and adjusting the inclination of the snare drum.

The snare drum has a reset device, as well as a silencer, which are used to adjust the timbre of the sound.

A drum kit may include several tom-tom drums of different sizes, tom-tom altos and tom-tom tenors at the same time. Tom-tom bass is installed with right side from the performer and has legs with which you can adjust the height of the instrument.

The bong drums included in the drum kit are placed on a separate stand.

The drum kit also includes orchestral cymbals with a stand, a mechanical Charleston cymbal stand, and a chair.

Accompanying drum kit instruments are maracas, castanets, triangles, and other noise instruments.

Spare parts and accessories for percussion instruments

Spare parts and accessories for percussion instruments include: stands for snare drums, stands for orchestral cymbals, mechanical pedal stand for orchestral cymbals "Charleston", mechanical beater for bass drum, timpani sticks, sticks for snare drums, variety drum sticks, orchestral brushes, bass drum beaters, bass drum leather, straps, cases.

In percussion instruments, sound is produced by striking a device or separate parts instruments to each other.

Percussion instruments are divided into membrane, lamellar, self-sounding.

Membrane instruments include instruments in which the sound source is a stretched membrane (timpani, drums), the sound is extracted by hitting the membrane with some device (for example, a mallet). In lamellar instruments (xylophones, etc.), wooden or metal plates, bars are used as a sounding body.

IN self-sounding instruments(cymbals, castanets, etc.) the sound source is the instrument itself or its body.

Percussion musical instruments are instruments whose sounding bodies are excited by blows or shaking.

According to the sound source, percussion instruments are divided into:

Plate - in them, the sound source is wooden and metal plates, bars or tubes, on which the musician strikes with sticks (xylophone, metallophone, bells);

Webbed - a stretched membrane sounds in them - a membrane (timpani, drum, tambourine, etc.). The timpani is a set of several metal cauldrons of various sizes, covered with a skin membrane on top. The tension of the membrane can be changed by a special device, while the height of the sounds extracted by the mallet changes;

Self-sounding - in these instruments, the sound source is the body itself (cymbals, triangles, castanets, maracas).

20 Nov 2015

Percussion folk instruments. Video tutorial

Russian folk percussion instruments are the first of three groups of folk instruments.A characteristic feature of Russian folk percussion instruments is that some of them were household items.Perhaps one of the most common Russian folk instruments are spoons. Spoons used to be wooden, and people began to use these wooden spoons as a percussion instrument. They usually played on three spoons, of which two were held in one hand, and the third in the other. Children often play with two spoons, fastened together Spoon performers are called spoons . There are very skillful spoon players who play with more spoons, which are stuck both in boots and in the belt.

The next percussion instrument, which was also a household item, is rubel . It is a wooden block with notches on one side. It was used to wash and iron clothes. If we run a wooden stick over it, then we will hear a whole cascade of loud, crackling sounds.


Our next tool that we will get acquainted with will be ratchet . There are two varieties of this tool. Ratchet, which is a set of wooden plates tied together with a rope and a circular ratchet, inside which is a toothed drum, during the rotation of which a wooden plate hits it.


No less popular percussion folk instrument is tambourine , which is a wooden hoop with metal small plates, on one side of which the skin is stretched.


The next Russian folk percussion instrument is box . It is a piece of wood, usually made of hardwood, with a small cavity under the top of the body that amplifies the sound produced by drumsticks or xylophone sticks. The sound of this instrument conveys well the clatter of hooves or the sound of heels in a dance.

Russia with its vast expanses cannot be imagined without triplets horses, without coachmen. In the evening, in the snowy perga, when visibility was very poor, it was necessary for people to hear the approaching three. For this purpose, bells and bells were hung under the arc of the horse. Bell It is a metal cup open to the bottom with a drummer (tongue) suspended inside. It sounds only in limbo. Bell it is a hollow ball in which a metal ball (or several balls) rolls freely, hitting the walls when shaken, as a result of which a sound is extracted, but duller than a bell.

So many songs and instrumental compositions are devoted to the Russian troika and coachmen that it became necessary to introduce a special musical instrument into the orchestra of folk instruments that imitates the sound of coachman's bells and bells. This tool is called bells . A strap is sewn onto a small piece of leather the size of a palm to help hold the instrument in the palm of your hand. On the other hand, as many bells as possible are sewn on. By shaking the bells or hitting them on the knee, the player extracts sounds reminiscent of the ringing of the bells of the Russian troika.

And now we will talk about a tool called kokoshnik .

In the old days, village watchmen were armed with so-called mallets. The watchman walked

at night in the village and knocked on it, letting fellow villagers understand that he was not sleeping, but working, and at the same time scaring away thieves.

According to the principle of this watch mallet, the percussion folk instrument kokoshnik is arranged. It is based on a small wooden frame, covered with leather or plastic, which is hit by a ball suspended from the top. The player makes frequent oscillatory movements with his hand, forcing the tied ball to dangle from side to side and alternately hit the walls of the kokoshnik.


The following musical instrument is called firewood . It consists of logs tied with a rope of different lengths. Not all woods will sound good. It is better to take hardwood firewood. Logs are taken in different lengths, but approximately the same thickness. After the instrument is made, it is tuned.

We met with the main Russian folk instruments, and in conclusion, I would like to introduce you to some of the most famous percussion instruments of other nations.

A very common Latin American instrument is maracas.

Maracas or maraca is the oldest shock-noise 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 the territory Latin America and are one of the symbols of Latin American music. Typically, a maraca player uses a pair of rattles, one in each hand.

In Russian, the name of the instrument is often used in the not quite correct form "maracas". More correct form the name is "maraka".

Initially, the dried fruits of the gourd tree, known in Cuba as "guira" and in Puerto Rico as "iguero", were used to make maracas. The gourd tree is a small evergreen plant that is widely distributed in the West Indies (Antilles), Mexico and Panama. Large iguero fruits, covered with a very hard green shell and reaching 35 cm in diameter, were used by the Indians to make both musical instruments and utensils.


For the manufacture of maracas, fruits of a small size with a regular rounded shape were used. After removing the pulp through two holes drilled in the body and drying the fruit, small pebbles or plant seeds were poured inside, the number of which in any pair of maraks is different, which provides each instrument with a unique individual sound. At the last stage, a handle was attached to the resulting spherical rattle, after which the instrument was ready.

And now let's get acquainted with a very famous Spanish percussion instrument - castanets.

Castanets are a percussion musical instrument, which consists of two concave shell plates, connected by a cord in the upper parts. Castanets are most widely used in Spain, southern Italy and Latin America.

Similar simple musical instruments, suitable for rhythmic accompaniment of dance and singing, were used in Ancient Egypt and Ancient Greece.

The name castanets in Russian is borrowed from Spanish, where they are called castañuelas ("chestnuts") because of their resemblance to chestnut fruits. In Andalusia, they are more commonly referred to as palillos ("sticks").

The plates were traditionally made of hardwood, although in Lately for this, metal or fiberglass is increasingly being used. In a symphony orchestra, for the convenience of performers, castanets are most often used, fixed on a special stand (the so-called "castanets-machine").

The castanets used by Spanish dancers and dancers were traditionally made in two sizes. Large castanets were held with the left hand and beat off the main movement of the dance. Small castanets were in right hand and beat off a variety of musical patterns that accompanied the performance of dances and songs. Accompanied by songs, the castanets performed only as a role-play - during a break in the voice part.

In world culture, castanets are most strongly associated with the image of Spanish music, especially with the music of the Spanish gypsies. Therefore, this tool is often used in classical music to create a "Spanish flavor"; for example, in such works as G. Bizet's opera "Carmen", in Glinka's Spanish overtures "Jota of Aragon" and "Night in Madrid", in Rimsky-Korsakov's Spanish Capriccio, in Spanish dances from Tchaikovsky's ballets.

Although percussion instruments are not reserved in music the main role, but not infrequently percussion instruments give the music a unique flavor.



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