A
to Z of Percussion Instruments and Drums
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Percussion Instruments are defined as those that are sounded
by striking, shaking, plucking, or scraping. All instruments
such as drums and bells fall into this category.
Percussion instruments may be further divided into those instruments
that produce a definite pitch and those that do not. Some
whistles (aerophones) are also included in this category of
instruments because they tend to be considered sound effects
rather than serious instruments.
Untuned and tuned percussion instruments
Untuned percussion instruments include the bass drum, side
drum, anvils, triangles and jingles.
The bass drum makes a massive sound. If you've ever listened
to a full orchestra playing above it, you can still feel its
power. The drum is hit with a huge beater but can sometimes
be played using the hand or fingers for special effect.
Tuned percussion instruments include the xylophone, marimba,
glockenspiel, bells, crotals and many more.
Make your own percussion instrument or drum!
The 21st century urban environment provides tons of cool
sounding material resources for making percussion sounds.
What works? Just use your ears! Wooden boxes are inexpensive
and rich in tone. A small wooden box can be a nice instrument.
Also, beautiful sounds can come from things like copper tubing,
dowel, pipe, pvc pipe, coffee cans, glass jars, old keys,
hub caps, brake drums, frying pans, you name it .If it's made
of wood, metal or certain types of plastic, it will probably
sound good. Being round or hollow is an added benefit.
Just use your ears and your imagination !
The list below contains a selection of the many types of
traditional percussion instruments.
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Follow this link to check by music genre or type the rhythm
percussion instruments we have for sale in our Percussion4U
online shop |
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Aboriginal Musical Instruments
From hand clapping and lap slapping to drums made from logs
and reptile skins,
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Agogos
Made of iron and steel, they are used in samba and its offshoots.
The sound is made by striking a stick against the instrument’s
two bells
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| Bell(s)
Although bells are universal, their use and meanings are
greatly culture specific. Made from a wide variety of natural
and synthetic materials, including clay, wood, metals of all
kinds, and animal hooves and there are two basic kinds: the
body may be closed at one end and open at the other ("cup"
bells) or it may be entirely closed and hollow, with a metal
pellet inside ("crotals"). Some have clappers, or
internal attachments which strike the body when the bell is
shaken. Wooden bells such as the Chinese Temple Block, are
often clapperless - that is, you strike them on the outside
surface with a hammer or rod. |
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Blocos sonoros |
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Bodhran or Frame Drum
The drum skin is stretched over a wooden hoop and it has
wooden cross effect holdbars inside. The drum is usually played
with a beater. The Bodhran is great fun to play and very versatile,
making it an ideal choice for a complete novice or an experienced
player. |
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Bongos
These are two small drums, one high and one low, tuned by
turning metal screws in the shell. Of African origin, they
are often used in reggae and salsa, along with congas
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Cajon
Known as an instrument of Flamenco Percussion, the Cajon
originated from a codfish box aboard Spanish boats sailing
to America in the 16th century. |
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Candombe
Afro-Uruguayan rhythm Candombe. Three drums of the Cuerda
and more.
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Castanets
Castanets have been around for more than 2000 years. There
are differences between male (from Mars?) and female (from
Venus?) castanets.
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Congas
The conga is a tall, narrow, single-headed Cuban drum of
African origin, probably derived from the Congolese Makuta
drums or Sikulu drums commonly played in Mbanza Ngungu, Congo.
A person who plays conga is called a "conguero".
Although ultimately derived from African drums made from
hollowed logs, the Cuban conga is staved, like a barrel. These
drums were probably made from salvaged barrels originally.
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Daiko
Daiko is a generic Japanese term for many different styles
of drums of cylindrically shape that have a drum head either
tacked on directly to the body or attached by ropes or cords.
The tsuri-daiko, also known as a "hanging drum",
is a shallow, round instrument often suspended in a circular
wooden or metal frame with an upright stand. Performers strike
the drum with short, padded wooden mallets. The right mallet
is called obachi , or male stick, and the left, mebachi ,
or female stick. |
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Darabukka
Arabic instrument, very popular throughout the Middle East
and other Islamic-influenced countries. It's also known as
a dumbek, derbocka, and dumbelek. |
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Deerskin Drum
This is a hand drum of the natives on the West Coast of Canada. |
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Djembe
This instrument is by far the most popular African drum to
be played outside of Africa. |
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Double Bell
For those who believe two bells are better than one. |
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Dulcimer
This stringed instrument was the forerunner of the piano,
which is also considered a percussion instrument |
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Ganzás
A long shaker with little shells, beads, or seeds inside.
Also known as “xique-xique” because of the sound it makes.
Used a lot in samba and bossa nova. |
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Jaw's Harp (also called a
Jew's Harp)
Found throughout much of the world from New Guinea to Spain,
the Jaws' Harp is not a harp at all and it has no historic
association with Jewish traditions. Its name might be a mistranslation
of a French word, 'jouer', which means 'to play'. In 15th
and 16th century Britain, this instrument was called a 'Jew's
Trump'; in 19th century Italy, 'scacciapensieri'; loosely
translated, this means "to chase your thoughts or troubles
away". In contemporary Spain it is called the 'trompa
inglesa', which suggests that it was imported (though not
necessarily from Britain.) The instrument is popular because
it is portable and relatively easy to play. |
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Karate Drums
The Japanese drum group Ryukyukoku Matsuri Daiko.
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Kettle Drum
Use of the Kettle Drum, ancestor to our modern Tympani, dates
back to before 4000 B.C. They have also played a significant
role in European music since the 13th century. First brought
to the west by soldiers during the Crusades, kettle drums
were traditionally associated with with military bands and
campaigns. These and other instruments were used to mark time,
to signal attack and strike fear in one's opponents. |
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Khomok
The khomok of the Baul people of Bengal is also known as
a khamak, anandalahari, and gubgubi. |
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Klonton
Similar to the Karate Drum, this instrument has pebbles inside.
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Lambeg Drum Tradition
The Lambeg drum of Ireland, also known as, "a bodhran
on steroids!"
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Lithophone
The name “Lithophone” is composed of two words: lithos=stone
& phone=sound. A lithophone therefore, is a musical instrument
consisting of a collection of rocks or pieces of rock, in
which musical notes are sounded by striking one or more of
the rocks in combination. Surprisingly there are a large number
of them around the world in places as far apart as China,
Iceland, Togo and Venezuela. The Chinese ch’ing is a set of
16 L-shaped tuned stone slabs suspended in a large frame which
are struck on their long side with wooden mallets or padded
sticks. |
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Maracas
These shakers look easy, but you have to have a certain technique
to be able to accompany music with them. They are made of
gourds, coconut shells or metal, with handles. In Brazil they
are used in regional dances like Bumba-meu-boi and others.
They are also used a lot in Caribbean music and in rhythms
like bolero, mambo, cha cha, etc.
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Marimba
Percussion instrument of African and Latin American origin.
A regional term for the African mbira.Like the Xylophone but
a lot softer and warmer sounding.
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Mbira
The mbira of the Zezuru group of the Shona people of Zimbabwe
consists of 22 to 28 metal keys mounted on a gwariva (hardwood
soundboard) made from the mubvamaropa tree (Pterocarpus angolensis).
Although the metal keys were originally smelted directly from
rock containing iron ore, now they may be made from sofa springs,
bicycle spokes, car seat springs, and other recycled steel
materials. The mbira is usually placed inside a large calabash
resonator (deze) to amplify it. A mutsigo (stick) is used
to wedge the mbira securely inside the deze. The mbira is
played with the two thumbs stroking down and the right forefinger
stroking up.
Either metal beads strung on a wire, or bottle tops or shells
mounted on a metal plate, are placed on the lower portion
of the mbira soundboard to add a buzz which varies from a
soft hiss to a tambourine-like sound. Bottle tops or shells
are also mounted on the mbiradeze to increase the buzz. The
buzz is considered an essential part of the mbira sound, required
to clear the mind of thoughts and worries so that the mbira
music can fill the consciousness of the performers and listeners.
The buzz adds depth and context to the clear tones of the
mbira keys, and may be heard as whispering voices, singing,
tapping, knocking, wind or rain. |
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Moringas
A small ceramic jar with a hole in the middle. Played with
two hands, one producing a high sound and the other low. To
produce a high sound you strike the side of the jar, and for
a low sound, you strike over the hole, damping and releasing
the air.
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Pandeiro
Originally from East Africa, the pandeiro (tambourine) is
considered the complete percussion instrument because it has
low, medium, and high timbres. Made of wood, goatskin, and
five sets of jingles, the conventional pandeiro from Rio de
Janerio was introduced into samba and chorinho as a rhythmic
base. Later it spread all over Brazil in different ways, and
rhythms. It is played in folkloric, pop, and erudite music,
among other styles.
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Reco-reco
Of African origin, the reco-reco is made of bamboo or iron.
The sound is produced by rubbing a rod on its ends and grooves.
Used a lot in traditional samba (“roots” samba) and reggae.
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Repiniques
Created by samba schools to make a high, piercing sound.
It is also used as a calling (lead) and solo instrument in
the samba school bateria (percussion band). In samba it is
played with a stick in the right hand, with the left hand
beating counterpoint directly on the drum head, or vice-versa.
It is played together with the tamborins in a galloping rhythm. |
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Shekere
Don't let the name throw you - it's just a rattle!
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Steel Drum / Pan History
The islanders of Trinidad and Tobago first created these
steel drums (or pans) in the 1930's, from empty 55-gallon
oil barrels. |
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Surdos
With their deep sound, surdos are used to mark time and rhythm.
There are three kinds of surdos: first, second, and cutting
(or third). The surdo is the heart of the samba school baterias,
but is also used in frevo, samba reggae and axé music.
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Tabla
Percussion instrument from North India.
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Tam Tam
Played with one hand on the head and the other on the shell
of the drum. Sometimes it’s used to keep time, and others
to play variations.
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Taiko
The Drum (Taiko in Japanese) was the first instrument used
by mankind. |
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Talking Drum
"Gan Gan" and "Dun Dun" could have been
the first words you uttered as a baby, but ..... they're also
West African names for small and large Talking Drums. |
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Timbas
From the same family as the Tan tan and the Rebolô,
the Timba, used a lot in samba, has a low sound that marks
double time with one hand on the head and the other playing
counterpoint on the shell. |
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Tambour
French Drums, anyone? Here's one that was popular a few centuries
ago in western European regimental and marching bands. |
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Tambourine
Gypsies weren't the first to use these ancient instruments
and even Mozart jumped on the bandwagon. |
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Teponaztli
If you're into the Ancient Aztec Gods, you won't want to
miss this instrument. |
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Tongue Drum
The tongue drum is of Aztec origin. Also called log drum
or tone drum. The slit drum is a similar log drum of African
origin. Traditionally made from a hollowed log -- the modern
version is a wooden box with tongues cut into the top, played
with mallets.
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Tortoise Rattle
This is a traditional instrument of the Ojibway people of
Central Canada, used in ceremonies. |
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Udu
This is a vessel drum originating from the Igbo people Nigeria.
First used as a clay pot for carrying water, it was only played
as a musical instrument by the women of the village. But today,
it is the udu's various acoustical tones and temperament that
is what modern musicians have come to love. These ceramic
pot drums are so pretty, in fact, that they make wonderful
decorations when you're not playing them ! |
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Xylophone
The xylophone is made of bits of wood that are tuned to different
notes. The player uses sticks, or beaters, to hit the wooden
bars, sometimes as many as six at a time! |
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