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Percussion instrument

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"Percussion" redirects here. For other uses, seePercussion (disambiguation).
Orchestralpercussion sectionwithtimpani,unpitchedauxiliary percussionand pitchedtubular bells
Djembéandbalafonplayed bySusu peopleofGuinea
Concussion idiophones(claves), and struck drums (conga drum)
Modern Japanesetaikopercussion ensemble
Very largedrum kitplayed byTerry Bozzio
Mridangam,anIndianpercussion instrument, played by T. S. Nandakumar
Evelyn Glennieis a percussion soloist

Apercussion instrumentis amusical instrumentthat is sounded by being struck or scraped by abeaterincluding attached or enclosed beaters orrattlesstruck, scraped or rubbed by hand or struck against another similar instrument. Excludingzoomusicologicalinstruments and thehuman voice,the percussion family is believed to include the oldest musical instruments.[1]In spite of being a very common term to designate instruments, and to relate them to their players, the percussionists, percussion is not a systematic classificatory category of instruments, as described by the scientific field oforganology.It is shown below that percussion instruments may belong to the organological classes ofidiophone,membranophone,aerophoneandchordophone.

Thepercussion sectionof an orchestra most commonly contains instruments such as thetimpani,snare drum,bass drum,tambourine,belonging to the membranophones, andcymbals andtriangle,which are idiophones. However, the section canalsocontain aerophones, such aswhistlesandsirens,or a blownconchshell. Percussive techniques can even be applied to the human body itself, as inbody percussion.On the other hand,keyboard instruments,such as thecelesta,are not normally part of the percussion section, butkeyboard percussioninstruments such as theglockenspielandxylophone(which do not have piano keyboards) are included.

Percussion instruments are most commonly divided into two classes:pitched percussioninstruments, which produce notes with an identifiablepitch,andunpitched percussioninstruments, which produce notes or sounds in an indefinite pitch.[2][failed verification][3][failed verification]

Function

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Percussion instruments may play not onlyrhythm,but alsomelodyandharmony.[citation needed]

Percussion is commonly referred to as "the backbone" or "the heartbeat" of amusical ensemble,often working in close collaboration with bass instruments, when present. In jazz and other popular music ensembles, the pianist, bassist, drummer and sometimes the guitarist are referred to as therhythm section.Most classical pieces written for full orchestra since the time ofHaydnandMozartare orchestrated to place emphasis on thestrings,woodwinds,andbrass.However, often at least one pair oftimpaniis included, though they rarely play continuously. Rather, they serve to provide additional accents when needed. In the 18th and 19th centuries, other percussion instruments (like thetriangleorcymbals) have been used, again generally sparingly. The use of percussion instruments became more frequent in the 20th century classical music.

In almost every style of music, percussion plays a pivotal role.[4]In militarymarching bandsandpipes and drums,it is the beat of the bass drum that keeps the soldiers in step and at a regular speed, and it is the snare that provides that crisp, decisive air to the tune of a regiment. In classic jazz, one almost immediately thinks of the distinctive rhythm of thehi-hatsor the ride cymbal when the word-swing is spoken. In more recent popular-music culture, it is almost impossible to name three or four rock, hip-hop, rap, funk or even soul charts or songs that do not have some sort of percussive beat keeping the tune in time.

Because of the diversity of percussive instruments, it is not uncommon to find large musical ensembles composed entirely of percussion. Rhythm, melody, and harmony are all represented in these ensembles.

Percussion notation

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Main article:Percussion notation

Music for pitched percussion instruments can benotatedon astaffwith the sametrebleandbassclefsused by many non-percussive instruments. Music for percussive instruments without a definite pitch can be notated with a specialist rhythm orpercussion-clef.The guitar also has a special "tab" staff. More often a bass clef is substituted for rhythm clef.

Classification

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Main article:Classification of percussion instruments
See also:List of percussion instruments

Percussion instruments are classified by various criteria sometimes depending on their construction, ethnic origin, function within musical theory and orchestration, or their relative prevalence in common knowledge.

The word percussion derives from the Latin verbpercussioto beat, strike in the musical sense, and the nounpercussus,a beating. As a noun in contemporary English, Wiktionary describes it as the collision of two bodies to produce a sound. The term is not unique to music, but has application in medicine and weaponry, as inpercussion cap.However, all known uses ofpercussionappear to share a similar lineage beginning with the original Latin percussus. In a musical context then, thepercussion instrumentsmay have been originally coined to describe a family of musical instruments including drums, rattles, metal plates, or blocks that musicians beat or struck to produce sound.

TheHornbostel–Sachssystem has no high-level section forpercussion.Most percussion instruments as the term is normally understood are classified asidiophonesandmembranophones.However the termpercussionis instead used at lower-levels of the Hornbostel–Sachs hierarchy, including to identify instruments struck with either a non sonorous object hand, stick, striker or against a non-sonorous objecthuman body,the ground. This is opposed toconcussion,which refers to instruments with two or more complementary sonorous parts that strike against each other and other meanings. For example:

111.1Concussion idiophonesor clappers,played in pairs and beaten against each other, such aszillsandclapsticks.

111.2Percussion idiophones,includes many percussion instruments played with the hand or by apercussion mallet,such as thehang,gongsand thexylophone,but notdrumsand only somecymbals.

21Struck drums,includes most types of drum, such as the timpani, snare drum, and tom-tom.

412.12Percussion reeds,a class of wind instrument unrelated topercussionin the more common sense

There are many instruments that have some claim to being percussion, but are classified otherwise:

Percussion mallets and sticks

Percussion instruments are sometimes classified aspitchedor unpitched. While valid, this classification is widely seen as inadequate. Rather, it may be more informative to describe percussion instruments in regards to one or more of the following four paradigms:

By methods of sound production

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Main article:Hornbostel–Sachs

Many texts, includingTeaching Percussionby Gary Cook of the University of Arizona, begin by studying the physical characteristics of instruments and the methods by which they can produce sound. This is perhaps the most scientifically pleasing assignment of nomenclature whereas the other paradigms are more dependent on historical or social circumstances. Based on observation and experimentation, one can determine how an instrument produces sound and then assign the instrument to one of the following four categories:

Idiophone

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Main article:Idiophone
See also:Category:Idiophones

"Idiophones produce sounds through the vibration of their entire body."[5]Examples of idiophones:

Membranophone

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Main article:Membranophone
See also:Category:Membranophones

Most objects commonly known asdrumsare membranophones. Membranophones produce sound when the membrane or head is struck with a hand, mallet, stick, beater, or improvised tool.[5]

Examples of membranophones:

Chordophone

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Main article:Chordophone
See also:Category:String instruments

Most instruments known as chordophones are defined asstring instruments,wherein their sound is derived from the vibration of a string, but some such as these examplesalsofall under percussion instruments.

Aerophone

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Main article:Aerophone
See also:Category:Aerophones

Most instruments known as aerophones are defined aswind instrumentswhereby sound is produced by a stream of air being blown through the object. However,plosive aerophones,such as theudu,are percussion instruments and may also overlap with the idiophone family. In certain situations, such as in anorchestraorwind ensemble,wind instruments, such as theAcme sirenor variouswhistles,are played by percussionists, owing to their unconventional and simple nature.

By musical function or orchestration

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When classifying instruments by function it is useful to note if a percussion instrument makes adefinite pitchorindefinite pitch.

For example, some percussion instruments such as themarimbaandtimpaniproduce an obvious fundamental pitch and can therefore playmelodyand serveharmonicfunctions in music. Other instruments such ascrash cymbalsandsnare drumsproduce sounds with such complex overtones and a wide range of prominent frequencies that no pitch is discernible.

Definite pitch of Music

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Main article:pitched percussion instrument

Percussion instruments in this group are sometimes referred to as pitched or tuned.

Examples of percussion instruments with definite pitch:

Indefinite pitch

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Main article:unpitched percussion instrument

Instruments in this group are sometimes referred to as non-pitched, unpitched, or untuned. Traditionally these instruments are thought of as making a sound that contains such complex frequencies that no discernible pitch can be heard.

In fact many traditionally unpitched instruments, such as triangles and even cymbals, have also been produced as tuned sets.[3]

Examples of percussion instruments with indefinite pitch:

By prevalence in common knowledge

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It is difficult to define what is common knowledge but there are instruments percussionists and composers use in contemporary music that most people would not considermusical instruments.It is worthwhile totryto distinguish between instruments based on their acceptance or consideration by a general audience.

For example, most people would not consider ananvil,abrake drum(on a vehicle withdrum brakes,the circular hub the brake shoes press against), or a fifty-five gallonoil barrelmusical instruments yet composers and percussionists use these objects.

Percussion instruments generally fall into the following categories:

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Unconventional

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Improvisedbass druminTrafalgar Square,London.

One pre-20th century example of found percussion is the use ofcannonusually loaded with blank charges inTchaikovsky's1812 Overture.John Cage,Harry Partch,Edgard Varèse,andPeter Schickele,all noted composers, created entire pieces of music using unconventional instruments. Beginning in the early 20th century perhaps withIonisationbyEdgard Varèsewhich used air-raid sirens among other things, composers began to require that percussionists invent or find objects to produce desired sounds and textures. Another example the use of a hammer and saw inPenderecki'sDe Natura Sonoris No. 2.By the late 20th century, such instruments were common in modern percussion ensemble music and popular productions, such as the off-Broadway show,Stomp.Rock bandAerosmithused a number of unconventional instruments in their songSweet Emotion,includingshotguns,brooms, and a sugar bag. The metal bandSlipknotis well known for playing unusual percussion items, having two percussionists in the band. Along with deep sounding drums, their sound includes hitting baseball bats and other objects on beer kegs to create a distinctive sound.

By cultural significance or tradition

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It is not uncommon to discuss percussion instruments in relation to their cultural origin. This led to a division between instruments considered common or modern, and folk instruments with significant history or purpose within a geographic region or culture.

Folk percussion instruments

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Some percussion instruments
Ancient Chinese musical bronze bells from theEastern Zhoudynasty,c. 6th century BC.
A traditional Indonesiangamelanorchestra, composed almost entirely of percussion instruments

"Common" drums

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This category includes instruments that are widely available and popular throughout the world:

By capability of melodic production

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By percussive beater

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The percussionist uses various objects to strike a percussion instrument to produce sound.

Names for percussionists

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The general term for a musician who plays percussion instruments is "percussionist" but the terms listed below often describe specialties:

Within rock music, the term "percussionist" is often used to refer to someone who plays percussion instruments but is not primarily a drummer. The term is especially found in bands where one person plays drums and another plays other hit instruments.

See also

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References

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Notes

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  1. ^Note however that percussion instruments such as the xylophone, which share the layout of the piano keyboard but themselves have no keyboard, are termed keyboard percussion and are universally regarded as being within the percussion family.

Citations

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  1. ^The Oxford Companion to Music,10th edition, p.775,ISBN0-19-866212-2
  2. ^"Instruments: Philharmonia Orchestra".Philharmonia.co.uk. Archived fromthe originalon 2013-07-22.Retrieved2015-03-30.
  3. ^ab"Percussion — Musical Instruments at your Fingertips".miayf.org.Archived fromthe originalon July 4, 2015.
  4. ^"Drums from around the World • Elephant Drums".Elephant Drums.2019-03-13.Retrieved2019-03-13.
  5. ^abGary D. Cook,Teaching Percussion,p.2, 3rd edn, 2006, Thomson Schirmer,ISBN0-534-50990-8

Further reading

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