Guide to Percussion Instruments

Ask anyone what is a percussion instrument and they will invariably say drums. That is true, a drum is a percussion instrument but the family of percussion instruments encompasses many more types that you might not think about. This family of instruments contains almost anything you would strike or beat to produce a sound. Instruments like marimbas, rattles, plates, cymbals, drums and, some would say surprisingly, piano. Piano is classified as a percussion instrument because the sound is produced by a series of hammers striking strings within the piano body, or case. Look inside any piano and you will see.

If you listen closely you will hear percussion instruments in almost every song ever produced. It could be a simple wooden block or an entire percussion section of an orchestra. It could be said that the percussion section is the cornerstone of the sound of music. It exists in the most primitive societies as the first instrument of choice, as many others are not available or take much time and effort to produce. Almost all tribal music is identified with drums and vocals primarily, for example.

There are also instruments such as bells and gongs and even cymbals that produce a certain note when struck and therefore require the percussionist to learn the reading of music. It is not simply a matter of waiting for the right moment to hit the big cymbal, but rather performing an integral part of the entire musical piece. It is true that one can start on drums with no musical knowledge at all, but once you delve into the wide range of percussion instruments, you most certainly will be required to learn to read in order to be a well rounded percussionist.

As you enter the wide world of latin percussion you will find many wonderful sounds and surprises perhaps. You will hear music from Africa and other primitive cultures around the world. You will be exposed to orchestral music where the percussion section is pivotal in the performance. You will of course perhaps already be familiar with modern music where the drums are a constant reminder of the beat and the heritage of the percussion family.