A percussion instrument is a musical instrument that produces sound through striking, scraping, or rubbing, either by an attached or enclosed beater, a hand, or by impact with another instrument. Excluding zoomusicological instruments and the human voice, the percussion family is widely considered to encompass the most ancient musical instruments. Despite its widespread use to identify instruments and their practitioners (percussionists), "percussion" does not constitute a systematic classificatory category within the scientific discipline of organology. Subsequent analysis demonstrates that percussion instruments can be categorized within the organological classifications of idiophones, membranophones, aerophones, and chordophones.
The percussion section of an orchestra typically comprises membranophones like timpani, snare drums, bass drums, and tambourines, alongside idiophones such as cymbals and triangles. Nevertheless, the section may also incorporate aerophones, including whistles, sirens, or a conch shell. Furthermore, percussive methods extend to the human body, exemplified by body percussion. Conversely, while keyboard instruments like the celesta are generally excluded from the percussion section, keyboard percussion instruments such as the glockenspiel and xylophone (which lack piano-style keyboards) are typically incorporated.
Function
Percussion instruments are capable of contributing not only to rhythm but also to melodic and harmonic structures.
Percussion is frequently characterized as the foundational element or rhythmic core of a musical ensemble, often operating in close conjunction with bass instruments, where applicable. Within jazz and other popular music contexts, the rhythm section typically comprises the pianist, bassist, drummer, and occasionally the guitarist. The majority of classical compositions for full orchestra, dating from the eras of Haydn and Mozart, prioritize strings, woodwinds, and brass in their orchestration. Nevertheless, at least one pair of timpani is frequently incorporated, albeit with infrequent continuous performance. Instead, their function is to furnish supplementary accents as required. During the 18th and 19th centuries, other percussion instruments, such as the triangle or cymbals, were employed, typically with similar restraint. The integration of percussion instruments became more prevalent in 20th-century classical music.
Percussion assumes a critical function across nearly all musical genres. Within military marching bands and pipes and drums, the bass drum's pulse maintains soldier synchronization and tempo, while the snare drum imparts a sharp, definitive character to the regimental melody. In classic jazz, the mention of "swing" invariably evokes the characteristic rhythms of the hi-hats or ride cymbal. In contemporary popular music culture, it is exceedingly challenging to identify multiple rock, hip-hop, rap, funk, or even soul tracks that lack a foundational percussive beat to maintain temporal structure.
Given the extensive variety of percussive instruments, the formation of substantial musical ensembles consisting solely of percussion is a frequent occurrence. Within such ensembles, rhythm, melody, and harmony are comprehensively articulated.
Percussion Notation
Compositions for pitched percussion instruments are notated on a staff utilizing the standard treble and bass clefs, similar to many non-percussive instruments. Conversely, music for unpitched percussive instruments may be notated using a specialized rhythm or percussion clef. The guitar also employs a distinct "tablature" staff. Frequently, a bass clef serves as a substitute for the rhythm clef.
Classification
Percussion instruments are categorized according to diverse criteria, which may include their construction, ethnic provenance, functional role within musical theory and orchestration, or their general recognition.
The term "percussion" originates from the Latin verb percussio, meaning "to beat" or "to strike" in a musical context, and the noun percussus, signifying "a beating." In modern English, Wiktionary defines it as the impact of two objects generating sound. This term extends beyond music, finding applications in fields such as medicine and weaponry, exemplified by the "percussion cap." Nevertheless, all documented uses of percussion appear to trace back to the original Latin "percussus." Consequently, within a musical framework, the designation percussion instruments likely emerged to categorize a group of musical devices, including drums, rattles, metal plates, or blocks, which musicians strike or beat to produce auditory output.
Within the Hornbostel–Sachs classification system, there is no overarching category specifically designated for percussion. The majority of instruments commonly recognized as percussion are categorized as idiophones and membranophones. Nonetheless, the term percussion is employed at subordinate levels of the Hornbostel–Sachs hierarchy. Here, it identifies instruments that are struck either by a non-sonorous object (such as a hand, stick, or striker) or against a non-sonorous surface (like the human body or the ground). This usage contrasts with concussion, which denotes instruments comprising two or more complementary sonorous components that impact each other, among other definitions. For instance:
111.1 Concussion idiophones or clappers are instruments played in pairs, struck against each other, exemplified by zills and clapsticks.
111.2 Percussion idiophones encompass numerous percussion instruments played by hand or with a percussion mallet, including the hang, gongs, and the xylophone; however, this category excludes drums and only some types of cymbals.
21 Struck drums comprise the majority of drum types, including the timpani, snare drum, and tom-tom.
412.12 Percussion reeds represent a category of wind instruments distinct from percussion in its conventional understanding.
Numerous instruments possess characteristics that might suggest a percussion classification, yet they are categorized differently:
- Keyboard instruments, including the celesta and piano.[a]
- Stringed instruments played using beaters, such as the hammered dulcimer.
- Unpitched whistles and analogous instruments, for example, the pea whistle and the Acme siren.
Percussion instruments are occasionally categorized as either pitched or unpitched. Although this classification holds validity, it is broadly considered insufficient. Instead, a more comprehensive approach may involve describing percussion instruments according to one or more of the subsequent four paradigms:
By methods of sound production:
Numerous academic works, such as Teaching Percussion by Gary Cook from the University of Arizona, commence with an examination of instruments' physical attributes and their sound production mechanisms. This approach likely represents the most scientifically rigorous method for nomenclature, in contrast to other paradigms that rely more heavily on historical or social contexts. Through empirical observation and experimentation, an instrument's sound generation can be ascertained, leading to its assignment into one of the following four classifications:
Idiophone:
"Idiophones generate sound through the vibration of their complete physical structure." Illustrative examples of idiophones include:
Membranophone:
The majority of instruments commonly identified as drums are classified as membranophones. Membranophones generate sound when their membrane or head is impacted by a hand, mallet, stick, beater, or an improvised implement.
Illustrative examples of membranophones include:
Chordophone:
While most instruments categorized as chordophones are defined as string instruments, producing sound from vibrating strings, certain examples also qualify as percussion instruments.
Aerophone:
The majority of instruments classified as aerophones are defined as wind instruments, generating sound through a stream of air directed through the object. Nevertheless, plosive aerophones, exemplified by the udu, function as percussion instruments and can also exhibit characteristics of the idiophone family. In specific contexts, such as orchestral or wind ensemble performances, wind instruments like the Acme siren or various whistles are sometimes performed by percussionists due to their unconventional and straightforward operational mechanisms.
By musical function or orchestration:
When categorizing instruments based on their function, it is beneficial to ascertain whether a percussion instrument produces a definite or indefinite pitch.
For instance, certain percussion instruments, including the marimba and timpani, generate a distinct fundamental pitch, enabling them to perform melodic lines and fulfill harmonic roles in musical compositions. Conversely, instruments like crash cymbals and snare drums produce sounds characterized by intricate overtones and a broad spectrum of prominent frequencies, rendering any specific pitch indiscernible.
Definite Pitch
Percussion instruments within this category are occasionally designated as pitched or tuned.
Examples of percussion instruments possessing definite pitch include:
Indefinite Pitch
Instruments within this classification are sometimes termed non-pitched, unpitched, or untuned. Historically, these instruments have been considered to produce sounds comprising such intricate frequencies that no distinct pitch is perceptible.
Notably, numerous traditionally unpitched instruments, including triangles and cymbals, have also been manufactured as tuned sets.
Examples of percussion instruments exhibiting indefinite pitch are:
Classification by Common Knowledge Prevalence
While defining common knowledge presents challenges, certain instruments utilized by percussionists and composers in contemporary music are not typically regarded as musical instruments by the general public. Therefore, it is valuable to endeavor to differentiate instruments based on their acceptance or recognition by a broad audience.
For instance, the majority of individuals would not classify an anvil, a brake drum (the circular hub against which brake shoes press in a vehicle's drum brake system), or a 55-gallon oil barrel as musical instruments; nevertheless, composers and percussionists incorporate these items.
Percussion instruments are broadly categorized as follows:
Conventional or Popular Instruments
Unconventional Instruments
A pre-20th century instance of found percussion involves the deployment of cannons, typically loaded with blank charges, in Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture. Prominent composers such as John Cage, Harry Partch, Edgard Varèse, and Peter Schickele have composed entire musical works utilizing unconventional instruments. Commencing in the early 20th century, potentially with Edgard Varèse's Ionisation, which notably incorporated air-raid sirens, composers increasingly mandated that percussionists either devise or locate objects to generate specific sounds and textures. Another illustration is the incorporation of a hammer and saw in Penderecki's De Natura Sonoris No. 2. By the close of the 20th century, such instruments had become prevalent in contemporary percussion ensemble music and popular productions, exemplified by the off-Broadway show Stomp. The rock band Aerosmith employed several unconventional instruments in their track "Sweet Emotion," including shotguns, brooms, and a sugar bag. The metal band Slipknot is renowned for its use of unusual percussion elements, featuring two percussionists who, in addition to deep-sounding drums, strike beer kegs with baseball bats and other objects to forge a distinctive sonic palette.
Classification by Cultural Significance or Tradition
Discussions of percussion instruments frequently involve their cultural origins, leading to a categorization that distinguishes between common or modern instruments and folk instruments possessing substantial historical or functional significance within a particular geographic region or culture.
Folk Percussion Instruments
Common Drums
This classification encompasses instruments that are extensively accessible and widely popular globally:
Classification by Melodic Production Capability
- Non-melodic percussion instruments include bongos and snare drums.
- Melodic percussion instruments comprise the glass marimba and gendér.
Classification by Percussive Beater
Percussionists employ diverse objects to strike percussion instruments, thereby generating sound.
Nomenclature for Percussionists
While "percussionist" is the general designation for a musician who performs on percussion instruments, the subsequent terms frequently denote specialized roles:
In the context of rock music, the appellation "percussionist" commonly refers to an individual who performs on percussion instruments but whose primary role is not that of a drummer. This term is particularly prevalent in bands where one member handles drums while another plays additional struck instruments.
- List of percussion instruments
- Lists of tuned and untuned percussion instruments
- Percussion notation
- Rudimental percussion
- References
References
Notes
- ^ It is important to note, however, that percussion instruments such as the xylophone, which feature a layout resembling a piano keyboard but lack an actual keyboard mechanism, are designated as keyboard percussion and are universally categorized within the percussion family.
- Blades, James. Percussion Instruments and Their History. 1970.
- Shen, Sinyan. "Acoustics of Ancient Chinese Bells." *Scientific American*, vol. 256, 1987, p. 94.
- Schick, Steven. *The Percussionist's Art – Same Bed, Different Dreams*. University of Rochester Press, May 2006. ISBN 978-1-58046-214-3. Archived from the original on March 10, 2016. Retrieved April 6, 2010.
- Drummer Brasil — Website for drummers and percussionists
- Drum Museum, Information about antique hand drums from Africa, New Guinea and the Himalayas