Pulsating Percussion Power!
The percussion family ~ what a broad range of instruments! Percussion instruments are used in every style of music from classical, rock, folk, jazz, ... to any kind! Percussion music may be very simple that even the youngest child can play to extremely difficult with layers of patterns and instruments. Instruments start from simple objects ~ the body itself provides a percussive heartbeat, a steady walking beat. a clapping hand, a tapping foot, and more. Full drum sets, keyboard instruments, and tons of accessories allow the percussionist so many possibilities! Percussion instruments have the longest history of any instruments, and have been used in every culture of the world. What an enormous range of information to learn about these cool instruments ~ join me here to learn about their importance and enjoy the tremendous sounds of percussion instruments!
While I do not consider myself a drummer or percussionist, I have had the experience of marching in a drumline and playing keyboard percussion (marimba, xylophone, etc.) in both marching band and orchestral settings. It's much different than performing on the woodwinds that I am used to! I made some great (and unique) friends and had a wonderful time, so, this page is for them!
*For those of you who like to make "lapbooks" or "notebooks" with your students, they will be coming. Until then, enjoy the learning materials, videos, and more. Materials to expect to see in the future are marked with an *.
What are they?
*Lapbook ~ What are percussion instruments? Mini Book*Lapbook ~ Percussion Instruments Notebook Pages
*Lapbook ~ History of the Percussion Family Mini Book & Notebook Page
So, what exactly are percussion instruments? Basically, they are anything that may be played by being shaken or hit. The percussion family is the largest group of instruments in the orchestra because the possibilities of instruments are endless, including the kitchen sink. (See the "Stomp" videos!) Percussionists learn to play a variety of styles and techniques. The following definition from Virginia Tech gives the best description of percussion instruments that I found.
"Instruments that are sounded by striking, shaking, plucking, or scraping. All instruments such as drums and bells fall into this category. The formal classifications of most Percussion instruments are either Idiophones (instruments that vibrate when struck, shook, plucked, or scraped) or Membranophones (instruments that have a stretched membrane that vibrates when struck, shook, or rubbed). Informally, 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." Virginia Tech Multimedia Music Dictionary
A percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound by being hit with an implement, shaken, rubbed, scraped, or by any other action which sets the object into vibration. The term usually applies to an object used in a rhythmic context or with musical intent.
The word "percussion" has evolved from Latin terms: "percussio" (which translates as "to beat, strike" in the musical sense, rather than the violent action), and "percussus" (which is a noun meaning "a beating"). As a noun in contemporary English it is described in Wiktionary as "the collision of two bodies to produce a sound". The usage of the term is not unique to music but has application in medicine and weaponry, as in percussion cap, but all known and common uses of the word, "percussion", appear to share a similar lineage beginning with the original Latin: "percussus". In a musical context then, the term "percussion instruments" may have been coined originally to describe family of instruments including drums, rattles, metal plates, or wooden blocks which musicians would beat or strike (as in a collision) to produce sound. A piano (as well as the Celesta) is a percussion instrument because the strings are struck with hammers operated by a keyboard.
Category: Image - :Percussion Beaters.jpg|thumb|right|400px|Percussion beaters and sticks
Instrument Research
There are so many wonderful websites to learn about percussion instruments! Below are ones that I used in research and that my students have enjoyed.
- *Percussion Instruments
- Virginia Tech Multimedia Music Dictionary
- Percussion Family Information
- Descriptions and pictures of cymbals, triangle, bass drum, xylophone, timpani, and snare drum from PlayMusic.org
- Sounds from the Orchestra
- Mini history and descriptions of timpani, bass and snare drums, cymbal, tambourine, castanets, triangle, cow bells, wood blocks, gongs, xylophone, glockenspiel, and marimba from Energy in the Air: Sounds from the Orchestra
- Percussion Instruments
- Mini description from Music Info 4 All
- Chinese Percussion Instruments
- Read about musical instruments used in the Cantonese Opera in Hong Kong.
- Medieval & Tudor Instruments
- Info and pictures of these historic instruments
Information from Orchestra Websites
- Meet the Percussion Family of Instruments
- from Dallas Symphony Orchestra
- Percussion Family of the Orchestra
- Find small articles, pictures, and sound samples about percussion instruments at the Dallas Symphony Orchestra Kids website: bass drum, castanets, chimes, cymbals, glockenspiel, gong, guiro, snare drum, tambourine, timpani, triangle, and xylophone
- The Percussion Family
- The Oregon Symphony shares information about this cool family. Click on the instrument names to find out more.
Orchestra Series Lenses
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Reading Music
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Do you play music, but have wanted to learn how to read music? Here is a lens with resources and materials about reading pitches and rhythms for my students, anyone who wants to read music, and anyone who teaches music. My hope is that the resources...
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Orchestra Lapbook Unit
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The grand sounds of a symphony orchestra ~ especially a live one ~are so beautiful! Come find orchestra websites, teaching resources, kid's music sites, worksheets, flash cards, lapbooks and other materials, games, videos, cds, and adventures for mus...
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Orchestra: The String Family Lapbook Unit
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Super, spectacular symphonic string instruments! Soothingly sing along with the slow, slippery, sliding bow strokes or skip along with the spirited, sparkling, staccato sounds of strings! Beautiful string instruments have existed far back in human h...
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Orchestra: Brass Family Lapbook Unit
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Imagine ... a breezy, beautiful day below the big blue sky ... a brass band begins to step to the bold beat of the bass drum. The sun brightly bounces off the bells of the beaming brass instruments ... then you hear it, the boisterous, blowing of th...
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Orchestra: Woodwind Family Lapbook Unit
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Wonderful wild whistling woodwinds winding through the wind! Come find out more about them!
The Percussion Family
*Lapbook ~ Percussion Family Mini Book*Lapbook ~ Individual Members of the Percussion Family Flap Books
*Lapbook ~ Notebook Pages
Family / Instrument information and descriptions will be coming ...
Types of Percussion Instruments Video Series
Biblical Reference to Percussion Instruments
*Lapbook ~ Bible Flaschcards & Pocket*Lapbook ~ Bible Notebook Copywork Pages, Poster, and Puzzle
1 Samuel 10:5 "After that you will go to Gibeah of God, where there is a Philistine outpost. As you approach the town, you will meet a procession of prophets coming down from the high place with lyres, tambourines, flutes and harps being played before them, and they will be prophesying.
1 Samuel 18:6 When the men were returning home after David had killed the Philistine, the women came out from all the towns of Israel to meet King Saul with singing and dancing, with joyful songs and with tambourines and lutes.
2 Samuel 6:5 David and the whole house of Israel were celebrating with all their might before the LORD, with songs and with harps, lyres, tambourines, sistrums and cymbals.
1 Chronicles 1:16 David told the leaders of the Levites to appoint their brothers as singers to sing joyful songs, accompanied by musical instruments: lyres, harps and cymbals.
1 Chronicles 13:8 David and all the Israelites were celebrating with all their might before God, with songs and with harps, lyres, tambourines, cymbals and trumpets.
1 Chronicles 15:28 So all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the LORD with shouts, with the sounding of rams' horns and trumpets, and of cymbals, and the playing of lyres and harps.
1 Chronicles 16:5 Asaph was the chief, Zechariah second, then Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-Edom and Jeiel. They were to play the lyres and harps, Asaph was to sound the cymbals.
2 Chronicles 5:13 The trumpeters and singers joined in unison, as with one voice, to give praise and thanks to the LORD. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals and other instruments, they raised their voices in praise to the LORD and sang: "He is good; his love endures forever."
2 Chronicles 30:21b Tthe Levites and priests sang to the LORD every day, accompanied by the LORD's instruments of praise.
Psalm 149:3 Let them praise his name with dancing and make music to him with tambourine and harp.
Psalm 150:3-6 Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre, praise him with tambourine and dancing, praise him with the strings and flute, praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals. Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD.
Percussion Vocabulary
Suggested vocabulary terms for this unit:
idiophone, membranophone, percussion, pitch, shake, strike
Auxiliary Percussion: bell, chimes, crash cymbals, cabasa, castanets, claves, cowbell, gong, guiro, hi-hat, maracas, ratchet, slapstick, sleigh bells, suspended cymbals, tambourine, timpani, triangle, vibraslap, vibrate, wood block
Drums: bass, bongo, snare, steel, tenor, tom-toms
Keyboard Percussion: bell lyre, glockenspiel, marimba, vibraphone, xylophone
- *Percussion Instruments
- Virginia Tech Multimedia Music Dictionary ~ Great musical definitions and pictures may be found here.
- Merriam-Webster Online
- Dictionary & Thesaurus
- Dictionary
- Online Dictionary, Thesaurus, Encyclopedia, & Translator
Percussion Worksheets, Notebook Pages, and Lapbook Materials
- World Instruments - Percussion
- World Instruments is an instrument distributor, but I though the pictures and description could be used in creating a music notebook.
- World Instruments - World Drums
- Connected to the above site, the pictures are fabulous and the historical information about this wide variety of drums from around the world is fascinating.
- Percussion Mini Books
- Scroll down to find: Percussion ~ Cymbals, Triangle, Glockenspiel, Celesta, Tubular Bells, Timpani, Bass Drum, Xylophone, and Snare Drum Tri-folds
- Instrument Playground
- 11 pages of percussion info and pictures from the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra.
- Orchestra Seating Charts
- Seating charts for Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and Modern Orchestras at DSO ~ check how the instrumentation has changed over the centuries. These four charts may be printed out and added to your notebook.
How are sounds created?
- Sound is Energy
- How Sound is Made ~ basic physics about sound ~ vibration, frequency, tone, sound waves, harmonics
3 Projects about vibrations and sound
Percussion for Young Students
Hands-On Percussion
*Lapbook / Notebook ~ Sound Experiment Mini Book and Notebook Page
Maracas / Shakers ~ fill two plastic bottles or cans with plastic lids (water bottles and Pringles cans work well) part way with rice. Voila ~ instant maracas! Students may decorate them with markers, stickers, construction paper, etcetera. ~ You can't stop there though ~ take time to experiment with sounds a bit! Try to make them with several variations. Predict how different amounts of rice would sound in your maraca. What would it sound like if you put a different element in your maraca like beans, sand, bolts, or macaroni? How would each of those elements sound if you put them in a different type or size of container? Try metal, plastic, or glass containers in different shapes and sizes. Listen for the differences. Do some have a higher or lower pitch than the others? Are some of them more "swooshy", "clangy", soft, or loud? Discuss your predictions of how the sounds will change if at all and write them down on the experiment mini book or worksheet if you wish. After you have tried some, decide if your predictions were correct. Your observations may be written down, also. Take a picture of your creations to put in a mini book of sound experiments.
Tambourine ~ the easiest way to make a tambourine is with a paper plate, string, and bells. Have the student color or decorate the drumhead (plate) if you wish, punch holes equally around the plate with a paper punch, thread string or yarn into tiny bells (the kind you can find at a craft store rather inexpensively), and tie them to the holes. A variation of this would be to fold the paper plate in half, and attach the bells just on the curved part leaving room to hold on the straight piece. Some people like to fill the inside of the plate with rice or beans to shake. If you choose this option, staple the two sides close together to contain the small pieces. ~ A slightly sturdier tambourine may be made out of a plastic lid. The kind on large margarine containers work well. Bells may be attached into the holes the same as above. Feel free to experiment with different size or style bells, or to use metal soda bottle lids or orange juice can lids to be the jingly part. (It would take a little creativity and time to use, but they would probably make a better sound that older children would appreciate more.
Water Xylophone
- Build Your Own Xylophone
- You will need some PVC pipes, boards, string, and mallets to try this fun one!
- Clay Pot Chimes
- Find some old flower pots, wooden rods, and string to create another creative instrument.
- Coffee Can Drum
- Create an easy drum in minutes!
- Spanish Castanets
- Learn how to make two kinds of castanets from household items. Kids, please do with adult supervision for safety. :)
- Homemade Instruments
- Find directions on how to create the following: Plastic Egg Shakers, Paper Mache Fruit Shakers, Jingle Sticks, African Tambourine, Sand Blocks, Juice Can Shakers, Jingle Bracelets, and Quilting Hoop Drum.
- Instruments & Rhythms
- Adorable songs to teach rhythm to young children go well with homemade instruments.
- Songs to Use with Rhythm Instruments
- More cute songs and ideas for young children!
- Bottle-Cap Tambourines
- Try making this fun instrument with directions from Family Fun!
- Easy to Make Instruments for Kids
- Suggestions to make 9 types of instruments.
- Glass Duo Ensemble
- Listen to this beautiful music played on wine glasses! Amazing!
How to Make Instruments for Kids
Learn some building techniques from the "How to Make Instruments for Kids" Video Series from Expert Village's Annie Brunson.
- STOMP!!
- Videos and information about the ultimate percussion group, Stomp! NO ~ you can't say the play everything but the kitchen sink because, YES ~ they do play the kitchen sink!
Percussion Games
Have some fun practicing your listening and rhythmic skills!
- Online Drum Machine
- Enjoy this virtual drum machine flash game by playing and recording a "drum melody" with your mouse or keyboard.
- Drums Online Game
- Try a free online game to learn about playing drums in this drum-kit series tutorial for beginning drummers.
- Restore Rhythms Game
- Listen to the rhythm patterns and duplicate in the game for points.
- Drum Set Map Game
- Decide where to place the microphones to pick up the best drum sound.
- Percussion Face-Off
- Listen to a rhythmic pattern and duplicate it with your mouse.
- Boomthang
- This is not exactly a percussion game, but it has percussion rhythms to choose. Click on a variety of interesting sounds to create a "song" and record to hear it back.
- Toy Theater Drums
- Click on the 'drummers' to create new rhythmic patterns.
- Create a Song
- Use your keyboard to create rhythmic sounds.
Drum Corps International ~ DCI
Most of my fellow college marching band members marched with either the Cadets or the Crossmen, so I suppose those are the ones I am most familiar with, but every drum corp I've ever seen brings tons of exciting showmanship to their fans. Enjoy listening and watching!
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Drum Corps International
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While I was never able to participate in Drum Corps International (DCI) as a youth I have been a very devoted follower each summer of the DCI Summer Music Games circuit. DCI is an international organization of competitive drum and bugle corps (...
Drums
Kaminari Taiko 11-21...
O Taiko - "Big...
Ensemble
O Taiko - "Big...
Conch Shell
Instruments & Accessories
Percussion Instruction in the Classroom
Set of 10 Word Power Posters
"Set of 10 vibrant posters featuring keywords to coordinate with the World Music Drumming curriculum. One 8.5" x 11" poster for each word: teamwork, focus, respect, community, ensemble, balance, complement, listen, watch, and match. Professionally designed with original full-color artwork, durable and on glossy stock."
TREND ENTERPRISES CHART PERCUSSION INSTRUMENTS17 X 22 GR. K-8
Hang up this colorful poster in your classroom or studio displaying traditional and keyboard percussion instruments.
Percussion Players Age 7-ll: Simple Ideas for Using Percussion in the Classroom (Music Express Extra)
"The National Curriculum requires that all pupils should be able to "play tuned and untuned instruments with control and rhythmic accuracy". This interactive multi-media pack offers fresh and exciting ways into whole class music making - for both National Curriculum music and Wider Opportunities. Developed especially for 7-11 year olds, Percussion Players contains over 30 games, activities and tunes to play using classroom percussion. Each pack includes CD demonstrations and backing tracks to play along with, as well as brand new INTERACTIVE versions of activities and photocopiable printouts for everyone to play from. The book contains activities focusing on various aspects of music including songs with chord accompaniments and composing. There are lots of ideas for learning songs and tunes that can be performed to an audience as part of a whole school assembly, or even a school concert using simplified charts as well as melody lines and chords, making it suitable for use by specialists and non-specialists alike. Use Percussion Players as a dip-in resource, or an essential building block of your scheme of work."
World Beat Fun: Multicultural and Contemporary Rhythms for K-8 Classrooms (Book & CD)
"Zig introduces K-8 children to rhythms and sounds from various countries in World Beat Fun. Music technology integrates with world percussion to create an entertaining and educational collection of songs and rhythms for kids. Included are 74 cool CD tracks with call-and-responses, play-along without background rhythms, and play-along with Zig's original rhythm parts. Music styles/regions include Asian, Middle Eastern, African with hip-hop, Native American with hip-hop, North American rock, rain forest, and salsa. Traditional classroom rhythm instruments may be used to play the patterns. Teaching suggestions are included."
Hands On- A Rockin' Rhythmic Romp (30 pieces for hand percussion)
"Hands On is a collection of thirty pieces with hand percussion instruments for grades three through middle school. From pure conga jams to timbre studies to polymetric rhythms, this book will keep your class tapping its toes while developing their brain.Though the book contains excellent individual lessons, the author encourages changing the content to fit the specific needs of the student. Hands On takes into account that each classroom has different needs and provides the flexibility to meet them. With engaging songs, enriching content, and unlimited customizability, Hands On is a must-have for your classroom!"
Percussion Lessons
- Vic Firth Percussion
- A site recommended by one of my students ~ several percussion lessons and tips on video.
- Zildjian Percussion
- Another recommendation - more percussion lessons and tips on video.
To assist in your instruction:
Percussion Lenses
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Learn To Play Your Drum Set
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I remember my first drum set very clearly. Bare, splintered wood, spray-painted black. Only batter heads, no bottoms (including the kick drum!). No ride cymbal... I used a Skilsaw blade instead (that actually sounded GREAT!). I think it was an old S...
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Drum Tutorial: Lesson One
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This is Lesson One of the Drum Tutorial I have written. It's for absolute beginners to drums and drumming. An easy and understandable way for people to learn how to play the drums. If you follow these tutorials at your own pace and you have a pinch o...
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Drum Lesson Videos
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Are you a beginning or intermediate drummer looking for quality drum lesson videos ? Perhaps you have no musical background and just want to learn some basic drumming techniques to get you started. Or, maybe you have been playing for a while but want...
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Drums And Drumming
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It's not all that hard. You just need to know the parts of the drum, what they do, follow these simple tutorials and practise, practise, practise!
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Music instruments - the drum
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Once a skilled drummer told me: "Remember that you are in charge of the band! You keep the beat and you tell them how to play!" He was teaching me to play a snare-drum at a music festival. I had a private lesson outside the stage on the lawn. I play...
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Jewelry and Accessories Gifts for your favorite DRUMMER!
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Buy them some jewelry that's as unique as they are! Drummers are sometimes sniffed at and accused of being "not real musicians", but they are our foundation. Drummers let us know where we are in the music, and they make us glad to...
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Kodo Drummers
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Kodo, often referred to as "samurai percussionists" is a unique world renowned taiko drumming ensemble from Japan. The traditional taiko Japanese drum is at the heart of this world renowned troupe, which strives to preserve Japanese traditional drumm...
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Complete Drumming Techniques
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I have been a drummer for about 17 years now. My influences are Dave Weckl, Billy Cobham, Vinnie Colaiuta, Carl Albrecht, Mike Portnoy, Adrian Young, Neil Peart. To a professional drummer, it is not about spending years and years behind a kit before...
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Drumming Tips
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Learning and mastering drums is a tough ask. Learning drums could be quite frustrating in the beginning and thus many people quit in early stages. Becoming a good drummer requires tremendous determination, perseverance and last but definitely not the...
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How To Play Drums Better
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Always wanted to play drums? Playing drums correctly can be easy if you understand how to read some simple rhythms, learn how to get your hands and feet to play independently and how to get your hands/wrists faster. There are several ways to get int...
Sheet Music for Purchase
Your Favorite Percussion Instrument
Drummer or Percussionist?
Leave your personal rhythm!
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Reply
- _Joan_ _Joan_ Oct 29, 2009 @ 1:22 pm
- Lensrolling you right back!
I don't play drums, but I've always thought that a "percussionist" plays other instruments besides drums, like the triangle, maracas, xylophone, etc. A "drummer" just plays drums and cymbals.
I could be completely wrong, though.
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Reply
- BandLov3r BandLov3r Oct 25, 2009 @ 3:54 pm
- Ok, well, I don't play durms.
by JoyfulPamela
Hi! My name is Pamela an... (more)
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