Questions tagged [percussion]

Musical instruments played by striking with the hand or with a hand-held or pedal-operated stick or beater, by shaking, or by rubbing.

Filter by
Sorted by
Tagged with
4 votes
1 answer
74 views

15 tongue steel drum sheet music symbol meanings

The music has numbers ( 1 or sometimes more)that are underscored _ once and sometimes twice. Meaning?? Phrase marks? Brackets connecting a group of numbers?
1 vote
3 answers
84 views

What to play as auxillary percussion in "Take the A Train"?

I'm the auxiliary percussionist in my school's jazz band, and normally there's a part for me, or I double a melody on the vibraphone, if there isn't. Right now, we're doing the song "Take the A ...
1 vote
3 answers
78 views

Multiple grace note snare drum ornament

I am looking at Sergei Prokofiev's Dance of the Knights (from the Romeo & Juliet ballet: Act I, Scene 2, No. 13) . In mm. 9–10 (from rehearsal mark [77]) and also a few times later in the piece ...
4 votes
1 answer
84 views

Why don't most high-tension marching snares have an inner hoop or any reinforcement on the snare side?

High-tension marching snares have an inner hoop where the batter head is placed to prevent its shells from collapsing—due to the high tension from Kevlar heads being tuned to higher pitches. If this ...
1 vote
1 answer
86 views

How do I count these rhythms for the shaker?

How do I count these rhythms for the shaker part? It is in 4/4 and I know it’s not difficult. But, I’ve never played shaker before and want to write in the counting in my score. Also, the same for the ...
3 votes
1 answer
62 views

How to notate single-line percussion staff using ABC notation?

I want to have this effect by using ABC notation: In LilyPond, I can use \new RhythmicStaff to create such a staff. What's the equivalent in ABC notation?
11 votes
1 answer
1k views

How quickly can a [skilled, professional] percussionist switch between tam-tam and bass drum?

Can a professional orchestral percussionist play tam-tam and bass drum together? Could he/she position the two instruments near enough that they can played one with each hand? The passage... is loud ...
  • 3,098
1 vote
1 answer
84 views

What is a "bass xylophone"?

In the instrumentation of the opera Turandot there is something called bass xylophone, but I couldn't find many things about it. What is it? And, since it doesn't seem to be a common instrument, how ...
6 votes
1 answer
449 views

How to interpret this tuning description for a kalimba? a' c" c' a' A f' e' e" b'

This is the tuning description for my kalimba, but I have no idea how to read it. I don’t know the difference between capital letters and lowercase nor the meaning of the apostrophes.
  • 61
6 votes
1 answer
270 views

Have I been teaching rolls wrong?

I teach beginning band to first-year players aged 10-12. I have always taught 5-stroke and 9-stroke rolls this way: Assuming that we are in a simple meter like 2/4, 3/4, or 4/4, I first divide the ...
  • 3,098
3 votes
1 answer
78 views

Steel percussion mallets

I'm going to be striking a variety of unconventional bells varying in material from steel to brass, bronze and aluminium. I wonder if there is anything against using precision mallets with stainless ...
  • 31
7 votes
1 answer
136 views

Top-down strokes versus side strokes: what is the most ergonomic drum style between tabla or mridangam/pakhawaj?

Tablas are hand drums that comes by pair which the 2 skins are (nearly) horizontally oriented with the hand moving from top to down, while mridangam/pakhawaj/dol/dolak are hand drums which the 2 skins ...
  • 251
8 votes
1 answer
397 views

Timing variations of percussive instrument performance

I am at the final stages of my M.Sc. and I am working on a sonic gesture interaction system to control a digital percussion instrument (more like sampler). In order to perform the evaluation of the ...
  • 183
2 votes
1 answer
98 views

On the fly tuning of drums

I was watching Whiplash for the first time, and they mention tuning the drums at the start of the session, but that made me think. In every other instrument I know of, you can do on-the-fly pitch ...
4 votes
1 answer
157 views

How do I make a percussive backbeat and pluck another three string simultaneously?

I am trying to learn the fingerstyle version of "take me to church" by Hozier. Tab is from Hozier – Take Me To Church Tab by Kaminari | Songsterr Tabs with Rhythm. But how do I make a ...
5 votes
1 answer
251 views

How effective is a "glancing blow" technique at preserving crash cymbals?

I've heard it said hundreds of times that hitting a crash cymbal with a "glancing blow", rather than straight on, will extend its life and help prevent it from cracking. ...
  • 6,169
3 votes
1 answer
58 views

pitch choice for steel drums

When a steel drum is being tuned up are the pitches determined chromatically or are they tuned diatonically to a specific key? I'm asking about Jamaican style steel drums, just to be clear.
2 votes
1 answer
153 views

How do unpitched instruments work on a technical aspect? [duplicate]

I dont know a lot about how sound waves work, so this question might sound stupid, but as far as I know the frequency determines the pitch and the amplitude determines the volume. What confuses me is ...
  • 752
1 vote
1 answer
139 views

Are castanets used in tango music?

I'm working on a piece for Pierrot ensemble (fl, cl, vln, vlc, pa, perc). While it's not trying to be a strict or authentic tango, it uses several familiar rhythmic patterns and "sounds like&...
  • 3,098
5 votes
1 answer
230 views

Is there a standardized way to write sheet music for musical spoons?

The spoons are a percussion instrument common in folk music around the world. Often, the spoons can create lines similar to a snare drum cadence, but with the addition of different body strikes and ...
  • 205
4 votes
1 answer
148 views

Play E-Drums with Pedals only?

Let me explain. We are a two-man-group. My mate is doing guitar and vocals and I am doing bass and percussion. Some time ago I build (soldering and then also really assembling) myself a set of 6 drum-...
  • 185
4 votes
3 answers
451 views

Percussion duration notation issue

As I understand it: For most percussion instruments "notes" don't really have durations in the same sense as other instruments. Percussion instruments are struck, and thus usually sound ...
7 votes
2 answers
403 views

tuning of marimba in a jazz band

I started playing the marimba and although it seems a bit unusual I wish to be part of a jazz band with that instrument. Fortunately, before buying my own instrument I found out that marimbas have ...
  • 71
11 votes
5 answers
2k views

Is it reasonable to expect a non-percussionist to play a simple triangle part?

If all the percussionists are occupied playing more demanding parts, would it be reasonable to expect someone in a nearby section not playing anything to, e.g., play a clear sustained triangle hit on ...
  • 1,043
7 votes
2 answers
840 views

Why do temple blocks come in sets of 5?

It seems like temple blocks are commonly sold, bought, and played in sets of five as pictured here: Image Source My old high school had a set like this, but we never needed more than two blocks for ...
  • 6,169
3 votes
1 answer
134 views

How should the percussion on an Acoustic guitar be played in the song "Californication"?

I've seen this arrangement for "Californication" (guitar fingerstyle). I'm don't know how to thumb slap well, but I'd like to understand how the slap works here. For example, look at the ...
4 votes
3 answers
413 views

Artificially Extended Drum Duration?

I am watching a beginner's guide to music production using Cakewalk on Youtube. An interesting fact it points out is that adjusting a drum's note duration in the piano roll view has no effect, ...
4 votes
4 answers
251 views

Is there a term for the combination of melody and harmony, excluding percussion?

I am working with a simple sound generator, which can simultaneously produce multiple sine waves plus white noise. The sine waves can have their frequency and volume modified over time, and the white ...
2 votes
1 answer
66 views

What is this part of a kettledrum?

Here is a picture of a kettledrum (from here). What is the name and function of the thing behind the pedal that is indicated in red?
  • 1,299
1 vote
2 answers
157 views

Notating Dynamics for Drum Kit

I'm currently finishing an arrangement in Sibelius. One of the last things I'm adding is dynamic markings. For context, there is a string section, an electric guitar, electric bass, piano and vocals ...
  • 795
4 votes
5 answers
605 views

Guitarist and Bassist as only Bandmembers - Rhythmsection?

We are two individuals, one is playing guitar and sings and the other plays bass. We would like to just cover some rock songs we like and love. However, we do not really want to add another person for ...
  • 185
3 votes
2 answers
130 views

Question about tempo markings on timpani part

I’m playing a timpani part in 4/4 at 132 BPM. 4 measures into the excerpt, there is a “dotted quarter note equals quarter note” marking. In this new section (still in 4/4), there are still eighth ...
  • 31
1 vote
4 answers
577 views

Western musical instruments that can be played with one hand

https://www.google.com/search?q=western+musical+instruments Will it be very few western musical instruments that can be played by human beings with one hand only? Example : Mouth organ.
0 votes
1 answer
135 views

Which specific terms could be used to search for music without beats / percussions / drums?

From what I can gather, most music besides some specific genres is based on top of a background beat layer. I happen to be one of the (apparently) few people with a strong dislike of any kind of ...
  • 101
9 votes
3 answers
927 views

Why did baroque music use percussion abundantly, but classical stopped?

Classical music evolved from baroque music, which in turn evolved from Renaissance music. Both baroque and even more so Renaissance make extensive use of percussion. It is certainly not new to ...
  • 99
7 votes
3 answers
299 views

Note with two stems in snare drum part [Ravel's Miroir]: What is the result?

This is part of the snare drum part from Ravel's Miroirs No. 4: Alborado del Gracioso (The jester's aubade). What is the effect of both sticks playing the same note? If the sticks coincide precisely ...
2 votes
1 answer
65 views

What temperament do Hang drums/hand pans use

Do they use just, equal, or some other tuning system?
  • 709
3 votes
1 answer
220 views

Tenor drum sweeps exercises [closed]

Hey does anyone here know any really good excercizes for practicing sweep patterns for marching tenor drums (preferably with 6 drums)? I have little to do with school shutdown and just wanted to ...
  • 174
0 votes
2 answers
212 views

How to write a beat in a bar with 16th and 32nd notes?

I am trying to find the best way to write this bongo rhythm. I know bongo is usually written on two lines only, or even on one line sometimes, but my bongos are tuned to G so I just use normal music ...
  • 9,209
12 votes
2 answers
654 views

What is the effect/role of Syahi on the Tabla skins?

What is the effect of Syahi (the black metallic glue) in the middle of Tablas ? What would happen to the sound if it was: removed added twice as more glue The player who had sold me one of his ...
4 votes
2 answers
316 views

Timpani alternative in the band room

I’m looking for a cheaper alternative to the timpani, that may be used in a middle school band. Any Ideas? Thanks in advance.
5 votes
2 answers
524 views

Is this a correct traditional grip?

I know I put the stick on my ring finger but the exact joint that I’m supposed to have it on confuses me as I was told to do this, but it is slightly painful and my ring finger slides around a lot.
3 votes
1 answer
398 views

What is a dotted quarter note, 100 BPM, with a triplet eight note pulse

What is a dotted quarter note, 100 BPM, with a triplet eight note pulse? My son is in percussion and he has a recording he needs to do and this is the "timing" he was given. Can someone help tell me ...
4 votes
3 answers
1k views

In percussion notation, how does one interpret a slurred tremolo?

My question is about tied/slurred tremolos in percussion music notation. I've had my bongo drums for almost half my life, and am just now deciding to buy a book and learn how to play Afro-Cuban ...
12 votes
4 answers
2k views

What is this sound, instrument? (Rheingold, Wagner)

I am currently composing something and I really want to have this sound in my piece. It sounds like a small hammer hammering on metal. It starts at 1:08:07 (...
  • 1,151
11 votes
3 answers
1k views

Is it best to use a tie when using 8th notes off the beat?

I am notating my bongos in 4/4. If you look at the last two bars, they are the same rhythm but notated differently. Can you tell me if the 3rd or 4th bar would be the most correct way to notate the ...
  • 9,209
3 votes
1 answer
204 views

Mic Placement for Live Percussive Guitar

Like the title says: Does anyone have tips for mic placement that will help pick up and project percussion (generally through a PA system). I'm beginning to get more into the "live performance" scene ...
  • 185
1 vote
2 answers
1k views

Guiro part notation using cross notes

Here's a picture of a Guiro part in drum notation: In a Guiro part, what does it mean when there are cross notes? I've seen other Guiro parts elsewhere that use the same line placement but with ...
  • 497
4 votes
1 answer
79 views

Will a forte tympani overpower a quiet orchestra?

So far, I have been mainly using the tympani in my orchestration of the Pathetique Sonata for the purpose of adding an accent. It might change later on to having a more important role but right now, ...
  • 6,256
4 votes
1 answer
138 views

Question about this thing for timpani

I’m transposing some music in Medly and looking at the sheet music I came across this in the timpani part. Does anyone know what this means because I have no clue >~< I listened to the music a few ...