Percussion

If you hit, scrape or shake it, it’s a percussion instrument! The percussion section includes various tuned and untuned instruments.

Tuned instruments include the glockenspiel, xylophone, marimba, vibraphone, timpani and tubular bells. These instruments play melodies, with notes of different pitches.

Untuned instruments don’t change pitch. Instead they are used to create rhythms. They include drums (like the bass, bongo and snare) as well as the tambourine, cymbals, gong and maracas.

Percussion instruments keep the rhythm, make special sounds and add excitement to the music. Unlike other musicians in an orchestra, percussionists play many instruments in just one piece of music.