A percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when 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 a family of instruments including drums, rattles, metal plates, or wooden blocks which musicians would beat or strike (as in a collision) to produce sound.

History

Anthropologists and historians often speculate that percussion instruments were the first musical devices ever created. The human voice was probably the first musical instrument, but percussion instruments such as hands and feet, then sticks and rocks, were in widespread use long before recorded musical history.

Function

Percussion instruments may play not only rhythm, but also melody and harmony.

Percussion is commonly referred to as "the backbone" or "the heartbeat" of a musical ensemble, often working in close collaboration with bass instruments, when present. In jazz and other popular music ensembles, the pianist, bassist and the drummer are often referred to as the rhythm section. Most classical pieces written for full orchestra since the time of Haydn and Mozart are orchestrated to place emphasis on the strings, woodwinds, and brass. However, often at least one pair of timpani is included, though they rarely play continuously. Rather, they serve to provide additional accents when needed. In the 18th and 19th centuries, other percussion instruments (like the triangle or cymbals) have been used, again relatively sparingly in general. The use of percussion instruments became more frequent in the 20th century classical music.

In almost every style of music, percussion plays a pivotal role. In military marching bands and pipes and drums, it is the beat of the bass drum that keeps the soldiers in step and at a regular speed, and it is the snare that provides that crisp, decisive air to the tune of a regiment. In classic jazz, one almost immediately thinks of the distinctive rhythm of the hi-hats or the ride cymbal when the word "swing" is spoken. In more recent popular music culture, it is almost impossible to name three or four rock, hip-hop, rap, funk or even soul charts or songs that do not have some sort of percussive beat keeping the tune in time.

Because of the diversity of percussive instruments, it is not uncommon to find large musical ensembles composed entirely of percussion. Rhythm, melody, and harmony are all represented in these ensembles.

Percussion notation

Music for pitched percussion instruments can be notated on a staff with the same treble and bass clefs used by many non-percussive instruments. Music for percussive instruments without a definite pitch can be notated with a specialist rhythm or percussion-clef; More often a treble clef (or sometimes a bass clef) is substituted for rhythm clef.

Classifications

Percussion instruments are classified by various criteria sometimes depending on their construction, ethnic origin, function within musical theory and orchestration, or their relative prevalence in common knowledge.

Percussion instruments are sometimes classified as "pitched" or "unpitched." While valid, this classification is widely seen as inadequate. Rather, it may be more informative to describe percussion instruments in regards to one or more of the following four paradigms:

By methods of sound production

Many texts, including ''Teaching Percussion'' by Gary Cook of the University of Arizona, begin by studying the physical characteristics of instruments and the methods by which they can produce sound. This is perhaps the most scientifically pleasing assignment of nomenclature whereas the other paradigms are more dependent on historical or social circumstances. Based on observation and experimentation, one can determine how an instrument produces sound and then assign the instrument to one of the following four categories:

Idiophone

"Idiophones produce sounds through the vibration of their entire body." Examples of idiophones:

Bock-a-da-bock

Cabasa

Cajón

Celesta

Chimes

Cowbell

Crash cymbals

Crotales

Güiro

Handbells

Hi-hat

Lummi stick

Marimba

Orchestra bells

Singing bowls

Slit drum

Suspended cymbal

Triangle

Vibraphone

Vibraslap

Wood block

Xylophone

Membranophone

Most objects commonly known as "drums" are membranophones. "Membranophones produce sound when the membrane or head is struck."

Examples of membranophones:

Bass drum

Bongos

Conga

Darbuka

Djembe

Mridangam

Octoban

Snare drum

Tabla

Timpani

Tom-tom

The lion's roar and the cuíca are friction instruments which are not struck like other drums, but the sound is produced by applying friction to a string (lion's roar) or to a stick (cuíca) that is attached to the center of the membrane. In both cases, it is the membrane that vibrates, not the string nor the the stick, thus ensuring their classification as membranophones. In the case of the lion's roar, a resined string (or gut) is fastened through a hole in the membrane. In the case of the cuíca, the stick is attached (tied) to the membrane before it is stretched and tightened to the body of the instrument, and the stick is accessible by placing one hand inside the body, rubbed with a wet cloth.

Wind machines: A wind machine in this context is not a wind tunnel and therefore not an aerophone. Instead, it is an apparatus (often used in theatre as a sound effect) in which a sheet of canvas (a membrane) is rubbed against a screen or resonator; this action produces a sound which resembles the blowing of wind.

Chordophone

Most instruments known as "chordophones" are defined as string instruments, but some such as these examples are percussion instruments also.

Hammered dulcimer, Cimbalom

Onavillu

Aerophone

Most instruments known as "aerophones" are defined as wind instruments such as a saxophone whereby sound is produced by a person or thing blowing air through the object. Examples of aerophones played by percussionists:

Apito or samba whistle

Siren

Slide whistle

Whistle or police whistle

By musical function or orchestration

When classifying instruments by function it is useful to note if a percussion instrument makes a definite pitch or indefinite pitch.

For example, some percussion instruments (such as the marimba and timpani) produce an obvious fundamental pitch and can therefore play melody and serve harmonic functions in music. Other instruments (such as crash cymbals and snare drums) produce sounds with such complex overtones and a wide range of prominent frequencies that no pitch is discernible.

Definite pitch

Percussion instruments in this group are sometimes referred to as "pitched" or "tuned".

Examples of percussion instruments with definite pitch:

Anvil

Caisadrum

Chimes/Tubular bells

Crotales

Glass harmonica

Glass harp

Glockenspiel

Handbells

Hang

Marimba

Mridangam

Steelpan

Tabla

Timpani

Tuned Triangle

Vibraphone

Wind chimes

Xylophone

Xylo-marimba

Indefinite pitch

Instruments in this group are sometimes referred to as "non-pitched", "unpitched", or "untuned". This phenomenon occurs when the resultant sound of the instrument contains complex frequencies through which no discernible pitch can be heard.

Examples of percussion instruments with indefinite pitch:

Bass drum

Castanets

Cymbals

Rainstick

Slapstick or whip

Snare drum

Tamtam

Tom-tom

By prevalence in common knowledge

Although it is difficult to define what is "common knowledge", there are instruments in use by percussionists and composers in contemporary music which are certainly not considered by most to be musical instruments of any kind. Therefore, it is worthwhile to ''try'' to make distinction between instruments based on their acceptance or consideration by a general audience.

For example, it is safe to argue that most people would not consider an anvil, a brake drum (the circular hub which houses the brake on the wheel of a motor vehicle), or a fifty-five gallon oil barrel to be musical instruments, yet these objects are used regularly by composers and percussionists of modern music.

One might assign various percussion instruments to one of the following categories:

Conventional or popular

Drum kit

Gong

Tambourine

Unconventional

(Sometimes referred to as "found" instruments)

Automobile Brake Drum

Beer kegs

Brooms

Clay pots

Five gallon buckets

Garbage cans

Metal pipes

Metal pots

Plastic bag

Rocks in a bucket

Shopping carts

Spokes on a bicycle wheel

John Cage, Harry Partch, Edgard Varèse, and Peter Schickele, all noted composers, created entire pieces of music using unconventional instruments. Beginning in the early 20th century, perhaps with ''Ionisation'' by Edgard Varèse which used air-raid sirens (among other things), composers began to require percussionists to invent or "find" objects to produce the desired sounds and textures. Another example includes the use of a hammer and saw in Penderecki's ''De Natura Sonoris No. 2''. By late 20th century, such instruments had become common in modern percussion ensemble music and popular productions, such as the off-Broadway show, Stomp. Rock band Aerosmith used a number of unconventional instruments in their song Sweet Emotion, including shotguns, brooms, and a sugar bag.

By cultural significance or tradition

It is not uncommon to discuss percussion instruments in relation to their cultural origin. This has led to a division between instruments which are considered "common" or "modern," and folk instruments which have a significant history or purpose within a geographic region or cultural group.

Folk percussion instruments

Berimbau

Bodhrán

Bombo legüero

Cajon

Dhaa

Dhime

Dhol

Dholak

Djembe

Gamelan

Kalimba (Thumb Piano)

Kheen

Kpanlogo

Lagerphone

Latin percussion

Madal

Marimba

Marimbula

Naykheen

Pogo cello

Skrabalai

Steelpan

Taiko

Tambourine

Thavil

Timbales

Tonbak

Urumee

Udukai

"Common" drums

This category includes instruments which are widely available and popular throughout the world:

Drum kit, typically consisting of:

* Bass drum

* Crash cymbal

* Floor tom

* Hi-Hat cymbals

* Snare drum

* Tom-tom drums

Marching percussion instruments

Orchestral percussion instruments

Names for percussionists

The general term for a musician who plays percussion instruments is "percussionist" but the terms listed below are often used to describe a person's specialties:

Balafonist: a balafon player

Bombisto: a bombo legüero player

Bongocerro: someone who plays bongos and usually cencerro (a cow bell)

Congalero, conguero: someone who plays congas

Cymbalist: someone who plays cymbals

Drummer: a term usually used to describe someone who plays the drumset, hand drums or a single drum such as Snare drum.

Glockenspielist: someone who plays the glockenspiel.

Güirero: someone who plays the güira, a Dominican scraper used in merengue music

Marimbist: a marimba player

Panman, pannist: a steelpan player

Timbalero, timbero: someone who plays timbales

Timpanist: a timpani player

Vibraphonist: a vibraphone player

Xylophonist: a xylophone player

See also

Beatboxing

Bock-a-da-bock

Drum

Drum beat (including a list of drum beats)

Drum Corps International

Drum Kit

Drumline

Electronic drum

Hand percussion

Klopotec

List of melodic percussion instruments

Latin percussion

List of percussionists

Melodic percussion instrument

Musical Stones of Skiddaw

Orchestral percussion

Percussion notation

Percussive Arts Society

Pipes and Drums Corps

Practice pad

Vocal percussion

Notes and references

Further reading

James Blades, ''Percussion Instruments and Their History'', (1970).

Shen, Sinyan, Acoustics of Ancient Chinese Bells, Scientific American, 256, 94 (1987).

External links

Drummer Brasil — Website for drummers and percussionists

Video clips of percussion instruments demonstrated

Drum Museum, Information about antique hand drums from Africa, New Guinea and the Himalayas

Category:Percussion music Category:Performing arts

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Coordinates	0°23′24″N9°27′0″N
Name	Kyle Landry
Height ft	6
Height in	9
Weight lbs	240
League	PBLEuroChallenge
Team	BC Triumph Lyubertsy
Position	Forward
Birth date	April 04, 1986
Birth place	Calgary, Alberta
College	Northern Arizona University
Nationality	Canadian
Draft	Undrafted
Draft year	2008
Career start	2008
Former teams	Sportino Inowrocław (2008-09)Dexia Mons-Hainaut (2009)BK Prostějov (2009-11)
Awards	}}

Kyle Landry (born April 4, 1986) is a Canadian professional basketball player, currently signed to the team BC Triumph Lyubertsy. He is also a veteran member of the Canadian national basketball team.

College

Landry played NCAA Division I college basketball at Northern Arizona University. He saw extensive action in all four years with the Lumberjacks, and averaged a team-leading 17.5 points and 8.1 rebounds in his senior season (2007–08) for the team.

Professional

After college, Landry signed with Polish side Sportino Inowrocław. In his only season with the club, 2008–09, he averaged 12.1 points and 10 rebounds per game. He was named to the All-Polish League First Team and also participated in the league's All-Star Game. At the end of the season, he signed with Belgian side Dexia Mons-Hainaut for two months and helped the team to a second place finish in the Basketball League Belgium.

For the 2009-10 season, Landry signed with BK Prostějov of the Czech National Basketball League. In July 2011 he signed with BC Triumph Lyubertsy in Russia.

Canada Basketball

Landry first played for the Canada national basketball team at the 2009 Marchand Continental Championship Cup. At the Cup, he scored two points and seven rebounds in his only action of the tournament against Argentina. He also participated with the team at the FIBA Americas Championship 2009, where he provided support off the bench for the fourth-place Canadians. With the fourth-place finish, the Canadians qualified for the 2010 FIBA World Championship.

References

Category:Basketball people from Alberta Category:Canadian expatriate basketball people in the United States Category:Canadian basketball players Category:Northern Arizona Lumberjacks men's basketball players Category:People from Calgary Category:1986 births Category:Living people

it:Kyle Landry