Percussion section

A percussion section with tuned percussion (tubular bells, background), auxiliary percussion (clash cymbals, suspended cymbal, snare drum and bass drum) and timpani (foreground) in use

Tuned percussion: A glockenspiel and a set of crotales in use.

Auxiliary percussion section of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago

A standard set of four timpani

The percussion section is one of the main divisions of the orchestra and the concert band. It includes most percussion instruments and all unpitched instruments.

The percussion section is itself divided into three subsections:

Tuned percussion, consisting of pitched instruments such as glockenspiel and tubular bells.
Auxiliary percussion, consisting of all unpitched instruments such as snare drum and cymbals.
Timpani.

These three subsections reflect the three main skill areas that a percussionist studies.

Percussion sections, consisting of similar instruments, may also be found in stage bands and other musical ensembles.^[1]

Tuned percussion

See also untuned percussion

This subsection is traditionally called tuned percussion,^[2] however the corresponding term untuned percussion is avoided in modern organology in favour of the term unpitched percussion, so the instruments of this subsection are similarly termed pitched percussion. All instruments of this subsection are pitched, and with the exception of the timpani, all pitched instruments of the percussion section are in this subsection.

They include:

All mallet percussion instruments, and keyboard percussion instruments such as the xylophone and tubular bells.
Collections of pitched instruments such as hand bells, tuned cowbells and crotales.
Most other melodic percussion instruments.

Despite the name, keyboard percussion instruments do not have keyboards as such. Keyboard instruments such as the celesta and keyboard glockenspiel are not included in the percussion section owing to the very different skills required to play them, but instead are grouped in the keyboard section with instruments that require similar skills. Similarly, the timpani, although they are pitched percussion and are tuned by the player, are not included in the tuned percussion subsection owing to the particular skills expected of the player.

Auxiliary percussion

All unpitched percussion instruments are grouped into the auxiliary percussion subsection, which includes an enormous variety of instruments, including drums, cymbals, bells, shakers, whistles and even found objects.

Players are expected to be accomplished on the snare drum, bass drum, clash cymbals and other hand percussion, and to be able to adapt these skills to playing other instruments and even objects, for example the typewriter.

Timpani

Main article: timpani

The timpanist is a specialist who does not usually perform on the other percussion instruments during a concert. A high level of skill unique to this instrument is expected. While players of tuned and auxiliary percussion often play many instruments from both subsections during a performance or piece, the timpanist is normally dedicated to that instrument.

References

↑ The Book of Music, Editor Gill Rowley, ISBN 0 906286 34 4
↑ http://andrewhugill.com/manuals/percussion.html retrieved 22 March 2012

Orchestra and Concert band

Ensembles	Orchestra Concert band Chamber orchestra String orchestra Conductorless orchestra Radio orchestra

Leaders	Concertmaster (in orchestras) Bandmaster Conductor Music director

Sections of the orchestra	Woodwind section Brass section String section Percussion section Keyboard section

Basic orchestra instruments	Flute Oboe Bassoon Clarinet French horn Trumpet Trombone Bass trombone Tuba Violin Viola Cello Double bass Percussion Timpani Basso continuo instruments during Baroque music era Harpsichord Pipe organ Lute Theorbo Violone Viola da gamba

Sections of the concert band	Woodwind section Brass section String section Percussion section Keyboard section

Basic concert band instruments	Piccolo Flute Oboe Bassoon Clarinet Bass clarinet Alto saxophone Tenor saxophone Baritone saxophone French horn Trumpet Trombone Euphonium Tuba Double bass Percussion

Percussion instruments

List of percussion instruments

Pitched percussion	Carillon Crotales Glockenspiel Gubal Handbell Handchime Hang Marimba Steelpan Timpani Vibraphone Xylophone

Unpitched percussion	Bass Drum Bodhrán Bongo drum Cabasa Castanets Conga Cowbell Cymbal Djembe Jam block Lagerphone Maracas Snare drum Tambourine Timbales Tom-tom drum Washboard (musical instrument)

Orchestral percussion	Acme siren Bell tree Clapper Clash cymbals Glockenspiel Snare drum Timpani Tubular bells

Percussion groupings	Drum kit Percussion section Percussion ensemble

Electronic percussion	Electronic drums Drum machine

Other	Cymbal manufacturers List of drum manufacturers List of marimba manufacturers List of timpani manufacturers Classification of percussion instruments

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