Percussion Instruments

How Percussion Instruments Work

Many may wonder how sound is produced from percussion instruments, and whether they can be tuned or used to play specific notes. The drum is perhaps one of the most recognizable percussion instruments. Just about everyone knows that you hit a drum and it produces a sound; but most people don't know exactly how that sound is produced. A drum consists of a hollow, circular body covered on the top by a membrane that is stretched over the top of the body. When the membrane is struck, the body amplifies the sound that results. Although notes are not usually played on a drum, a drum can be tuned to play a particular note by varying the tightness of the membrane. A tighter membrane produces a higher note while a looser membrane produces a lower one. Additionally, the size of the body of the drum affects the pitch; larger drums produce lower pitches than smaller drums.

On the other hand, instruments like bells and the triangle vibrate and produce sounds when hit. Still other percussion instruments produce sound when shaken. The maracas are an example of a percussion instrument that produces a sound when shaken.

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