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Read on to discover about the exciting percussion family of instruments…<\/strong><\/p> Being a percussionist covers a multitude of similar, though not identical, transferable skills. Percussion instruments are essentially anything that you hit, scrape or shake, and the multi-tasking nature of this often suits those musical personalities with a low boredom threshold.<\/p> Occasionally, however, demands are made that have to be fulfilled by specialists \u2013 cimbalom and tabla are examples that spring to mind and, to a lesser extent, Latin percussion. These are areas that require separate study (due to their specific techniques and cultures), though there are some players who can move from one to another with ease.\u00a0<\/p> Usually an essential component of a symphony orchestra<\/a><\/strong>, percussion players also perform in chamber<\/a><\/strong> groups and are increasingly performing as soloists, as younger players are getting to grips with broader and deeper technical demands. The combination of greater instrument availability, more varied and better teaching materials, inspirational professionals and, crucially, serious composers writing serious repertoire, has raised expectations far beyond what was envisioned 40 years ago.<\/p> Among those composers who have written for solo and chamber percussion are: Bart\u00f3k<\/a><\/strong>, Errollyn Wallen<\/a><\/strong>, Steve Reich<\/a><\/strong>, Thea Musgrave, James MacMillan<\/a><\/strong>, Jennifer Higdon, Milhaud and Xenakis<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p> A wooden (usually padauk or rosewood), tuned instrument based on the piano<\/a><\/strong> and struck by mallets. The layout is the same as a xylophone, but each bar is wider and \u2013 as a minimum \u2013 it has an octave<\/a><\/strong> range a third lower.<\/p>
Below are five important members of the percussion instrument family…<\/h3>
Marimba<\/h2>