History of Percussion Instruments
Anthropologists and historians repeatedly speculate that percussion instruments were the first musical apparatus ever came into being. But with the utmost certainty, the human voice was the first musical instrument, and surely, percussion tools such as feet, hands, rocks, sticks and logs came in second to the on-going evolution of music. When humans developed tools for hunting and agriculture, their knowledge along side with skill, enabled them to produce more complex tools. They use slit drum, made from a hollowed-out tree trunk. For instance, a simple log may have been shaped to generate louder tones (log drum) and may have been pooled to create numerous tones (set of log drums).
As time moved on, so is the evolution of percussion instruments. In the early 10th century, it was known that most tribes in Africa use sorts of percussions such as djembe, macaras used in Latin America, karimbas in Asia and seed rattles in Australia for their recreational and worship rituals and sometimes used in sending signals.
Percussion instruments that are displayed in orchestra first came from Asia Minor. In the 15th century, people began migrating east and brought with them numerous instruments. Our percussion instruments got their initial stages there, when the Crusades took back the drums that they found in the Middle East. From then on, evolution of percussion and drums kicked up a notch and assortments of percussion instruments came into being.
The function of percussion instruments within an orchestra or other musical ensemble varies depending on their design and size. Some instruments produce sounds which can carry melodic or harmonic roles, while others are strictly percussive in nature. Composers and arrangers usually assign the percussion and instruments in the lower register parts which make them work as a team to create a rhythmic basis for the composition.
Drums and percussions as well as bass are known as the rhythm section of the most popular music genres. Most classical pieces written for an orchestra since the time of Mozart and Haydn are schemed to put emphasis on strings, brass and woodwinds. However, time and again they include a pair of timpani (kettle drums) although not played continuously. But moderately, they serve to offer additional accents when needed.
Small percussion instruments became more popular in orchestral works of the 18th and 19th centuries, but the cymbal and triangle among others were again mostly in the background as accents to the other instruments. It was not until recently when composers began to explore the possibilities of percussion in a leading role.
Although not always the center of attention, percussion instruments are indispensible to almost every modern musical genre. Military and marching bands use percussion to provide the rhythm not only for the music being performed, but for the pace of marching soldiers. Jazz is in the minds of many synonymous with the sound of the ride cymbal, the brushed snare drum and the hi-hat " and its hard to imagine rock music in any style without percussion. From rhythm and blues to heavy metal, hip hop, country and other genres, percussion is the backbone of popular music.
Some musical groups perform compositions which are written solely for percussion instruments. The versatility of percussion instruments is such that there are instruments which can provide melodic and harmonic voices as well as those which simply provide a beat. Watching one of these percussion ensembles in action is something which is truly amazing to see. - 23812
As time moved on, so is the evolution of percussion instruments. In the early 10th century, it was known that most tribes in Africa use sorts of percussions such as djembe, macaras used in Latin America, karimbas in Asia and seed rattles in Australia for their recreational and worship rituals and sometimes used in sending signals.
Percussion instruments that are displayed in orchestra first came from Asia Minor. In the 15th century, people began migrating east and brought with them numerous instruments. Our percussion instruments got their initial stages there, when the Crusades took back the drums that they found in the Middle East. From then on, evolution of percussion and drums kicked up a notch and assortments of percussion instruments came into being.
The function of percussion instruments within an orchestra or other musical ensemble varies depending on their design and size. Some instruments produce sounds which can carry melodic or harmonic roles, while others are strictly percussive in nature. Composers and arrangers usually assign the percussion and instruments in the lower register parts which make them work as a team to create a rhythmic basis for the composition.
Drums and percussions as well as bass are known as the rhythm section of the most popular music genres. Most classical pieces written for an orchestra since the time of Mozart and Haydn are schemed to put emphasis on strings, brass and woodwinds. However, time and again they include a pair of timpani (kettle drums) although not played continuously. But moderately, they serve to offer additional accents when needed.
Small percussion instruments became more popular in orchestral works of the 18th and 19th centuries, but the cymbal and triangle among others were again mostly in the background as accents to the other instruments. It was not until recently when composers began to explore the possibilities of percussion in a leading role.
Although not always the center of attention, percussion instruments are indispensible to almost every modern musical genre. Military and marching bands use percussion to provide the rhythm not only for the music being performed, but for the pace of marching soldiers. Jazz is in the minds of many synonymous with the sound of the ride cymbal, the brushed snare drum and the hi-hat " and its hard to imagine rock music in any style without percussion. From rhythm and blues to heavy metal, hip hop, country and other genres, percussion is the backbone of popular music.
Some musical groups perform compositions which are written solely for percussion instruments. The versatility of percussion instruments is such that there are instruments which can provide melodic and harmonic voices as well as those which simply provide a beat. Watching one of these percussion ensembles in action is something which is truly amazing to see. - 23812
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