Orchestration Basics – Percussion (1)

Hello, this is Jooyoung Kim, a mixing engineer and music producer.
Today, I’d like to finish the final part of my orchestration basics series, focusing on percussion instruments.

Percussion instruments are a category of musical instruments that produce sound by being struck, shaken, or scraped. They consist of a striking object A and a struck object B, and the sound changes based on the material of each object.

Percussion instruments are generally divided into those with definite pitches and those without, but their playing techniques share similarities.

Therefore, we will first cover effective playing techniques for percussion instruments before moving on to descriptions of individual instruments.

1) Flam

Flam is a technique used to produce a quick “ta-da” sound, often used as an embellishment. Also known as a drag, it is commonly used on instruments like timpani, snare drums, and tom-toms.

2) Roll

A roll, also referred to as a trill, involves continuous tremolo and is a very impactful technique frequently used across many percussion instruments.

3) Mallet

A mallet consists of a stick and a head. Generally, the stick is made of rattan, while the head can be made of various materials, resulting in different timbres. Performers typically prepare several mallets to choose from, depending on the desired nuance, ranging from hard, medium, soft, wire brushes, timpani/bass drum mallets, to drumsticks.

• Timpani

Timpani, also known as kettledrums or temple drums, are pitched percussion instruments. Originally used in military settings, they became essential in orchestras by the late 18th century. Classical composers like Mozart and Haydn typically used two timpani in symphonies, tuned to the tonic and dominant (or subdominant) of the key. Beethoven expanded their use to include four timpani, and Berlioz, known as the father of orchestration, even wrote pieces requiring 16 timpani played by 10 musicians. Modern compositions usually feature one player handling four timpani.

Timpani range and pitch are controlled by adjusting the tension of the drumhead. The shells are made from materials like copper, aluminum, or fiberglass, with hemispherical shells producing a brighter tone and parabolic shells a darker tone. The pedal at the bottom is used to tune the timpani, and while tuning during a performance is challenging, it can be done to produce glissando effects. Though not transposing instruments, their sound is typically perceived an octave lower than written.

• Xylophone

The xylophone has wooden bars arranged like a piano keyboard and is sensitive to strong impacts, so its attack is not very forceful. It’s usually played with four mallets (two in each hand), and the resonators beneath the bars amplify the sound.

Xylophones come in various sizes and can cover up to four octaves. They are transposing instruments, sounding an octave higher than written. For longer note values, rolls are the primary technique.

• Marimba

Similar to the xylophone, the marimba typically spans five octaves. Bass marimbas exist but are rarely used. Marimbas are larger than xylophones and produce a softer, richer sound. Unlike the xylophone, marimbas are not transposing instruments.

• Glockenspiel

The glockenspiel, also known as orchestra bells, has metal bars and produces a bright, penetrating sound.

It is played with metal mallets and has a range of about three octaves, sounding two octaves higher than written.

• Vibraphone

The vibraphone features a damper pedal to sustain or mute sounds and has electric fans that create vibrato. The mallets, referred to as beaters, have metal heads. Soft and hard mallets are used, with soft mallets being more common. The vibraphone is a non-transposing instrument.

• Tubular Bells

Tubular bells, or chimes, consist of metal tubes and are struck with wooden or metal hammers. They produce a long, resonant sound controlled with a damper.

Tubular bells are transposing instruments, sounding an octave higher than written, but their sound is often perceived as lower. They are effective for creating church bell sounds.

• Snare Drum

The snare drum’s characteristic sound comes from the metal wires (snares) on its underside. These can be tightened or loosened to alter the sound. Techniques like the rim shot, where the drum’s rim is struck, and playing with wire brushes for different textures are common. The snare drum doesn’t have a definite pitch, but it can have resonant frequencies.

• Bass Drum

The bass drum, ranging from 24 to 36 inches, is played while standing and typically dampened by hand. It is notated on a single line in the score.

• Cymbals

Cymbals are metal discs played by striking them together (clash) or by rubbing them for a roll. They can also be played with a bow for a unique sound. Stopping the cymbals’ vibration is indicated as a choke.

• Tam-tam

The tam-tam, similar to a Chinese gong, can produce different sounds depending on the playing technique, such as scraping with a coin for a unique effect. It is usually played with mallets that have cloth or felt heads.

More percussion instruments will be covered in the next post. See you in the next article~:)