THE ORCHESTRA: A USER'S MANUAL

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Introduction Orchestration Orchestration Resources Historical Andrew Hugill
  Philharmonia

PERCUSSION

Pitched Metal
Pitched Skin
Pitched Wood

Unpitched Metal
Unpitched Skin
Unpitched Wood

Shakers and Blowers
Other Effects
All about beaters

Player's Tips and Tricks

Links

Unpitched Skin

NAME
DESCRIPTION
BEATERS
LISTEN/VIEW
COMMENTS
bass drum
Very deep two-headed drum, stood or suspended either vertically or horizontally. 50cm - 2m diameters.

Bass drum mallets range from hard to soft, as well as rute and other beaters.
rute beaters on the bass drum

bass drum

single hit
pattern

  
bongo drums
Pairs of small single-headed drums with tapered sides
Medium mallets, sticks or hand

bongos

with beaters
with hands
typical pattern
Authentically played with the hands, but usually played with beaters in an orchestral context.
djembe
North African hand drum, with an extended and outward-tapering resonating column
Hands

djembe

 Plenty of sounds available on this instrument, and the addition of metal 'wings' add a buzz.
djun djun
African double-headed drum, but normally played on one head only, with the other hand playing a cowbell attached to the body of the drum
Medium bass drum beater
 djun djun  
lion's roar
 A single headed drum with a rosined cord through the head. Pulling the cord produces a distinctive roar.
Hand
    
snare drum
Two-headed drum, with metal snares strung on one side and engaged or disengaged by a handle. Usually placed on a stand. Sizes range from 15-18cm for the standard orchestral instrument, to 45-90cm for the field drum and 8-10cm for the piccolo snare.

plus soft vibe mallets

snare drum
hits
rolls
snares on/off

single hit, snared
rapid measured hits
roll
loud roll
roll <> with snare
roll <> without snare
'gallop' pattern with snare
'gallop' pattern without snare
snared roll and pattern
short flam
pattern, no snare
classic military pattern, snared

Snare drum technique provides the basis for most other sticking techniques in Western music. Be sure to specify snares on or off. It is a good idea to leave snares off when the drum is not being played, in order to avoid unwanted buzzing caused by the vibration from other instruments.
surdo
Latin American bass drum, single-headed. Hits can be damped, or open, and a typical pattern would include rim hits.
Small bass drum beaters

surdo

The drum can be lifted with the feet to open out the sound.
talking drum
 An egg-timer shaped drum, with leather cords stretching the two heads. The drum is placed under the player's arm, and the skins struck with a wooden beater. The player squeezes the cords to adjust head tension, thus creating the 'talking' effect.
Wooden beater
    
tambourine
A slitted hoop of wood, with skin stretched over it to form a head, and with jangles threaded through the slits
Hand and any other durm beater

tambourine
hits
rolls
rolls, <>
'wet' and 'dry' sounds
played fast, seated
played fast and loud, foot up on chair
rock tambourine

pattern
faster pattern
faster still
pattern >
single hit
shake
jingles only

  
tenor drum
A field drum without snares
Bass drum or wooden beaters

tenor drum

Some patterns:
pattern 1
pattern 2
pattern 3
pattern 4
pattern 5

 'Muffled' drum = cloth placed on head. N.B. this is not the same as a 'muted' drum.
tom-toms
Anything up to 6 small, straight-sided drums, either double or single-headed.
Medium to soft mallets

tom-toms

a typical tom-tom improvisation