What IS Percussion?

So, you’re a beginner who just got assigned to the percussion section. How fun! Quick question… what exactly is percussion?

Keep reading to find out!

What is percussion?

Percussion is a musical section of instruments which you strike, scratch, swipe, hit, bang, sizzle, verb, verb, verb… with some sort of physical attack.

The percussion section includes instruments such as:

• Snare drum
• Bass drum
• Cymbals
• Xylophone
• Marimba
• Vibraphone
• Bells (aka Glockenspiel, “glock” for short)
• Chimes
• Timpani
• Triangle
• Ratchet
• Anvil
• Tambourine
• Tam-tam/Gong
• Castanets
• Finger Cymbals (aka Antique cymbals)
• Sleigh Bells
• Woodblock
• Temple blocks
• Slap stick
• Roto-toms
• Tom-toms
• Vibraslap
• Wind Chimes/Mark Tree
• Bell Tree
• Claves
• Maracas
• Bongos
• Congas
• Cowbell
• Shaker
• Cabasa
• Guiro
• Timbales
• Drumset

As you can see, there are LOTS of instruments to learn!

There are endless possibilities with this group of instruments. The fun never ends!

With the popularity of digital music rising, skills on drum machines and percussion-reliant music are extremely valuable to learn if you want to make music.

If you are interested in learning more about a particular instrument or wish to play yourself, email me at logan@logangordy.com or learn more from my posts here!

If you found this blog helpful, tell me on Instagram, YouTube, Facebook or you can even donate as low as $3 to my Ko-fi to support me as I continue doing this work!

Until next time, happy practicing!