May 13 2014
Keep It All Together With Percussion Instruments
When people hear the word percussion, they almost always think of drums first. But percussion in traditional musical circles actually covers a very diverse family of instruments including drums, bells, blocks, maracas, tambourines and shakers that can work together or independently to drive and embellish the three key components of any musical piece which is the rhythm, harmony and melody.
But no matter what you play or how you play them, percussion instruments such as african percussion instruments bring life and pulsating energy to your music. Think of your percussion instruments as the musical glue that binds the performance in time and rhythm. In marching or military bands, it is the steady percussion beats that keep everyone in step and on cue.
It’s the snap of the hihat cymbals people associate with the lively swing sound in jazz music. And who doesn’t appreciate the rousing jingle of the tambourine or the raw, ratchety sound of maracas coursing through a song? In fact, when you think about the musical pieces you like most there’s probably a percussion instrument or two bringing it all together.
