The family
Percussion is divided into pitched (producing a definite pitch: timpani, keyboard percussion, bells) and unpitched (bass drum, snare drum, cymbals, tam-tam, accessories). In the orchestra a timpanist and 2 to 5 percussionists share the instruments: you must always think about how many hands are needed and the time to change instruments.
Timpani
Tuned with a pedal; a standard set has 4 timpani. Approximate ranges (Adler):
| Diameter | Range |
|---|---|
| 32" | D2 – A2 |
| 29" | F2 – C3 |
| 26" | Bb2 – F3 |
| 23" | D3 – A3 |
Uses: tonic and dominant (C and G) in the Classics; ostinatos and rolls in the Romantic era; pedal glissandi in 20th-century music. Rolls are written with a tremolo. The sticks (soft, medium, hard, wooden) change the sound a great deal.
Keyboard percussion (pitched)
| Instrument | Written range | Sounding pitch |
|---|---|---|
| Glockenspiel | G3 – C6 | two octaves higher (G5 – C8) |
| Xylophone | F3 (or C4) – C7 | an octave higher |
| Marimba | A2 – C7 (4.3 octaves) or C2 – C7 (5 octaves) | as written |
| Vibraphone | F3 – F6 | as written |
| Tubular bells | C4 – F5 | as written (perceived ambiguously because of the harmonics) |
| Crotales | C4 – C6 | two octaves higher |
- Glockenspiel: brilliance, doubles high melodies (celesta, flutes, violins) to make them sparkle.
- Xylophone: dry, percussive, comic or macabre (Saint-Saëns, Danse macabre).
- Marimba: warm and woody in the low register, widely used in minimalism and in pop (ringtones, tropical house).
- Vibraphone: metal bars with resonators and a motor (vibrato), a pedal for sustain; jazz and film scores.
- Tubular bells: tolling strokes, solemn moments.
Unpitched
- Bass drum: low impact (40–100 Hz), isolated hits and rolls.
- Snare drum (military drum): martial rhythms, crescendo rolls.
- Clash cymbals (crash): the climax; “let ring” or choked.
- Suspended cymbal: rolls with soft mallets (a “swell” crescendo before a climax).
- Tam-tam: a huge, dark low tail; prepared with a light stroke before the loud stroke.
- Triangle, tambourine, castanets, wood block, whip (slapstick), ratchet, jingles: rhythmic and characteristic colors.
- Ethnic drums and epic drums (taiko, surdo, orchestral toms in ensemble): the foundation of modern trailer music.
Practical writing
- Specify the sticks (soft/medium/hard mallets, brushes, sticks).
- Specify the duration: “l.v.” (laissez vibrer, let ring) or damped notes.
- Use rolls sparingly; the suspended cymbal crescendo is one of the most effective transition signals.
- Percussion are the loudest sounds in the orchestra: a loud cymbal covers everything for 1–2 seconds; place them where an accent is needed, not as a carpet.
Percussion in pop and electronic music
Orchestral samples (timpani, orchestral bass drum, reversed suspended cymbals) are used as transitions (risers/impacts). Glockenspiels and bells are frequent layers for Christmas melodies and synth plucks. Epic drums are layered with the kick for “cinematic” drops.
In the mix
- Timpani: fundamental 70–200 Hz, attack 1–3 kHz.
- Glockenspiel: fundamentals between 800 Hz and over 4 kHz; it can become sharp above 5 kHz.
- Bass drum: sub 30–60 Hz; watch for conflicts with the bass or the 808.
Practical exercise
Take an 8-bar orchestral tutti that you have written. Add: timpani on tonic and dominant with a crescendo roll in the last 2 bars, a suspended cymbal crescendo in the last bar, a clash cymbals and bass drum hit on beat 1 of the next section, glockenspiel doubling the violin melody. Check that each percussionist has time to change instruments.
Related topics
Orchestration: Families, Ranges, and Blends, Keyboards in the Orchestra, Orchestral Doublings and Blends, Orchestration with Virtual Libraries in the DAW, Writing Drum Parts.