| Percussion instruments are music instruments played by being struck, shaken, rubbed or scraped, hence the "percussive" name. They are perhaps the oldest form of musical instruments, rivaled only by vocal. Percussion instruments play not only rhythm, but also melody and harmony, and percussion could also be the only category of instruments that has musical notation in all three of the traditional clefs (treble, bass and rhythm- though sometimes bass clef is simply substituted for rhythm clef). Percussion is commonly referred to as "the backbone" or "the heartbeat" of a musical ensemble, often working in close collaboration with bass instruments, when present. Though there are many classical, jazz and even rock ensembles that refrain from the use of percussion from time to time, it is extremely rare to have a truly impressive piece of music in any genre unless there is a strong percussive backing. Most classical pieces written for full orchestra since the time of Haydn and Mozart are orchestrated to place emphasis on the strings and woodwinds, but will almost always include at least one pair of timpani in the background, providing percussive drive and strengthening the bass line. In almost every style of music, percussion plays a pivotal role. In military marching bands and pipes and drums, it is the beat of the bass drum that keeps the soldiers in step and at a regular speed, and it is the snare that provides that crisp, decisive air to the tune of a regiment. In classic jazz, one almost immediately thinks of the distinctive rhythm of the hi-hats or the ride cymbal when the word "swing" is spoken. In more recent popular music culture, it is almost impossible to name three or four rock, hip-hop, rap, funk or even soul charts or songs that do not have some sort of percussive beat keeping the tune in time. Because of the diversity of percussive instruments, it is not uncommon to find large musical ensembles composed entirely of percussion. Rhythm, melody and harmony are all apparent and alive in these musical groups, and in live performance they are quite a sight to see. |