If you are interested in learning how to play a musical instrument, it is ideal to know what kind of instrument to start with. You may wonder what are some percussion instruments that a beginner can get started with.

There are plenty of options. We will walk you through the different percussion instruments and help you decide which best fits your personality and interests.

What Is a Percussion Instrument?

Before you begin your foray into learning musical instruments, let us first define what a percussion instrument is. Percussion instruments are a type of musical instruments that are played by beating, plucking or scraping.

It is known to be one of the oldest musical instruments. Nevertheless, despite its long history, percussion instruments have been a crowd favorite for music enthusiasts and veterans.

These instruments are made from different materials such as wood, metal or plastic. Aside from that, they also come in various shapes and sizes.

There is a lot of fun when it comes to discovering and knowing more about this musical instrument.

What Are Some Percussion Instruments Aside from Drums?

We all know how popular the drums can be. When an individual knows and plays drums, their status gets quickly elevated to cool!

Truth to be told, a drum set is just one of the iconic kind of percussion instruments, but there are still much more that is equally cool and challenging to play too.

Many prefer the drums because it produces lovely beats and complements music very well; however, there are still some other instruments that can do the same thing.

First up is the guiro. This instrument originated in Latin America and is often made of wood. It is often shaped like a fish because it is long and elongated.

Wood Guiro

To make some music with this instrument, you need to use a stick and scrape it along the ridges. It produces a distinct sound that can often be heard in Latin pop music.

The good thing about this instrument is that you can control the tempo according to your preference. If you want a neat percussion instrument that is different from the rest, then you can start learning how to play the guiro.

If you want something simple, then you might want to try your hand at playing the cowbell. True to its name, the cowbell looks like the bell that is sported by cows. It does not have a ringer inside, but instead, you need a stick to hit it.

Primero Cowbell

In turn, this will produce a distinct sound. Cowbells are not used throughout a song, but it is often played at specific parts to make the tone stand out.

In having such an incredibly distinct sound, music producers will often ask for more cowbell. You can usually hear the cowbell in funky music songs during the end or at certain climactic parts.

Another underrated percussion instrument is the Xylophone. The Xylophone is often made of different wood bars, each corresponding to a specific pitch and tone when hit.

Wooden Xylophone

The key to playing this instrument is knowing how to use the mallet and hitting the correct bars. This instrument makes use of two mallets, but it is possible for advanced musicians to use more than two mallets in each hand.

It all comes down to their level of experience and how they can manage to hit the right bars even with multiple mallets on hand.

Meanwhile, the maracas are quite a popular percussion instrument. It is such a quirky and fun instrument to play with. Usually, you can hear the defined sounds of maracas in salsa music. This instrument is classified as a Latin instrument.

Maracas

It is often made in pairs where the inside has beans or beads. When shaken together, the beans or beads will hit the wall producing its distinct and quirky sound.

The above mentioned are just some examples of underdog percussion instruments. If you are wondering what are some percussion instruments that are on the popular side, then you are in luck.

We also rounded up some of the commonly seen and played percussion instruments today.

Drums

Let us start off with the drums. This favorite percussion instrument has evolved. Now, we even have electronic drums instead of the bulky and original ones we are used to.

A drum set is composed of various kinds of different kinds of percussion instruments such as the cymbals, snare, bass, hi-hat, and toms.

Pearl Roadshow Drum Set

Learning how to play the drums can be challenging but fulfilling. You need to allot ample time for practice and be able to carry a beat

Most of the time, people find having a drum set bulky because it can occupy a lot of space. If that is the case, then you can start by purchasing an electronic drum set.

The electronic counterpart can give you an idea how to play the conventional drum set. The differences are that the electronic one is portable and can be easily stored away.

Cajon

Another favorite percussion instrument is the Cajon, which originated in Peru. You can often see this in acoustic performances. It is shaped like a box and is played by hitting or tapping the sides with your hands or fingers.

Cajon Box Drum

Aside from acoustic music, the Cajon is also popular as a beatbox. It is also used in Latin America and Afro-Peruvian music. Sometimes, you can also find it used in flamenco and jazz music.

These are just some of the percussion instruments that you will encounter. Believe it or not, there are many more different examples of percussion instruments. There are also different classifications such as the idiophones and membranophones.

The percussion has a rich history and culture. It is a widely used type of musical instrument. There are records of it being present and played during the Middle Ages. Even today, the percussion is still very popular among the music enthusiasts.

In the end, playing a musical instrument is always fun and challenging. Aside from producing great sounds, there are also great tales behind every musical instrument that is waiting to be unraveled.

Percussion Has Been Around Forever, But Who Invented The Modern Drum Set As We Know It?

Percussion as a musical discipline has been around for quite a while – to say the least – being used in operas and orchestras for literally hundreds of years.

Modern drums as we know them were originally used by the military to keep the marching rhythm, giving soldiers a tune to sync with during training.

Whoever invented a drum set for the first time basically combined existing elements into an accessible and comfortable layout.

But that’s still very far ahead. Originally, snare drums and cymbals were used by individuals, who were all playing the same tune. This was practical, since playing one instrument allowed them to keep in line with the other soldiers or marching bands.

In time, though, the popularity of marching bands has really dropped. People probably got tired of trombone and trumpet music.

A European man of the 13th century is the first who invented a drum set element—the snare drum. While the name of the man is unknown, the precursor for the modern-day snare drum was a wooden-body drum, fitted with a wire on the membrane to create a rattling sound.

Still, percussion instruments usage wasn’t confined to marching bands and the military, since snare drums and cymbals are just the tips of the iceberg when it comes to the true percussion arsenal.

Timpani, for instance, is a big drum, made using copper cases and calfskin membranes and is used in orchestras.

This sound differs a lot from that of the snare drum, as it acts a lot more like a bass drum, whereas the snare is more of a mid-range instrument. Timpani has also tuned instruments, so they can be adjusted to play different notes.

Because of their dynamic range and a big presence, they’ve been largely used in orchestras. The instrument can be best heard and recognized in Carl Orff’s iconic first Act of Carmina Burana.

The 20th Century: A Big Leap towards Modern Day Music

As the music progressed, the industry has started focusing more on catchy, rather than impressive. Big orchestras were great for hymns and monumental masterpieces, but these are hardly useful in playing rudimentary songs, meant for casual listeners.

While there were a lot of different percussion elements and instruments, it was very impractical for one to fit big elements, especially bass drums, into a single kit.

That being said, a lot of people felt the need for a compact percussion kit to fit into modern day bands of the time. The 20th century has started treating already-existing musical instruments in an unconventional way.

One of the best examples of this is the bass viol, which is clearly meant to be played by using a fiddlestick.

But the continuous bass sound wasn’t in line with the current vision, and modern bass lines started developing into more of a rhythmic element, rather than a truly musical one.

To adjust to the industry, bands started to quickly gain popularity in the modern world, as opposed to orchestras. Jazz, for instance, is one of the first genres of music that recognized the importance of percussion instruments in bands.

Jazzmen have started to see that the bass viol bassline could be complemented by a percussion element.

1909: The Year of the Bass Drum

In the early 20th century, a man with a vision managed to solve the biggest problem that was stopping musicians from making a drum kit — an easy solution to integrate a bass drum into a somewhat compact drumming kit.

William Ludwig: The First Man Who Invented a Drum Set Solution

In 1909, William Ludwig invented the bass drum pedal. This is a chain-action accessory that allows the musician to hit the center of the membrane with a stick without being awkwardly positioned.

In the span of 50 years, the music industry evolved more than in the past hundreds of years, the drum pedal being a not too modest contributor to the change.

Percussion has since become one of the foundations of the modern day band. While jazz didn’t actually make much use of the bass drum, since it was too powerful for this mellow genre, it did bring the idea of a drumkit to the table.

Other musicians merely noticed that a bass drum would vastly improve the overall tone of their music style.

The 1960’s: A Big Contribution to Modern-day Music

A lot of events have taken place over the 50 years that separate the invention of the drum pedal and the cultural explosion that has taken over the 1960’s.

Elvis became a big cultural icon, bringing more fast-paced, blue-collar music to the mainstream. In doing so, he also popularised rock’n’roll, a cultural phenomenon which belonged to the African American community prior to the King.

In the 1960’s, England has also seen a musical revolution. Due to the rapid shift in musical trends, The Beatles have gained a notorious reputation as one of the best bands of the world, something which wouldn’t have been possible 15 years before their time.

Considered by some as being controversial, The Beatles have managed to improve the rock’n’roll genre even more, as well as the use of the bass drum.

How the Modern Band Started to Shape Out

Over the next 20 years, the fact that the electric guitar, bass, and drums were basically a staple of any successful band has contributed to different variants of this basic setup.

This resulted in a lot more genres, and a lot more variations creating great professional drum sets. Metal, in particular, has made arguably the most use out of the bass drum.

Because of the fast-tempo nature of metal songs, a lot of drummers have deemed one pedal as insufficient, adding another drum and pedal combo to the setup and playing blazing-fast rhythms which electrified crowds all over the world.

Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Metallica—all big names who further added start power to the drummer’s name.

Final Thoughts on Drums and Modern Music

Today, instruments are still used in producing music, but not at the same extent. Technology has made an instrument of itself, with synthesizers slowly gaining ground over traditional bass and drum sounds.

Today, rhythm is merely kept by lines of code highly-distorted sounds. Tech music is slowly gaining ground over the traditional band, which is the natural evolution of events in the music industry.

That being said, the modern drum kit is still getting plenty of work, live bands being hailed as the true form of music over the world. Hip-hop, all genres of metal and even pop music use the drum kit, launching hit after hit, year after year.

If you see a drum set today, you might think about music immediately. And that’s not surprising because our generation is aware how this musical instrument has become the epitome of rock and roll.

Apparently, drums have been around for a very long time, and most people are aware that this instrument has been used by numerous cultures for thousands of years.

Other than music, drum sets have been used for other purposes including religious and military. Read on and learn more about the interesting history of drum sets.

The History of Drum Sets

Prior to the development of drum sets, the individual pieces that comprise the modern kit were originally played separately by different percussionists.

Thus, in 1800s’ orchestra piece, if the score called for cymbals, triangle, and bass drum, three individuals would be hired to play these instruments. In the mid-1800s, the first drum pedal was invented enabling one drummer to play all the percussion pieces.

Not long after that, cymbals and other sound effect percussion pieces were added. Musicians started to combine multiple drums into a set and play the percussion pieces using hand-held drumsticks.

The invention of drum sets also led to the development of jazz music. From then on, drums have been an integral part of playing quality music in all parts of the world.

A basic modern drum set typically consists of four to six drums: snare drum, bass drum, and two to four tom-toms. The kit also includes a ride cymbal, a hi-hat cymbal pair, and a couple of crash cymbals. Each of these pieces also has a history of its own.

The History of Percussion Pieces

• Snare drum

Centuries ago, the snare drum was originally used in a war along with a wind instrument. The development of drums coincided with the development of snare drums and their use for military purposes.

In the late 1800s, the snare drum became more sophisticated, and the adjustable snare drum stand was also invented. Prior to that, the percussionists have to hang the snare drum over their shoulders.

• Bass drum

The bass drum was one of the most popular European musical instruments in the 1700s. It migrated to America and soon after, the foot pedals was invented to allow drummers to play various percussion pieces at the same time.

The early foot pedals, however, require the drummer to reset them after each strike.

Finally, in 1909, a drummer from Chicago named William Ludwig designed the first spring driven foot pedal, which revolutionized the drum set leading to the development of the modern drum kit.

• Tom Toms

Although tom-toms were known as instruments of Native Americans, the similar instruments were first constructed by the Chinese people. The name “tom tom” came from Great Britain where it was used to describe a kid’s toy drum.

These small drums were later developed to become a part of the modern drum kit.

• Hi-hat

The hi-hat traces back to the “clanger,” a cymbal which was struck by a metal arm connected to the foot pedal. It later became a “snowshoe” which consisted of two foot-shaped boards with cymbals facing each other.

Not long after that, the “low hat” was developed to make it more comfortable for the drummer to create desired without using too much force on their foot. Over time, the “low hat” became “hi-hat,” and the cymbals became bigger.

• Cymbals

Cymbals were originally used for religious and military purposes but eventually turned into musical instruments when people noticed that the metal made a pleasing sound when struck.

From there, the Turks started to made cymbals and incorporated them into their music. In the 19th century, the Zildjian began manufacturing cymbals in the US and became the highly regarded brand in the music world today.

The Common Types of Drum Sets

Regardless of whether you’re a newbie or an experienced musician, you’ll identify with either of the two common types of drum kits nowadays. The acoustic, and electronic drum sets which are individually popular for their own unique features.

Acoustic Drum Kit

The acoustic drum set allows the drummer to play each percussion set with great feel and touch. It also helps the musician to learn and perform drum rolls and other drumming techniques to a better and more realistic level.

No need to use an electronic amplifier for small gigs and band rehearsals because this kind of drum set already produces a loud sound.

Acoustic drums are typically big and heavy. Each percussion piece needs to be connected to the stand properly to make sure no screw or bolt will lose while playing.

From the bass drum to cymbals, the set typically comes in appropriate sizes, that is why it is a perfect option for musicians who want to have a real drumming experience.

Electronic Drum Kit

This is perhaps one of the most advanced innovations in the music industry. The electronic drum set allows the drummer to practice with earphones.

Therefor there’s no need to worry about grumpy neighbors complaining about the noise when playing music.

Most brands also come with built-in tracks allowing beginners to learn how to play along and an audio recording feature for pros who are looking to make their own music.

The electronic drum sets have the ability to work with apps and interactive software to provide musicians with everything they need, from tutorials to sound recording properties.

This drum kit also comes with easy-to-use mode control to allow drummers to adjust the volume and tone according to their preferences.

Conclusion

Throughout the history of drum sets, acoustic and electronic drum sets are just two of the most common types of drum sets nowadays. There are a lot more, but if you’re going to check each type, you’ll notice things have not changed dramatically despite innovations.

Drum kits still bear the same setup that the developers made when these musical instruments were first introduced to the market.

With the continuous improvement of modern percussion kits, it is worth to look back and learn about the history of drum sets to keep us reminded that each item has great stories of origin before they become part of this amazing musical instrument.