The drum is not a musical instrument. Classification of musical instruments

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State autonomous professional educational institution Moscow cities

"College of Entrepreneurship No. 11"

COURSE WORK

On the topic of: Percussion instruments

Specialty: "Musical literature"

Performed:

Student Safronova Kristina Kirillovna

Supervisor:

Department teacher

Audiovisual technologies

Bocharova Tatyana Alexandrovna

Moscow 2015

1. PERCUSSION INSTRUMENTS

Percussive musical instruments are a group of musical instruments, the sound of which is extracted by striking or shaking (swinging) [hammers, beaters, sticks, etc.] on a sounding body (membrane, metal, wood, etc.). The largest family of all musical instruments.

Percussion musical instruments appeared before all other musical instruments. In ancient times, peoples used percussion instruments African continent and the Middle East to accompany religious and warlike dances and dances.

Nowadays, percussion instruments are very common, since not a single ensemble can do without them.

Percussion instruments include instruments in which sound is produced by striking. According to musical qualities, i.e. the ability to produce sounds of a certain pitch, all percussion instruments are divided into two types: with a certain pitch (timpani, xylophone) and with an indefinite pitch (drums, cymbals, etc.).

Depending on the type of sounding body (vibrator), percussion instruments are divided into webbed (timpani, drums, tambourine, etc.), plate (xylophones, vibraphones, bells, etc.), self-sounding (cymbals, triangles, castanets, etc.).

The volume of the sound of a percussion instrument is determined by the size of the sounding body and the amplitude of its vibrations, i.e., the force of the blow. In some instruments, sound enhancement is achieved by adding resonators. Sound timbre percussion instruments depends on many factors, the main ones being the shape of the sounding body, the material from which the instrument is made, and the method of impact.

1.1 Webbed percussion instruments

In webbed percussion instruments, the sounding body is a stretched membrane or membrane. These include timpani, drums, tambourine, etc. percussion bell sound drum

Timpani are an instrument with a certain pitch, having a metal body in the form of a cauldron, in the upper part of which a membrane made of well-dressed leather is stretched. Currently, a special membrane made of polymer materials increased strength.

The membrane is attached to the body using a hoop and tension screws. These screws, located around the circumference, tighten or release the membrane. This is how the timpani is tuned: if the membrane is pulled, the tuning will be higher, and, conversely, if the membrane is released, the tuning will be lower. In order not to interfere with the free vibration of the membrane in the center of the boiler, there is a hole at the bottom for air movement.

The body of the timpani is made of copper, brass or aluminum, and they are mounted on a stand - a tripod.

In an orchestra, timpani are used in a set of two, three, four or more cauldrons of various sizes. The diameter of modern timpani is from 550 to 700 mm.

There are screw, mechanical and pedal timpani. The most common are pedal ones, since with one press of the pedal you can, without interrupting the game, tune the instrument to the desired key.

The sound volume of a timpani is approximately a fifth. The large timpani is tuned lower than all the others. The sound range of the instrument is from F of the large octave to F of the small octave. The middle timpani has a sound range from B large octave to F small octave. Small timpani - from D small octave to A small octave.

Drums are instruments with an indefinite pitch. There are small and large orchestral drums, small and large pop drums, tom tenor, tom bass, and bongos.

The large orchestral drum is a cylindrical body, covered on both sides with leather or plastic. The bass drum has a powerful, low and dull sound, which is produced with a wooden mallet with a ball-shaped tip made of felt or felt. Currently, instead of expensive parchment skin, polymer film has been used for drum membranes, which has higher strength indicators and better musical and acoustic properties.

The membranes of the drums are secured with two rims and tension screws located around the circumference of the instrument body. The drum body is made of sheet steel or plywood, lined with artistic celluloid. Dimensions 680x365 mm.

The large stage drum has a shape and design similar to the orchestra drum. Its dimensions are 580x350 mm.

The small orchestral drum has the appearance of a low cylinder, covered on both sides with leather or plastic. The membranes (membranes) are attached to the body using two rims and tightening screws.

To give the drum a specific sound, special strings or spirals (a snare) are stretched over the lower membrane, which are activated using a reset mechanism.

The use of synthetic membranes in drums has significantly improved their musical and acoustic capabilities, operational reliability, service life and presentation. The dimensions of the small orchestra drum are 340x170 mm.

Small orchestral drums are included in military brass bands and are also used in symphony orchestras.

The small pop drum has the same structure as the orchestra drum. Its dimensions are 356x118 mm.

The tom-tom-tenor drum and the tom-tom-bass drum do not differ in design and are used in pop drum sets. The tom-tenor drum is attached with a bracket to the bass drum, the tom-tom-bass drum is installed on the floor on special stand.

Bongs are small drums with leather or plastic stretched on one side. They are part of the variety drum kit. The bongs are connected to each other by adapters.

A tambourine is a hoop (side) with leather or plastic stretched on one side. Special slots are made in the body of the hoop, in which brass plates are fixed, looking like small orchestral plates. Sometimes, inside the hoop, small bells and rings are strung on stretched strings or spirals. All this tinkles at the slightest touch of the instrument, creating a unique sound. The membrane is struck with the ends of the fingers or the base of the palm of the right hand.

Tambourines are used for rhythmic accompaniment dances, songs. In the East, where the art of playing the tambourine has reached virtuoso mastery, solo playing on this instrument is common. The Azerbaijani tambourine is called def, dyaf or gaval, the Armenian - daf or haval, the Georgian - dayra, the Uzbek and Tajik - doira.

1.2 Plate percussion instruments

Plate percussion instruments with a certain pitch include the xylophone, metallophone, marim-baphone (marimba), vibraphone, bells, and bells.

Xylophone -- is a set of wooden blocks different sizes, corresponding to sounds of different pitches. The blocks are made from rosewood, maple, walnut, and spruce. They are arranged parallel in four rows in order chromatic scale. The blocks are attached to strong laces and separated by springs. The cord passes through the holes in the blocks. To play, the xylophone is laid out on a small table on rubber pads located along the cords of the instrument.

The xylophone is played with two wooden sticks with a thick end. The xylophone is used both for solo playing and in orchestra.

The range of the xylophone is from the small octave to the fourth octave.

Metallophones are similar to xylophones, only the sound plates are made of metal (brass or bronze).

Marimbaphones (marimba) are a percussion musical instrument, the sounding elements of which are wooden plates, and tubular metal resonators are installed on it to enhance the sound.

Marimba has a soft, rich timbre, has a sound range of four octaves: from a note to a small octave to a note to a fourth octave.

The playing plates are made of rosewood wood, which ensures high musical and acoustic properties of the instrument. The plates are located on the frame in two rows. The first row contains plates of basic tones, the second row contains plates of halftones. Resonators (metal tubes with plugs) installed on the frame in two rows are tuned to the sound frequency of the corresponding plates.

The main components of the marimba are mounted on a support trolley with wheels, the frame of which is made of aluminum, which ensures minimal weight and sufficient strength.

Marimba can be used by both professional musicians and for educational purposes.

The vibraphone is a set of chromatically tuned aluminum plates arranged in two rows, similar to a piano keyboard. The plates are installed on a high frame (table) and fastened with laces. Under each plate in the center there are cylindrical resonators of the appropriate size. Through all the resonators in the upper part there are axes on which the fan impellers - fans - are mounted.

A portable silent electric motor is mounted on the side of the frame, which evenly rotates the impellers throughout the entire playing of the instrument. In this way vibration is achieved. The instrument has a damping device connected to a pedal under the stand to dampen the sound with your foot. The vibraphone is played with two, three, sometimes four or even longer sticks with rubber balls at the ends.

The range of the vibraphone is from F of the small octave to F of the third octave or from C to the first octave to A of the third octave.

Vibraphone is used in symphony orchestra, but more often in a pop orchestra or as a solo instrument.

Bells are a set of percussion instruments that are used in opera and symphony orchestras to imitate the ringing of bells. The bell consists of a set of 12 to 18 cylindrical pipes, tuned chromatically.

Pipes are usually nickel-plated brass or chrome-plated steel with a diameter of 25-38 mm. They are suspended in a frame-rack about 2 m high. The sound is produced by hitting the pipes with a wooden hammer. The bells are equipped with a pedal-damper device to dampen the sound. The range of bells is 1-11/2 octaves, usually from F to the major octave.

Bells are a percussion musical instrument that consists of 23-25 chromatically tuned metal plates placed in a flat box in two rows in steps. Top row corresponds to black, and the bottom row corresponds to white piano keys.

The sound range of the bells is equal to two octaves: from the note up to the first octave to the note up to the third octave and depends on the number of records.

1.3 Self-sounding percussion instruments

Self-sounding percussion instruments include: cymbals, triangles, tom-toms, castanets, maracas, rattles, etc.

Plates are metal discs made of brass or nickel silver. The disks of the cymbals are given a somewhat spherical shape, and leather straps are attached to the center.

When the cymbals hit each other, a long ringing sound is produced. Sometimes one cymbal is used and the sound is produced by striking a stick or metal brush. They produce orchestral cymbals, Charleston cymbals, and gong cymbals. The cymbals sound sharply and ringingly.

An orchestra triangle is a steel rod, which is given an open triangular shape. When playing, the triangle is hung freely and struck with a metal stick, performing various rhythmic patterns.

The sound of the triangle is bright and ringing. The triangle is used in various orchestras and ensembles. Orchestral triangles with two steel sticks are produced.

A tam-tam or gong is a bronze disk with curved edges, the center of which is struck with a felt-tipped mallet, the sound of the gong is deep, thick and dark, reaching full strength not immediately after the impact, but gradually.

Castanets - in Spain are folk instrument. Castanets have the shape of shells, facing each other with a concave (spherical) side and connected with a cord. They are made from hardwood and plastic. Double and single castanets are produced.

Maracas are balls made of wood or plastic filled with a small number of small pieces of metal (shot), the outside of the maracas is colorfully decorated. For ease of holding while playing, they are equipped with a handle.

Shaking the maracas produces various rhythmic patterns.

Maracas are used in orchestras, but more often in pop ensembles.

Rattles are sets of small plates mounted on a wooden plate.

1.4 Variety ensemble drum kit

To fully study a group of percussion musical instruments, a specialist involved in their implementation needs to know the composition of drum sets (sets). The most common composition of drum sets is as follows: bass drum, snare drum, double Charleston cymbal (hey-hat), single large cymbal, single small cymbal, bongos, tom-tom bass, tom-tom tenor, tom-tom alto.

A large drum is placed on the floor directly in front of the performer; it has support legs for stability. Tom-tom tenor and tom-tom alto drums can be mounted on top of the drum using brackets; in addition, a stand for an orchestral cymbal is provided on the bass drum. The brackets that secure the tom-tom tenor and tom-tom alto on the bass drum regulate their height.

An integral part of the bass drum is a mechanical pedal, with the help of which the performer extracts sound from the drum.

The drum set must include a small pop drum, which is mounted on a special stand with three clamps: two folding and one retractable. The stand is installed on the floor; it is a stand equipped with a locking device for fixing in a given position and adjusting the tilt of the snare drum.

The snare drum has a release device as well as a muffler, which are used to adjust the timbre of the sound.

A drum set can simultaneously include several different sized tom-tom drums, tom-tom altos and tom-tom tenors. Tom-tom bass is installed with right side from the performer and has legs with which you can adjust the height of the instrument.

The bong drums included in the drum kit are placed on a separate stand.

The drum set also includes orchestral cymbals with a stand, a mechanical Charleston cymbal stand, and a chair.

Accompanying instruments of the drum set are maracas, castanets, triangles, as well as other noise instruments.

Spare parts and accessories for percussion instruments

Percussion instrument parts and accessories include: snare drum stands, drum stands orchestra cymbals, mechanical pedal stand for orchestral Charleston cymbals, mechanical beater for bass drum, timpani sticks, sticks for snare drum, pop drum sticks, orchestra brushes, beaters for bass drum, leather for bass drum, belts, cases.

In percussion musical instruments, sound is produced by striking a device or individual parts of the instrument against each other.

Percussion instruments are divided into membrane, plate, and self-sounding.

Membranous instruments include instruments in which the source of sound is a stretched membrane (timpani, drums), the sound is produced by striking the membrane with some device (for example, a mallet). In plate instruments (xylophones, etc.), wooden or metal plates or bars are used as the sounding body.

In self-sounding instruments (cymbals, castanets, etc.), the source of sound is the instrument itself or its body.

Percussion musical instruments are instruments whose sounding bodies are excited by striking or shaking.

According to the source of sound, percussion instruments are divided into:

* plate - in them the source of sound is wooden and metal plates, bars or tubes, which the musician strikes with sticks (xylophone, metallophone, bells);

* membranous - a stretched membrane sounds in them - a membrane (timpani, drum, tambourine, etc.). Timpani are a set of several metal cauldrons of different sizes, covered with a leather membrane on top. The tension of the membrane can be changed with a special device, and the pitch of the sounds produced by the mallet changes;

* self-sounding - in these instruments the source of sound is the body itself (cymbals, triangles, castanets, maracas)

2. THE ROLE OF PERCUSSION INSTRUMENTS IN A MODERN ORCHESTRA

The fourth unit of the modern symphony orchestra is percussion instruments. They bear no resemblance to human voice and they don’t say anything to his inner feeling in a language he understands. Their measured and more or less definite sounds, their tinkling and crackling, have rather a “rhythmic” meaning.

Their melodic duties are extremely limited, and their entire being is deeply rooted in the nature of dance in the broadest meaning of this concept. It is as such that some of the percussion instruments were used in ancient times and were widely used not only by the peoples of the Mediterranean and Asian East, but also operated, apparently, among all the so-called “primitive peoples” in general.

Some tinkling and ringing percussion instruments were used in Ancient Greece And Ancient Rome as instruments accompanying dances and dances, but not a single percussion instrument from the family of drums was allowed by them into the field of military music. These instruments had a particularly wide application in the life of ancient Jews and Arabs, where they performed not only civil duties, but also military ones.

On the contrary, among peoples modern Europe V military music percussion instruments accepted various types where they are very important. However, the melodic poverty of percussion instruments did not prevent them from penetrating the opera, ballet and symphony orchestras, where they no longer occupy the last place.

However, in art music European peoples there was a time when access to these instruments was almost closed to the orchestra and, with the exception of timpani, they made their way into symphonic music through the opera and ballet orchestra, or, as they would say now, through the “dramatic music” orchestra.

In history " cultural life» of humanity, percussion instruments arose earlier than all other musical instruments in general. However, this did not prevent percussion instruments from being relegated to the background of the orchestra at the time of its emergence and the first steps of its development. And this is all the more surprising since it is still impossible to deny the enormous “aesthetic” significance of percussion instruments in art music.

The history of percussion instruments is not very exciting. All those “instruments for producing measured noise” that all primitive peoples used to accompany their warlike and religious dances, in the beginning did not go further than simple tablets and wretched drums. And only much later among many tribes of Central Africa and among some peoples Far East instruments appeared that served as worthy examples for the creation of more modern European percussion instruments, which were already accepted everywhere.

With regard to musical qualities, all percussion instruments are very simply and naturally divided into two types or genera. Some produce a sound of a certain pitch and therefore quite naturally enter into the harmonic and melodic basis of the work, while others, capable of producing a more or less pleasant or characteristic noise, perform duties that are purely rhythmic and decorative in the broadest sense of the word. In addition, it takes part in the construction of percussion instruments. various material and, in accordance with this feature, they can be divided into instruments “with skin” or “webbed”, and “self-sounding”, in the construction of which various types and varieties of metal, wood and Lately- glass. Kurt Sachs, assigning them a not very successful and extremely ugly to the ear definition - idiophones, obviously loses sight of what they are. concept in the meaning of “peculiar-sounding” can, in essence, be applied on equal grounds: applied to any musical instrument or their family.

In an orchestral score, the community of percussion instruments is usually placed in the very middle, between the brass and bowed instruments. With the participation of harp, piano, celesta and all other plucked strings or keyboard instruments, the drums always retain their place and are then located immediately after the brass, giving way after themselves to all the “decorating” or “random” voices of the orchestra.

The absurd way of writing percussion instruments below the bowed quintet must be resolutely condemned as very inconvenient, in no way justifiable and extremely ugly. It initially appeared in ancient scores, then acquired a more isolated position in the depths of brass band and, having an insignificant justification, now, however, violated and completely overcome, it was accepted by some composers who wanted to attract attention to themselves with at least something and at any cost.

But the worst thing is that this strange innovation turned out to be all the stronger and more dangerous because some publishing houses accommodated such composers and published their scores according to the “new model.” Fortunately, there were not so many such “publishing gems” and they, being primarily weak in their artistic merits, were drowned in the abundance of truly excellent examples of diverse creative heritage of all peoples.

The only place where the indicated method of presentation now reigns percussion instruments at the very bottom of the score - there is variety ensemble. But there it is generally customary to arrange all the instruments differently, guided only by the altitude of the instruments involved. In those distant times, when there were only timpani in the orchestra, it was customary to place them above all other instruments, obviously believing that such a presentation was more convenient. But in those years the score was composed in general in a somewhat unusual way, which now there is no need to remember. We must agree that modern way The presentation-score is quite simple and convenient, and therefore there is no point in engaging in all sorts of fabrications, which have just been discussed in detail.

As already mentioned, all percussion instruments are divided into instruments with a certain pitch and instruments without a certain pitch. Currently, this distinction is sometimes disputed, although all the proposals made in in this direction, come down rather to confusion and deliberately emphasizing the essence of this extremely clear and simple position, in which there is not even a direct need to remember every time the self-evident concept of pitch.

In an orchestra, instruments “with a certain sound” mean, first of all, a five-line stave or staff, and instruments “with an indefinite sound” - a conventional method of musical notation - a “hook” or “thread”, that is, one single ruler on which only the required rhythmic pattern is depicted with note heads. This transformation, made very opportunely, was intended to gain space and, with a significant number of percussion instruments, to simplify their presentation.

However, not so long ago, for all percussion instruments “without a specific sound”, ordinary staves with the keys Sol and Fa were adopted, and with the conditional placement of note heads between the emphases. The inconvenience of such a recording was immediately felt as soon as the number of percussion-noise instruments increased to “astronomical limits”, and the composers themselves who used this method of presentation got lost in the insufficiently developed order of their outline.

But what brought about the combination of keys and threads is very difficult to say. Most likely, the matter began with a typo, which then attracted the attention of some composers who began to exhibit treble clef on a string Designed for relatively high percussion instruments, and the Fa key for relatively low ones.

Is it necessary to talk here about the nonsense and complete inconsistency of such a presentation? As far as is known, keys on a string were first encountered in the scores of Anton Rubinstein, published in Germany, which were undoubted typos, and much later were revived in the scores of the Flemish composer Arthur Meulemans (1884-?), who adopted the rule of supplying the middle thread with the key Sol, and the very low - key Fa. This presentation looks especially wild in those cases when, between two threads not marked with keys, one appears with the key Fa. In this sense, the Belgian composer Francis de Bourguignon (1890-?) turned out to be more consistent, providing a key for each thread participating in the score.

French publishing houses adopted a special “key” for percussion instruments in the form of two vertical thick bars resembling Latin letter“H” and crossing out the thread at the accolade itself. There is nothing to object to such an event, as long as it ultimately leads to “some external completeness of the orchestral score in general.

However, it would be quite fair to recognize all these eccentricities as equal to zero in the face of the “disorder” that still exists to this day in the presentation of percussion instruments. Rimsky-Korsakov also expressed the idea that all self-sounding instruments or, as he calls them, “percussion and ringing without a specific sound,” can be considered as high - triangle, castanets, bells, medium - tambourine, rods, snare drum, cymbals, and like low-bass drum and tam-tam, “meaning by this their ability to combine with the corresponding areas of the orchestral scale in instruments with sounds of a certain pitch.” Leaving aside some details, due to which “rods” should be excluded from the composition of percussion instruments, as “an accessory of percussion instruments”, but not a percussion instrument in own meaning, Rimsky-Korsakov's observation remains in full force to this day.

Starting from this assumption and supplementing it with all the latest percussion instruments, it would be considered most reasonable to arrange all percussion instruments in order of their pitch and write “high” above “medium”, and “medium” above “low”. However, there is no unanimity among composers and the presentation of percussion instruments is more than arbitrary.

This situation can be explained to a lesser extent only by the accidental participation of percussion instruments, and to a greater extent by the complete disregard of the composers themselves and the bad habits they have acquired or erroneous premises. The only justification for such an “instrumental hodgepodge” can be the desire to present the entire available composition of those operating in in this case percussion instruments, in order of parts, when each performer is strictly assigned certain tools. Finding fault with the words, such a presentation has more meaning in the parts of the drummers themselves, and in the score it is useful only when it is maintained with “pedantic precision.”

Returning to the issue of presentation of percussion instruments, the desire of many composers, including quite prominent ones, to place the cymbals and bass drum immediately after the timpani, and the triangle, bells and xylophone - below the latter, must be considered unsuccessful. There are, of course, no sufficient grounds for such a solution to the problem, and all this can be attributed to an unjustified desire to be “original.” The simplest and most natural, and in light of the exorbitant number of percussion instruments operating in a modern orchestra, the most reasonable can be considered the placement of all percussion instruments using a staff above those using a string.

In each individual association it would, of course, be desirable to adhere to the views of Rimsky-Korsakov and place the votes in accordance with their relative heights. For these reasons, after the timpani, which hold their primacy according to the “original tradition,” it would be possible to place bells, vibraphone and tubaphone above the xylophone and marimba. In instruments without a specific sound, this distribution will be somewhat more complicated due to large quantity participants, but in this case, nothing will prevent the composer from adhering to the well-known rules, about which much has already been said above.

One must think that determining the relative pitch of a self-sounding instrument, in general, does not cause misunderstandings, and since this is so, it does not cause any; difficulties for its implementation. Only bells are usually placed below all percussion instruments, since their part is most often content with the conventional outline of notes and their rhythmic duration, and not with a full “ringing”, as is usually done in the corresponding recordings. A set of "Italian" or "Japanese" bells, which have the appearance of long metal pipes, requires an ordinary five-line staff, placed below all other instruments of "a certain sound." Consequently, the bells here also serve as a frame for the staves, united by one common feature“certainty” and “uncertainty” sound. Otherwise, there are no peculiarities in the recording of percussion instruments, and if for some reason they appear, they will be mentioned in the appropriate place.

In a modern symphony orchestra, percussion instruments serve only two purposes - rhythmic to maintain clarity and sharpness of movement, and decorative in itself. in a broad sense, when the author, using percussion instruments, contributes to the creation of enchanting sound pictures or “mood”, full of excitement, fervor or impetuosity.

From what has been said, of course, it is clear that percussion instruments must be used with great care, taste and moderation. The varied sonority of percussion instruments can quickly tire the attention of listeners, and therefore the author must always remember what his percussion instruments are doing. Only timpani alone enjoy certain advantages, but even these can be negated by excessive excesses.

The classics paid a lot of attention to percussion instruments, but never elevated them to the level of the only figures in the orchestra. If something similar happened, the performance of the drums was most often limited to only a few beats of a bar or was content with an extremely insignificant duration of the entire formation.

From Russian musicians with drums alone, as an introduction to a very rich and expressive music, used in the Spanish Capriccio by Rimsky-Korsakov, but most often solo percussion instruments are found in “dramatic music” or in ballet, when the author wants to create a particularly sharp, unusual or “unprecedented sensation.”

This is exactly what Sergei Prokofiev did in musical performance Egyptian nights. Here, the sonority of percussion instruments accompanies the scene of commotion in the house of Cleopatra’s father, to which the author prefaces the title “Anxiety.” Victor Oransky (1899-1953) also did not refuse the services of percussion instruments. He had the opportunity to use this amazing sonority in the ballet Three Fat Men, where he entrusted the accompaniment of the sharp rhythmic outline of the “eccentric dance” to the percussion alone.

Finally, quite recently, the services of some percussion instruments, used in an intricate sequence of “dynamic<оттенков», воспользовался также и Глиер в одном небольшом отрывке новой постановки балета Красный мак. Но как уже ясно из всего сказанного такое толкование ударных явилось уже в полном смысле слова достоянием современности, когда композиторы, руководимые какими-нибудь «особыми» соображениями, заставляли оркестр умолкнуть, чтобы дать полный простор «ударному царству».

The French, laughing at such an “artistic revelation”, rather venomously ask whether this is where the new French word bruisme arose, as a derivative of brui - “noise”. There is no equivalent concept in the Russian language, but the Orchestras themselves have already taken care of a new name for such music, which they rather angrily dubbed the definition of “percussion thresher”. In one of his early symphonic works, Alexander Cherepnin dedicated an entire part to such an “ensemble.” There was already an opportunity to talk a little about this work about the connection with the use of a bowed quintet as percussion instruments, and therefore there is no urgent need to return to it again. Shostakovich also paid tribute to the unfortunate “shock” delusion in those days when his creative worldview was not yet sufficiently stable and mature.

The “onomatopoeic” side of the matter stands completely aside, when the author, with the smallest number of actual percussion instruments actually employed, has a desire, or more precisely, an artistic need to create only a “feeling of percussion” in all music, intended mainly for strings and woodwind instruments.

One such example, extremely witty, funny and sounds excellent “in an orchestra”, if the composition of the instruments participating in it can generally be defined by this very concept, is found in Oransky’s ballet Three Fat Men and is called “Patrol”.

But the most outrageous example of musical formalism remains the work written by Edgard Varèse (1885-?). It is designed for thirteen performers, intended for two combinations of percussion instruments and called by the author lonisation, which means “Saturation”. This “work” involves only sharp-sounding percussion instruments and piano.

However, this latter is also used as a “percussion instrument” and the performer acts on it according to the newest “American method” of Henry Kawel (1897-?), who, as is known, proposed to play only with his elbows, spread across the entire width of the keyboard.

According to the press of that time - and this happened in the thirties of the current century - Parisian listeners, brought to a state of wild frenzy by this work, urgently demanded its repetition, which was immediately carried out. Without saying a bad word, the history of the modern orchestra has not yet seen a second such out-of-the-ordinary “case.”

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ETHNIC DRUMS OF THE WORLD

To hear the sound of drums, turn on Flash Player!

By region of origin	Cup-shaped and hourglass-shaped drums	Cylindrical and conical drums

	Barrel Drums	Idiophones (percussion without membrane)

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Ethnic drums are a real find for those who want to feel the freedom of self-expression and feel a surge of strength and energy. In addition, the unusualness of ethnic instruments lies in their original, memorable sound, and they will also add an ethnic flavor to any interior and you will definitely not be left without attention. Most of these drums need to be played with your hands, so hand drums are also called percussion from the Latin word perka - hand.

Ethnic drums are specifically for those who are looking for new sensations and states. And most importantly, you don’t have to be a professional musician, because drums are easy to learn and do not require special musical talent. Apart from dexterity and boundless desire, nothing else is required from you!

Drums appeared at the dawn of human history. During excavations in Mesopotamia, some of the oldest percussion instruments were found - made in the form of small cylinders, the origin of which dates back to the sixth millennium BC. The age of the drum found in Moravia dates back to the fifth millennium BC. e. In Ancient Egypt, drums appeared four thousand years BC. e. It is known about the existence of drums in ancient Sumer (about three thousand years BC). Since ancient times, the drum has been used as a signaling instrument, as well as to accompany ritual dances, military processions, and religious ceremonies.

The symbolic meaning of the drum is close to the semantics of the heart. Like most musical instruments, it is endowed with the function of mediation between earth and sky. The drum is closely related to the tambourine, which can be either primary in relation to the drum or derived from it. In the mythology of the Mongolian peoples, the tambourine appeared as a result of the division of the drum by Dann Derhe, a shamanic deity, into two halves. But more often the drum is seen as a fusion of opposite principles: feminine and masculine, lunar and solar, earthly and heavenly, personified by two tambourines. In many cultures, the drum is functionally likened to a sacrificial altar and is associated with the world tree (drums were made from the wood of sacred tree species). Additional meaning within the framework of general symbolism is due to the shape of the drum. In Shaivism, a double drum is used, which is considered a means of communication with the deity Shiva, as well as an attribute of the latter. This drum, shaped like an hourglass and called damara, symbolizes the opposition and interconnectedness of the heavenly and earthly worlds. Two balls hanging on cords hit its surface as the drum rotates.

In shamanistic cults, the drum is used as a way to achieve an ecstatic state. In Tibetan Buddhism, one of the rites of passage involves dancing to the accompaniment of a drum made of skulls. The drum of Sami shamans - kobdas, on which various images of a sacred nature are drawn, is used for fortune telling (under the blows of a hammer, a special triangle placed on the drum moves from one image to another, and its movements are interpreted by the shaman as answers to questions.

Among the ancient Greeks and Romans, the tympanum drum, the predecessor of modern kettledrums, was used in the cults of Cybele and Bacchus. In Africa, among many peoples, the drum also acquired the status of a symbol of royal power.

Today, drums are extremely popular throughout the world and are made in a variety of forms. Some traditional drums have long been used in variety practice. These are, first of all, all kinds of Latin American instruments: bongos, congas, etc. Relatively recently, the most important oriental drums and African drums appeared in the instruments of pop, ethnic and medieval musical groups - respectively, the darbuka (or its bass variety, dumbek) and djembe. The peculiarity of these instruments is that they can produce sounds of a wide variety of timbre colors. This is especially true for darbuka. Masters of the game are able to extract many different sounds from the eastern drum - darbuka and, thus, compete with an entire drum set. Typically, the technique of these instruments is taught by the bearers of the tradition, and the mastery of the material occurs solely by ear: the student repeats after the teacher all kinds of rhythmic patterns.

Main functions of ethnic drums:

Ritual. Since ancient times, drums have been used in various mysteries, since a long monotonous rhythm can induce a trance state (see article Mysticism of sound.). In some traditions, the drum was used as a palace instrument for special ceremonial occasions.
Military. Drumming can raise morale and intimidate the enemy. The military use of drums is recorded in ancient Egyptian chronicles in the 16th century BC. In Switzerland, and subsequently throughout Europe, military drums were also used to form troops and parades.
Medical. For medicinal purposes, drums were used to drive away evil spirits. There are a number of traditions in Africa, the Middle East and Europe. The patient had to perform a special dance to the beat of a fast drum, resulting in a cure. According to modern research, drumming helps relieve stress and produce the hormone of joy (see article Healing rhythms).
Communication. Talking drums, as well as a number of other drums in Africa, were used to transmit messages over long distances.
Organizational. In Japan, the taiko drum determined the size of the territories belonging to a given village. It is known that among the Tuaregs and some other peoples of Africa, the drum was the personification of the power of the leader.
Dance. The drum rhythm is traditionally the main one for performing many dances around the world. This function is closely related and stems from ritual as well as medical use. Many dances were originally part of the temple mysteries.
Musical. In the modern world, drumming techniques have reached a high level, and music has ceased to be used exclusively for ritual purposes. Ancient drums have firmly entered the arsenal of modern music.

You can read more about various drum traditions in the article Drums of the World .

Middle Eastern, North African and Turkish drums

Listen to Rick's solo

Bendir (Bendir)

Bendir- a drum from northern Africa (Maghreb), especially the Eastern Berber region. It is a frame drum made of wood and covered on one side with animal skin. Strings are usually attached to the inner surface of the bendir membrane, which create additional sound vibration when struck. The best sound is obtained on a bendir with a very thin membrane and fairly strong strings. Algerian and Moroccan orchestras performing both modern and traditional musical forms. Unlike daf, bendir does not have rings on the reverse side of the membrane.

When talking about the rhythms and instruments of North Africa, one cannot fail to mention another interesting tradition, namely group clapping. For tourists, this tradition seems, to put it mildly, unusual, but for the residents of the Maghreb themselves, there is nothing more familiar than getting everyone together and starting to clap their hands, creating a certain rhythm. The secret to making the right sound when clapping lies in the position of your palms. It’s quite difficult to describe, but the locals themselves say that when you hit, you need to feel like you’re squeezing the air with both hands. The movement of the hands itself is also important - absolutely free and relaxed. Similar traditions can also be found in Spain, India and Cuba.

Listen to a Moroccan bendir solo

Tarija ( Tarija).

A small ceramic goblet-shaped drum with snake skin and string inside. Known since at least the 19th century, used in Morocco in ensembles Malhoun to accompany the vocal part. The singer taps the main rhythm with his palm to control the rhythm and tempo of the orchestra. At the end of a song it can be used to enhance the energy and rhythmic ending.

Listen to the Moroccan ensemble Malhoun with Tarija

T oubelek, toymbeleki ).

A Greek type of darbuka with an amphora-shaped body. Used to perform Greek melodies in Thrace, Greek Macedonia and the Aegean islands. The body is made of clay or metal. You can also buy this type of drum at Savvas Percusion or from Evgeniy Strelnikov. The toubeleki bass differs from the darbuki bass by a greater boominess and softness of sound.

Listen to the sound of toubeleki (Savvas)

Tavlak ( Tavlak).

Tavlak (tavlyak) is a Tajik ceramic goblet-shaped drum of small sizes (20-400 mm). Tavlak is primarily an ensemble instrument, used in conjunction with doira or daf. The sound of tavlak, unlike darbuka, is more drawn out, with a wow effect, more characteristic of doira or Indian percussion. The tavlyak is especially popular in the Khatol region of Tajikistan, bordering Afghanistan and Uzbekistan, where it can be used as a solo instrument.

Listen to the rhythms of Tajik tavlyak

Zerbakhali ( Zer-baghali, Zerbaghali, Zir-baghali, Zirbaghali, Zerbalim ).

Zerbakhali is a goblet-shaped Afghan drum. The body was made either of wood, like the Iranian tonbak, or of clay. The membrane in early examples contained an additional pad, like Indian tablas, which gave the sound vibrato. The technique of playing which is somewhat close, on the one hand, to the technique of playing Persian tonbak(toneback), and on the other hand, the technique of playing Indian table (tabla). From time to time, various techniques borrowed from darbuki. The Indian tabla particularly influenced the artists from Kabul. It can be considered that the zerbakhali is an Indo-Persian musical instrument of Persian origin. Zerbakhali's rhythms and technique were influenced by Persia and India, and before the war it used sophisticated finger techniques and super-filled rhythms, which later became the main feature of Turkish percussion. At the beginning of the 20th century, the instrument was used in Herat, later in the 50s it became widely used in Afghan music together with the dutar and the Indian rubab. In the 70s, female performers appeared on this drum; before that they played only frame drums.

Listen to Zerbakhali performances from the 70s

Krzysba ( Khishba, Kasour (slightly wider), Zahbour or Zenboor).

These drums are used mainly in the Persian Gulf countries in Choubi music and the Kawleeya dance direction (Iraq, Basra). A narrow tube-shaped drum with a wooden body and a fish skin membrane. The skin is taut and moisturized to produce a vibrant sound.

Listen to the sound of the kshishba (sometimes the darbuka comes in)

Tobol

Tobol - Tuareg drum. The Tuaregs are the only people in the world where men, even in the domestic circle, are required to cover their faces with a bandage (their self-name is “the people of the veil”). They live in Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, Morocco, Algeria and Libya. The Tuaregs retain tribal divisions and significant elements of the patriarchal system: the people are divided into “drum” groups, each headed by a leader, whose power is symbolized by the drum. And above all groups there is a leader, amenokal.

The famous French researcher A. Lot wrote about the tobol - a drum that symbolizes the leader among the Tuaregs: “He is the personification of power among the Tuaregs, and sometimes the amenokal himself (the title of the leader of a tribal union) is called a tobol, like all the tribes under his protection. Piercing a tobol is the most terrible insult that can be inflicted on a leader, and if the enemy manages to steal it, then irreparable damage will be done to the prestige of the amenokal.

Davul (Davul)

Davul- a drum common among the Kurds in Armenia, Iran, Turkey, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Romania. On one side there is a membrane made of goatskin for the bass, which is struck with a special hard one, on the other side there is stretched sheepskin, on which they are struck with a twig, producing a high-pitched sound. Currently, membranes are made of plastic. Sometimes they hit the wooden body with a stick. In the Balkans and Turkey, the rhythms for davul are quite complex, as are the rules for odd rhythms and with syncopations. In our studio we use davul for street performances and for establishing a sense of rhythm.

Listen to the sound of davul

Kosh ( Kosh)

In the XV-XVI centuries, there were free lands in Zaporozhye. Risky people who wanted freedom from various rulers have long settled there. This is how the Zaporozhye Cossacks gradually arose. Initially, these were small bands of dashing people who traded in raids and robbery. Moreover, the group-forming factor was the cooking pot, called the “kosh”. Hence the “koshevoy ataman” - essentially the most powerful robber who distributes rations. How many people could feed from such a cauldron, that was the number of sabers in the kosh-band.

The Cossacks traveled on horses or on boats. Their life was ascetic and minimal. You were not supposed to take extra things with you on a raid. Therefore, the poor property was multifunctional. The most interesting thing: this same kosh-kettle, after a hearty dinner, easily and simply turned into a tulumbas drum, a type of timpani.

The skin of the animal that was cooked in it for dinner was pulled over the boiler that had been eaten clean with the help of ropes. During the night, the tulumbas dried up by the fire, and by the morning a war drum was obtained, with the help of which signals were given to the army and communication was carried out with other koshes. On boats, such a drum ensured coordinated actions of the rowers. Later, the same tulumbas were used on watchtowers along the Dnieper. With their help, a signal was transmitted along the relay race about the approach of the enemy. The appearance and use of the tulumbas-cauldron.

Similar drum Kus- This is a large Persian cauldron-shaped drum. It consists of a pair of drums made of clay, wood or metal in the shape of a hemispherical cauldron with skin stretched over it. Kus was played with leather or wooden sticks (leather sticks were called daval - gave). Usually the kus was worn on the back of a horse, camel or elephant. It was used during festive events and military marches. He also often performed as an accompaniment to the karnay (karnay - Persian trumpet). Persian epic poets mentioned kus and karnai when describing battles of the past. Also on many ancient Persian paintings you can see images of kusa and karnay. Scientists date the appearance of these musical instruments to the 6th century. BC.

The Cossacks of the Zaporozhye Sich used tulumbas of different sizes to control the army. The small one was tied to the saddle, and the sound was produced with the handle of a whip. Eight people hit the largest of the tulumbas at the same time. Loud single sounds of the alarm bell, along with the roar of tulumbas and the piercing crackling of tambourines, were used for intimidation. This instrument has not received significant popularity among the people.

(Krakeb)

or in another way kakabu- Maghreb national musical instrument. A krakeb is a pair of metal spoons with two ends. When playing, a pair of such “spoons” is held in each hand, so that when each pair collides with each other, fast, pulsating sounds are produced, creating a colorful pattern for the rhythm.

Krakeb are the main component of the rhythmic music of Gnaoua. It is used mainly in Algeria and Morocco. There is a legend that the sound of krakebs is reminiscent of the clanging of metal chains in which slaves from West Africa walked.

Listen to Gnawa music with craquebs

Persian, Caucasian and Central Asian drums

Daf (Daf, Dap)

Daf- one of the oldest frame percussion instruments, about which there are many folk tales. The time of its emergence corresponds to the time of the appearance of poetry. For example, in Tourat it is said that it was Tawil, the son of Lamak, who invented daf. And also, when it comes to Solomon’s wedding with Belkis, it is mentioned that daf was sounded on their wedding night. Imam Mohamad Kazali wrote that the Prophet Mohammad said: "spread the barak and play the daf loudly." These testimonies speak to the spiritual value of Dafa.

Ahmed bin Mohammad Altawusi writes about the relationship of the daf with the player playing it and the manner of playing the daf: “the circle of daf is the circle of Akvan (being, the world, everything that exists, the universe) and the skin that is stretched on it is absolute existence, and the blow "into it is the entry of divine inspiration, which from the heart, inner and hidden, is transferred to absolute being. And the breath of the player playing the daffa is a reminder of the degree of God, when his appeal to people, their soul, will place them in captivity of love."

In Iran, Sufis used daf for ritual ceremonies (dhikr). In recent years, Iranian musicians have successfully begun to use the oriental drum - daf - in modern Persian pop music. Currently, daf is very popular among Iranian women - they play and sing it. Sometimes women of the Kurdistan provinces of Iran gather in huge groups to play the daf together, which is an analogue of collective prayer with the help of music.

Listen to the sound of daf

Dongbak ( Tonbak)

Dongbak(tombak) is an Iranian traditional percussion instrument (drum) in the shape of a goblet. There are different versions of the origin of the name of this instrument. According to the main one, the name is a combination of the names of the main attacks Tom and bak. Let’s immediately discuss the nuances of spelling and pronunciation. In Persian, the letter combination “nb” is pronounced “m”. This is where the different interpretations of the names “tonbak” and “tombak” come from. It is interesting that even in Farsi you can find a recording equivalent to the pronunciation “tombak”. However, it is considered correct to write “tonbak” and pronounce “tombak”. According to another version, tonbak comes from the word tonb, which literally means “belly.” Indeed, the tonbak has a convex shape, similar to a belly. Although, of course, the first version is more generally accepted. The remaining names (tombak/donbak/dombak) are variations of the original one. Another name - zarb - is of Arabic origin (most likely from the word darab, which means the sound of beating a drum). They play the tonbak with their fingers, which is generally typical for percussion of eastern origin. The sound of the instrument, thanks to the not too strong tension of the skin and the specific shape of the body, is rich in timbre shades, filled with incomparable depth and density of the bass.

The technique of performing the tombak sets it apart from the huge number of drums of this type: it is very sophisticated and is characterized by a variety of performance techniques and their combinations. The tombak is played with two hands, placing the instrument almost horizontally. Achieving the desired sonic color, at a minimum, depends on the area of the instrument that is struck and how the strike is made - with fingers or a brush, by clicking or sliding.

Listen to the sound of the tonbak

Doira)

(translated as a circle) is a tambourine, common in Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kazakhstan. It consists of a round shell and a membrane with a diameter of 360-450 mm stretched tightly on one side. Metal rings are attached to the shell, the number of which ranges from 54 to 64 depending on its diameter. Previously, the shell was made from fruit plants - dry grapevine, walnut or beech wood. Now it is made mainly from acacia. The membrane used to be made from catfish skin, goat skin, and sometimes the stomach of an animal; now the membrane is made from thick calfskin. Before playing, the doira is heated in the sun near a fire or lamp to increase the tension of the membrane, which contributes to the purity and sonority of the sound. Metal hoops on the shell help increase thermal conductivity when heated. The membrane is so strong that it can withstand a person jumping on it and being hit by a knife. Initially, the doira was a purely female instrument; women gathered, sat, sang and played the doira, just as Iranian women gathered and played the daf. Currently, the skill of playing the doira has reached an unprecedented level. Such doira masters as Abos Kasimov from Uzbekistan and Khairullo Dadoboev from Tajikistan are known throughout the world. The sound is produced by striking the 4 fingers of both hands (the thumbs serve to support the instrument) and the palms on the membrane. A blow to the middle of the membrane produces a low and dull sound, a blow near the shell produces a higher and more sonorous sound. The main sound is joined by the ringing of metal pendants. The difference in the color of the sound is achieved thanks to various playing techniques: finger and palm strikes of different strengths, clicks of the little fingers (no-hun), sliding of the fingers along the membrane, shaking the instrument, etc. Tremolo and grace notes are possible. A range of dynamic shades - from delicate piano to powerful forte. The technique of playing the doira, developed over centuries, has reached high virtuosity. The doira is played (by amateurs and professionals) solo, accompanying singing and dancing, as well as in ensembles. The doira's repertoire consists of various rhythmic figures - usuli. Doira is used in the performance of maqoms and mugams. In modern times, doira is often part of folk and sometimes symphony orchestras.

Listen to the sound of doira

Gaval ( Gaval)

Gaval- Azerbaijani tambourine, closely associated with traditions, life and ceremonies. Currently, a number of musical genres, folk performances and games are performed with the accompaniment of the gaval. Currently, the gaval is part of ensembles, including folk instrumental and symphony orchestras.

As a rule, the diameter of the round shell of a gaval is 340 - 400 mm, and the width is 40 - 60 mm. The wooden gaval hoop is cut from hard tree trunks; it is smooth on the outside and cone-shaped on the inside. The main materials for making a wooden hoop are grape, mulberry, walnut, and red oak trees. An inlaid ornament made of marble, bone and other materials is applied to the surface of the round shell. On the inside of the wooden hoop, 60 to 70 bronze or copper rings are fixed into small holes using pins. and often four brass bells. Leather is carefully glued onto the clubs visible on the outside of the wooden hoop. Recently, in Iran, ghawal is made from pistachio tree. This leads to difficulties for the khananda when performing the gaval.

Typically the membrane is made from the skin of lamb, kid, goitered gazelle or bull's bladder. In fact, the membrane should be made from fish skin. Nowadays, during the development of technology, artificial leather and plastic are also used. Fish skin is made using special tanning. Professional performers, one might say, do not use gaval from the skin of other animals, because fish skin is transparent, thin and very sensitive to temperature changes. Most likely, the performer, by touching the gaval or pressing it to his chest, warms the instrument and, as a result, the sound quality of the gaval is significantly improved. When the metal and copper rings hanging from inside the instrument are shaken and struck, a double sound is produced. The hoarse sound emanating from the membrane of the instrument and from the rings located inside acquires a unique sound.

The technique of playing the gaval has the widest possibilities. Sound production is made using the fingers of the right and left hands and blows produced by the inside of the palms. Gaval should be used very carefully, skillfully, creatively, observing certain precautions. When performing a gaval, the soloist should try not to tire the listener with an awkward and unpleasant sound. With the help of gaval you can get the desired dynamic shades of sound.

Gaval is a must-have instrument for performers of traditional genres of Azerbaijani music, such as tesnif and mugham. Mugam in Azerbaijan is usually performed by a trio of sazandari: a tarist, a kemanchist and a gavalist. The structure of a mugham dyasgah is such that a mugham dyasgah includes several ryangs, daramyads, tasnifs, diringas, melodies, and folk songs. The khanende (singer) himself is often also a gavalist. Currently, the master who fully masters the instrument is Mahmoud Salah.

Listen to the sound of the gaval

Nagarra, nakry ( Nagarra)

There is a wide variety of instruments called nagarra: they are common in Egypt, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Iran, Central Asia and India. Translated nagara means “tapping”, comes from the Arabic verb naqr - to hit, knock. The nagara, which has powerful sound dynamics, allows you to extract a variety of timbre shades from it, and it can also be played outdoors. Nagarra is usually played with sticks, but you can also play with your fingers. Its body is made from walnut, apricot and other types of trees, and the membrane is made from sheep leather. Heights 350-360 mm, diameter 300-310 mm. Depending on their size, they are called kyos nagara, bala nagara (or chure N.) and kichik nagara, i.e. large, medium and small drum. Gosha nagara Its structure resembles two cauldron-shaped drums fastened together. Also in Azerbaijan there is a cauldron-shaped drum called “timlipito”, which looks like two small drums fastened together. The gosha nagar is played with two wooden sticks, which are made mainly from dogwood wood. The word Gosha-nagara literally translated from the Azerbaijani language means “a pair of drums.” The word "gosha" means pair.

Initially, the body of the gosha nagara was made of clay, then it began to be made of wood and metal. To make the membrane, calf, goat, and rarely camel skin is used. The membrane is screwed to the body using metal screws, which also serve to adjust the instrument. They play the gosha-nagara, placing it on the floor or on a special table; in some traditions there is a special profession: the holder of the nagarra, which is entrusted to short boys. Gosha nagara is a mandatory attribute of all ensembles and orchestras of folk instruments, as well as weddings and celebrations.

The poet Nizami Ganjavi described the “nagara” as follows:
“Coşdu qurd gönünden olan nağara, Dünyanın beynini getirdi zara” (which translated from Azerbaijani literally means “The wolfskin soot got agitated and tormented everyone in the world with noise”). A Guide to Turkish Nagarras (PDF) In the Russian tradition, similar drums were called nakras. The covers were small in size and had a clay (ceramic) or copper cauldron-shaped body. Over this body, with the help of strong ropes, a leather membrane was stretched, onto which blows were applied with special, weighty and thick wooden sticks. The depth of the tool was slightly greater than its diameter. In former times, nakrys, together with some other percussion and wind instruments, were used as a military musical instrument, leading the enemy into panicked confusion and disorderly flight. The main function of military percussion instruments is the rhythmic accompaniment of troops. The fastening of the cover was carried out using the following methods: throwing a war horse over the saddle; attachment to the waist belt; fastening to the back of the person in front. Sometimes, covers were attached to the ground, which led to a gradual increase in size and transformation into modern kettledrums. Later, covers began to appear in medieval orchestras. A musician who plays medieval nakras, the so-called “court nakrachi,” existed in Russia back in the 18th century AD.

Listen to the sound of nagarra

Caucasian double-sided drum, common in Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan. One of the membranes is thicker than the other. The body is made of metal or wood. The sound is produced with hands or two wooden sticks, similar to the Turkish davul - thick and thin. Previously used in military campaigns, it is currently used in an ensemble with zurns, accompanies dances and processions.

Listen to the sound of dhol

Kayrok)

. These are two pairs of flat polished stones, a kind of analogue of castanets. Mostly typical for residents of Khorezm (Uzbekistan, Afghanistan). As a rule, he was accompanied cat- an instrument made from mulberry, apricot or juniper wood, resembling two pairs of spoons. Today, the koshik has practically fallen out of use and is used only at national celebrations more as a symbol. Literally kairok is a sharpening stone in Uzbek. This is a special, slate, black stone. Has high density. They are found on river banks. Preferably an elongated shape. Next they wait for one of the neighbors to play the toy (wedding). This means that the shurpa will be slowly cooked over the fire for three days. The stone is thoroughly washed, wrapped in snow-white gauze cloth, and actually lowered into the shurpa, with the consent of the owner. After three days, the stone acquires the desired properties. Stones are passed down from generation to generation in families of knife makers.

Listen to the sound of kairok performed by Aboss Kasimov

Indian drums

The name of the Indian tabla drums is very similar to the name of the Egyptian Tabla drum, which means "membrane" in Arabic. Although the name “tabla” itself is foreign, it in no way relates to the instrument: ancient Indian reliefs depicting such pairs of drums are known, and even the “Natyashastra” - a text almost two thousand years old - mentions river sand of a certain quality included in the paste to cover the membrane.

There is a legend telling about the birth of the tabla. During Akbar's time (1556-1605), there were two professional pakhawaj players. They were bitter rivals and constantly competed with each other. One day, in a heated battle of a drumming competition, one of the competitors - Sudhar Khan - was defeated and, unable to bear his bitterness, threw his pakhawaj to the ground. The drum broke into two parts, which became tabla and dagga.

The large drum is called bayan, the small one is called daina.

The membrane is not made from a single piece of leather; it consists of a round piece that is glued to a leather ring. Thus, in tabla the membrane consists of two pieces of leather. The ring-shaped piece is in turn attached to a leather hoop or cord surrounding the membrane, and straps are passed through this cord to secure the membrane (pudi) to the body. A thin layer of paste is applied to the inner membrane, made from a mixture of iron and manganese filings, rice or wheat flour and an adhesive substance. This covering, which is black in color, is called syahi.

This whole technique of attaching and stretching the skin not only affects the sound quality, making it less "noisy" and more musical, but also makes it possible to adjust the pitch of the sound. On the tabla, a sound of a certain height can be achieved either by vertically moving small wooden cylinders with significant changes in height, or by tapping with special hammers on a leather hoop.

There are several tabla gharanas (schools), the most famous of which are six: Ajrara Gharana, Benares Gharana, Delhi Gharana, Farukhabad Gharana, Lucknow Gharana, Punjab Gharana.

One of the most famous musicians who glorified this instrument throughout the world is the legendary Indian musician Zakir Hussain.

Listen to the sound of the tabla

mrdanga)

, mrdang, (Sanskrit - mrdanga, Dravidian-language forms - mrdangam, mridangam) - a South Indian double-membrane drum in the shape of a barrel. According to the Indian classification of instruments, it belongs to the group of avanaddha vadya (Sanskrit “coated instruments”). Widely used in the practice of music-making in the Carnatic tradition. The North Indian analogue of mridanga is pakhawaj.

The body of the mridanga is hollow, hollowed out of valuable wood (black, red), shaped like a barrel, the largest part of which, as a rule, is asymmetrically shifted towards a wider membrane. The length of the body varies between 50-70 cm, the diameter of the membranes is 18-20 cm.

The membranes are of different sizes (the left one is larger than the right one) and are leather coverings, attached not directly to the body of the instrument, but, like all Indian classical drums, through thick leather hoops using a system of belts. Once pulled through both hoops, these straps run along the body and connect both membranes.

Unlike drums such as pakhawaj and tabla, the mridanga design does not have wooden blocks passed through belts and used for tuning; The tension in the belt fastening system is changed by knocking directly on the near-membrane hoop. During playing, the drum body is often covered with an embroidered cloth blanket over the straps.

The structure of the membranes is characterized by the complexity characteristic of South Asian drums. They are composed of two overlapping circles of leather, sometimes sandwiched with special reeds to create special sound effects. The upper circle has a hole located in the center or slightly offset to the side; near the right membrane it is constantly sealed with a coating of sora made of a dark paste of a special composition, the recipe of which is kept secret by the musicians. Before each performance, a light paste mixed with rice or wheat flour is applied to the left membrane, which is scraped off immediately after the game.

The term mridang denotes not only this type of drum, it also has a specific character. It covers the entire group of barrel-shaped drums, common in the practice of both classical and traditional music playing in the region. Already in ancient Indian texts such varieties of drums of this group as java, gopuchcha, haritaka, etc. are mentioned.

Nowadays, the mridanga group, in addition to the drum with this name, is represented in various ways; This includes both the mridangas themselves of various configurations and functionalities, as well as, for example, the dholak drums used in traditional musical and music-dance genres, and other drums of a similar shape.

Mridang itself, like its North Indian counterpart pakhawaj, occupies a central place among them, being associated with types of music-making that most vividly reflect the essence of musical thinking in South Asia. The complex, technically advanced design of the m., together with a system that allows you to adjust its settings, creates special conditions for precise regulation and nuance of its pitch and timbre parameters.

Having a deep, timbre-rich sound, the mridang is also an instrument with a relatively controlled pitch. The membranes are adjusted to quarts (fifths), which generally significantly expands the range of the instrument. The classical mridanga is a drum that has a wide range of expressive and technical capabilities, which have evolved over the centuries into a carefully developed and thoroughly substantiated theoretical system.

One of its features, also characteristic of other drums in the region, was the specific practice of bol or konnakol - verbalization (“pronunciation”) of metrorhythmic formulas-tala, which is a synthesis of verbal (which largely includes an element of sound imitation) and physiomotor principles in their combination with expressive qualities of the instrument.

Mridang is not only the oldest drum of the subcontinent; it is an instrument that vividly embodies specific regional ideas about sound and sound. It is the drums, among which the mridanga group is the leading one, that have preserved the basic genetic codes of the culture of Hindustan to this day.

Listen to the sound of mridanga

**Kanjira ( canjira)**

Kanjira is an Indian tambourine used in South Indian music. The Kanjira is an amazing instrument with a very pleasant sound and an amazingly wide range of possibilities. It has a strong bass and a drawn-out high sound. Known not so long ago, it has been used in classical music since the 1930s. The kanjira is usually played in a folk instrument ensemble, with a mridanga.

The instrument's membrane is made of lizard skin, which is why the instrument has amazing musical properties. It is stretched on one side on a wooden frame made of jackfruit wood, 17-22 cm in diameter and 5-10 cm in depth. The other side remains open. There is one pair of metal plates on the frame. The art of playing can reach a high level; the developed technique of the right hand allows you to use playing techniques on other frame drums.

Listen to the sound of kanjira

**Ghatam and maja ( ghatam)**

Ghatam- a clay pot from southern India, used in the karnak musical style. Ghatam is one of the most ancient instruments of south India. The name of this instrument literally means “water jug.” This is no coincidence, since its shape resembles a vessel for liquid.

The sound of the gatam is similar to the African udu drum, but the technique of playing it is much more complex and refined. The main difference between gatam and udu is that at the production stage metal dust is added to the clay mixture, which has a beneficial effect on the acoustic properties of the instrument.

Ghatam consists of three components. The lower part is called the bottom. This is an optional part of the instrument, since some ghats do not have a bottom. Towards the middle the instrument thickens. It is this part of the instrument that must be struck in order to produce ringing sounds. The top part is called the neck. Its sizes may vary. The neck can be wide or narrow. This part also plays an important role in the game. By pressing the neck to the body, the performer can also produce different sounds, changing the sound of the ghatam. The musician hits the surface with his hands, holding it on his knee.

The uniqueness of the ghatam lies in the fact that it is completely self-sufficient. This means that it reproduces sounds using the same materials from which the body is made. Some instruments require additional components to produce sounds. This could be, for example, strings or stretched animal skin. In the case of ghatam, everything is much simpler. However, the ghatam may change. For example, you can pull the skin over the neckline. The instrument is used as a drum. In this case, it produces sounds due to the vibration of the stretched skin. In this case, the pitch of the sound also changes. Ghatam produces heterogeneous sounds. It depends on how, in what place and with what you strike it. You can hit with your fingers, finger rings, nails, palms or wrist. Musicians who play the ghatam can make their performance very impressive. Some ghatam players throw the instrument into the air at the end of their performance. It turns out that the ghatam breaks with the last sounds.

Also in India there is a variety of this drum called madga - it has a more round shape and a narrow neck than the gatam. In addition to metal dust, graphite powder is also added to the maji mixture. In addition to its individual acoustic properties, the instrument acquires a pleasant darkish color with a bluish tint.

Listen to the sound of the ghatam

**Tawil ( Thavil)**

Tawil is a percussion instrument known in southern India. Used in traditional ensembles along with the nagswaram reed wind instrument.

The body of the instrument is made of jackfruit, with leather membranes stretched on both sides. The right side of the instrument is larger than the left, and the right membrane is stretched very tightly, while the left one is looser. The instrument is tuned using belts passed through two hemp fiber rims; in modern versions, the fastenings are metal.

The drum is played either while sitting or suspended from a belt. Mostly played with palms, although sometimes special sticks or rings placed on the fingers are used.

Listen to the sound of the tawil

**Pakhawaj ( Pakhavaj)**

Pakhawaj (Hindi,“solid, dense sound”) is a barrel-shaped double-membrane drum, common in the practice of music-making in the Hindustani tradition. In accordance with the Indian classification of instruments, just like all other drums, they are included in the group of avanaddha vadya (“coated instruments”).

Typologically related to its South Indian counterpart, Mridang. The body of the pakhawaj is hollowed out from a block of valuable wood (black, red, pink). Compared to the configuration of the mridanga body, the pakhawaja body has a more cylindrical shape, with smaller bulges in the center. Body length 60-75 cm, membrane diameter - approx. 30 cm, the right membrane is slightly smaller than the left.

The design of the membranes, as well as the belt system for connecting them, is similar to the mridanga, but unlike it, changing the tension of the belts, and, consequently, the process of adjusting the membranes, is carried out by knocking round wooden blocks placed between the belts closer to the left membrane (like tabla). A cake made of dark paste (syahi) is glued to the right membrane and is permanently placed on it; a cake made of wheat or rice flour mixed with water is placed on the left membrane before the game, and immediately after it is removed.

Like other classical drums of the region, this helps to achieve a deeper and more differentiated timbre and pitch sound. In general, it is distinguished by “solidity,” “seriousness,” timbral depth and richness. When played, the pakhawaj is placed horizontally in front of the musician sitting on the floor.

It almost never sounds like a solo instrument, being part of ensembles that accompany singing, dancing, or playing an instrumentalist or vocalist, where this instrument is tasked with presenting the tala line. It is especially strongly associated with the vocal tradition of Dhrupada, which flourished during the reign of Emperor Akbar (16th century), but in our time occupies a rather limited place in Hindustani musical culture.

The sound quality of pakhawaja and the features of its technique are directly related to the aesthetic and emotional aspects of dhrupad: slowness, rigor and consistency in the deployment of sound fabric based on strictly regulated rules.

At the same time, pakhavaj has developed virtuoso-technical capabilities, which allows the musician to fill the metrhythmic clichés (theka) associated with dhrupad with various rhythmic figurations. Many technical techniques characteristic of pakhawaj became the basis of the tabla, drum technique, with the tradition of playing music on which it is connected by ties of continuity.

Listen to Pakhawaj's solo

tumbaknari, tumbaknaer)

(tumbaknari, tumbaknaer) is the national Kashmiri goblet drum used for solos, song accompaniment and at weddings in Kashmir. The shape is similar to the Afghan Zerbakhali, but the body is larger, longer and Indians can play two tumbaknari simultaneously. The word tumbaknari consists of two parts: Tumbak and Nari, where Nari means clay pot, since, unlike the Iranian tonbak, the body of the tumbaknari is made of clay. This drum is played by both men and women. Other goblet shaped drums used in India are humate(ghumat) And Jamuka(jamuku) (South India).

Listen to tumbaknari solo with gotham.

**Damaru ( damaru)**

Damaru- a small double-membrane drum in India and Tibet, shaped like an hourglass. This drum is usually made of wood with leather membranes, but it can also be made entirely of human skulls and a snake skin membrane. The resonator is made of copper. Damru height is about 15 cm. Weight is about 250-300 g. This type of drum is played by rotating it with one hand. The sound is mainly produced by balls that are attached to a string or leather cord wrapped around the narrow part of the damru. When a person swings the drum using wave-like movements of the wrists, the ball (or balls) hit both sides of the damaru. This musical instrument is used by traveling musicians of all kinds due to its small size. It is also used in the ritual practice of Tibetan Buddhism.

Skull damru is called "thöpa" and is usually made from the tops of the skulls, neatly cut off above the ear and joined at the tops. Mantras are written inside in gold. The skin is painted with copper or other mineral salts, as well as special herbal mixtures for two weeks. As a result, it acquires a blue or green color. The junction of the halves of the damru is tied with a knitted cord, to which a handle is attached. Mallets, whose knitted shell symbolizes the eyeballs, are tied to the same place. Skulls are selected according to certain requirements for former owners and methods of obtaining. Currently, the production of damru in Nepal and export to other countries is prohibited because the bones are obtained mainly through dishonest means. The "sky funeral" ritual is not as traditional as it used to be. Firstly, China considers it not entirely legal. Secondly, it has become easier and less expensive to find firewood or other materials to burn a body. Previously, only rulers and priests of high rank were awarded such an expensive procedure. Third, most Tibetans now die in hospitals. The birds do not want to eat their bodies, soaked in medicines, which is necessary before making the tool.

Damaru is generally well known throughout the Indian subcontinent. Among Shaivites, he is associated with the form of Shiva called Nataraja, being a symbol of the latter. The four-armed Nataraja holds a damaru in his upper right hand as he performs his cosmic tandava dance. It is believed that the damaru is voiced by the first sound itself (nada). There is a legend that all the sounds of Sanskrit come from the sounds of Shiva playing the damaru. The beat of this drum symbolizes the rhythm of forces during the creation of the world, and both halves of it personify the male (lingam) and female (yoni) principles. And the connection of these parts is the very place where life begins.

Listen to the sound of damaru in a Buddhist ritual.

Japanese, Korean, Asian and Hawaiian drums

**Taiko ( Taiko)**

Taiko- a family of drums used in Japan. Verbatim taiko translated as a big (pot-bellied) drum.

Most likely, these drums were imported from China or Korea between the 3rd and 9th centuries, and after the 9th century they were made by local craftsmen, giving rise to a unique Japanese instrument.

In ancient times, every village had a signal drum. Simple combinations of taiko blows transmitted signals about impending danger or general work. As a result, the territory of the village was determined by the distance to which the sound of the drum could reach.

By imitating the roar of thunder with a drum, peasants called for rain during the dry seasons. Only the most respected and enlightened of the inhabitants could play the taiko. With the strengthening of basic religious teachings, this function was transferred to the servants of Shinto and Buddhism, and taiko became temple instruments. As a result, taiko began to be played only on special occasions and only by drummers who had received the blessing of the priests.

Currently, taiko drummers play compositions only with the permission of the teacher and learn all compositions exclusively by ear. Music notation is not maintained and, moreover, is prohibited. Training takes place in special communities, fenced off from the outside world, representing something between an army unit and a monastery. Playing the taiko requires considerable strength, so all drummers undergo rigorous physical training.

It is reliably known that one of the earliest appointments of taiko was military. The thunder of the drums during attacks was used to intimidate the enemy and inspire friendly troops to fight. Later, by the fifteenth century, drums became an instrument for signaling and conveying messages during battle.

In addition to military and territorial purposes, taiko have always been used for aesthetic purposes. Music in style gagaku appeared in Japan during the Nara period (697 - 794) along with Buddhism and quickly took root at the imperial court as official. The single taiko is part of a group of instruments that accompany theater performances But And Kabuki.

Japanese drums are generally called taiko; according to their design, they are divided into two large groups: bë-daiko, in which the membrane is rigidly fixed with nails without the possibility of tuning, and shime-daiko, which can be tuned using cords or screws. The drum body is hollowed out from a single piece of hardwood. Taiko is played with sticks called bati.

In our studio there are analogues of taiko, from the “Big Drum” project, on which you can perform traditional Japanese music.

Listen to the sound of Japanese drums

uchiwa daiko)

Japanese ritual tambourine used in Buddhist ceremonies. Literally translated as fan drum. Despite its small size, it has an impressive sound. Its shape is similar to the Chukchi tambourine. Nowadays, drummers often place several uchiwa daiko on a stand, which makes it possible to perform more complex rhythmic compositions.

Listen to a set from Uchiwa Daiko

changu).

Canggu is the Korean drum most commonly used in traditional music. Consists of two parts, which are usually made of wood, porcelain or metal, but the best material is considered to be paulownia or Adam's wood as it is light and soft, which gives it a beautiful sound. These two parts are connected by a tube and covered on both sides with leather (usually deer). In ancient peasant rituals it symbolized the element of rain.

Used in the traditional samulnori genre. Traditional drum music is based on the long tradition of Korean peasant music performed during village festivals, religious ceremonies and work in the fields. The Korean words "sa" and "mul" translate to "4 instruments", and "nori" means play and performance. The musical instruments in the orchestra performing samulnori are called changu, puk, pingari and chin (two drums and two gongs).

puk).

Bunch- a traditional Korean drum, consisting of a wooden body covered with leather on both sides. Began to be used from 57 BC. and usually for Korean court music. The puk is usually mounted on a wooden stand, but the musician can also hold it on his hip. A stick made of heavy wood is used to strike. Symbolizes the element of thunder.

Listen to Korean drums

There are two types of Nga drums. The first, Ra-dang or Dang Chen (hand drum), is used during ritual processions. The drum has a long wooden handle decorated with single carvings, at the end of which there is an image of a vajra. Sometimes a silk scarf is tied to the handle as a symbol of veneration for the divine musical instrument.

Nga Chen- a large double-sided drum hanging inside a wooden frame. Its diameter is more than 90 cm. An image of a lotus is also used as decoration. The drum stick has a curved shape and is covered with fabric at the end for greater softness when striking. The performance on this instrument is distinguished by great virtuosity; There are up to 300 ways to play Nga Chen (on the membrane there are drawings and magical symbols located according to cosmic zones). This drum also resembles Chinese imperial drums.

Nga-bom- a large double-sided drum mounted on a handle, which is struck with a bent stick (one or two); nga-shung (nga-shunku) - a small double-sided drum used mainly during dancing; rollo - plates with a large bulge in the center (they are held horizontally); sil-nyuen - plates with a small convexity in the center (and sometimes without it); "or to Nikolai Lgovsky.

As for the Tumba-Yumba tribe, it came from the French "Mumbo-Jumbo", which goes back to the English Mumbo Jumbo ("Mumbo-Jumbo"). This word appeared in the books of European travelers to Africa; it meant an idol (spirit) with which men frightened women. The word "Mumbo-Yumbo" as the name of an African tribe is found in the book "The Twelve Chairs" by I. Ilf and E. Petrov.

The sound of drums there and there

bajiaogu, bafangu).

Bajiogu- Chinese octogonal drum, similar to the Arabic riq. Python skin is used for the membrane. The case has seven holes for metal cymbals. This drum was brought to China by the Mongols, which was popular with them even before our era. The octogonal tambourine was also the national instrument of the Manchus. Apparently, in ancient times this drum was used for ritual dances. During the Qin Dynasty, a similar drum was depicted on the flag. Nowadays, the tambourine is used mainly to accompany traditional vocals or dances.

The sound of an octagonal Chinese tambourine in a vocal part

**Vietnamese bronze frog drum ( frogdrum).**

Frog drum is one of the oldest drums, the progenitor of metallophones in Southeast Asia. The Vietnamese are especially proud of their bronze culture. During the era of the so-called Dong Son civilization, the La Viet people in 2879 BC. The semi-legendary kingdom of Wanglang was created. Bronze drums with a characteristic geometric pattern, scenes of folk life and images of totem animals became the symbol of Dong Son culture. Drums performed not only musical, but also ritual functions.

Characteristics of Dong Son Bronze Drum:

In the center of the drum there is a star consisting of 12 rays. These rays alternate in patterns shaped like a triangle or a peacock feather. According to the ancients, the star in the center of the drum is a symbol of faith in the Solar God. The feathers on the drums show that birds were the totems of the inhabitants of that time.
Around the star are plants, animals and geometric patterns. Many researchers interpret the everyday scenes depicted on the drums as a “funeral” or a “rain-making festival.”
Boats, heroes, birds, animals or geometric zora are usually painted on the body of the drum.
The drum has 4 arms.

Similar drums are now used in Thailand and Laos. Legends of the Ho-Mong people say that the drum saved the lives of their ancestors during great floods. The drum was one of the items that was placed with the deceased in the tomb (Dong Son area, Thanh Hoa province, Vietnam).

Listen to the sound of the frog drum orchestra

gedombak).

Gedombek is a goblet-shaped drum used in Malay folk music. The body of the drum is made of hard wood, mainly jackfruit (East Indian breadfruit) or angsana. The membrane is made from goat skin. Usually two people perform with two instruments, one of which is called Gendang Ibu (Mother), which has a lower sound, and the other - Gendang Anak (Child), which has the same size but a higher sound. When performing, the drum lies in a horizontal position, the membrane is struck with the left hand while the right hand closes and opens the hole. Typically, a gendongbak is used in conjunction with a double-sided gendang ibu drum.

Listen to the sound of hedonback

Thai Drum Tone ( thon, thab, thap).

In Thailand and Cambodia, a drum very similar to a gedonbek and a huge darbuka is called Tone. It is often used in conjunction with a frame drum called ramana (ramana). These two instruments are often called by the same word thon-ramana. The tone is placed on the knees and struck with the right hand while the ramana is held in the left hand. Unlike the hedonbak, the tone is much larger - its body reaches a length of a meter or more. The body is made of wood or earthenware. The palace tones are very beautiful with mother of pearl trim. With such drums, they usually organize a dance procession and play polyrhythms with metallophones.

Listen to the sound of the tone in the dance procession

Gendang).

Gendang(Kendang, Kendhang, Gendang, Gandang, Gandangan) - the drum of a traditional Indonesian gamelan orchestra. Among the Javanese, Sudanese and Malay peoples, one side of the drum is larger than the other and produces a lower sound. Both sides of Bali and Maranao drums are the same. The performer, as a rule, sits on the floor and plays with his hands or special sticks. In Malaysia, the gendang is used in conjunction with the gedombak drum.

Drums vary in size:

Kendhang ageng, kendhang gede or kendhang gendhing is the largest drum with a low tone.
Kendhang ciblon drum is medium size.
Kendhang batangan, medium sized kendhang wayang, used for accompaniment.
Kendhang ketipung is the smallest drum.

Sometimes a drum set is made from drums of different sizes and one performer can play different drums at the same time.

Listen to the sound of a set from Indonesian gendangs

Hawaiian drum Ipu (Ipu)

Ipu is a Hawaiian percussion instrument often used to create accompanying music during hula dances. Ipu is traditionally made from two pumpkin fruits.

There are two types of ipu:

ipu-heke(ipu heke). Made from two pumpkin fruits connected to each other. Pumpkins are specially grown to achieve the desired shape. When they have reached the appropriate size, the pumpkins are harvested, the tops and pulp are removed, leaving hard, empty shells. The largest fruit is placed in the lower part. A hole is cut in the small fruit. Pumpkins are glued together using breadfruit sap.
Ipu-heke-ole(ipu heke ʻole). It is made from one pumpkin fruit, the top of which is cut off. With such instruments, girls can dance while simultaneously beating the rhythm.

Hawaiians typically play it sitting down, striking the top of the ipu with their fingers or palms. To highlight the first beat of each measure, the player strikes a soft burl cloth that lies in front of the player on the ground, producing a deep resonant sound. Subsequent strikes are made above the ground on the bottom of the instrument with three or four fingers, creating a high-pitched sound.

Listen to the ipu accompaniment for Hawaiian songs

Hawaiian drum Pahu (Pahu)

Pahu– traditional Polynesian drum (Hawaii, Tahiti, Cook Islands, Samoa, Tokelau). It is cut from a single trunk and covered with shark skin or stingray skin. It is played with palms or fingers. The pahu is considered a sacred drum and is usually found in a temple (heiau). Serves as an accompaniment to traditional hula songs and dances.

Drums that have religious significance are called Heiau Pahu(prayer wheel). The prayer drum typically uses stingray skin, while the music drum usually uses shark skin. The drum for musical accompaniment is called Hula Pahu. Both drums have an ancient history and are similar in shape.

Small drums are usually carved from the trunk of a coconut tree. There are also Pahu drums, which resemble a huge table, at which the musician plays while standing.

Listen to the pahu drum accompaniment for Hawaiian hula dancing

African drums

Djembe (Djembe)

Djembe- a West African goblet-shaped drum (about 60 cm high and a membrane diameter of about 30 cm), hollowed out from a single piece of wood with antelope or goat skin stretched over it, often with metal plates " kesingkesing", used to amplify sound. Appeared in the Mali Empire in the 12th century and was figuratively called Healing Drum. It is believed that the open shape of the body comes from a conventional grain crusher. Depending on the blow, djembe produces three main sounds: bass, tonal and sharp slap. African rhythms are characterized by polyrhythms, when several drum lines create a common rhythm.

The djembe is played with the palms of the hands. Basic hits: Bass (to the center of the head), Tone (the main blow to the edge of the head), Slap (slap on the edge of the head).

It gained wide popularity in the 20th century thanks to the group Le Ballet Africains, the National Ensemble of Guinea. The popularity of the djembe was also facilitated by the fact that it is relatively easy to carry by hand, has a fairly strong bass, and sound production is accessible to beginners. In Africa, masters of the djembe are called djembefola. Djembefola must know all the parts of the rhythms performed in the village. Each rhythm corresponds to a specific event. The djembe is both an accompanying and a solo instrument that can tell listeners a lot and literally make people move!

Listen to a solo djembe with dunduns and shaker

Dunduny

Dunduny- three West African bass drums (from smallest to largest: Kenkeni, Sangban, Dudunba). Dunumba - Big drum. Sangban - Middle drum. Kenkeni - snare drum.

These drums have bull skin stretched over them. The skin is stretched using special metal rings and ropes. These drums are tuned accordingly according to their tone level. The sound is made with a stick.

Dunduns are the basis of the traditional ensemble (ballet) in West Africa. The dunduns form an interesting melody and other instruments, including the djembe, sound on top. Initially, each bass drum was played by one person, hitting the head with one stick and a ringing bell (kenken) with the other. In a more modern version, one person plays simultaneously on three reels mounted vertically.

When playing in an ensemble, the bass drums form a basic polyrhythm.

Listen to African dundoons

**Kpanlogo ( kpanlogo)**

Kpanlogo - traditional peg drum in the western region of Ghana. The drum body is made of hard wood, the membrane is made of antelope skin. The skin is attached and adjusted using special pegs inserted into a hole in the body. The conga is very similar in shape and sound, but smaller in size.

The kpanlogo performer must be inventive and conduct a musical dialogue (question and answer) with other instruments. The kpanlogo part includes elements of improvisation, constantly changing the pattern according to the movements of the dancer. The kpanlogo is played with the palm of the hand, and the techniques are similar to the conga or djembe. When playing, the drum is clamped with your feet and slightly tilted away from you. This is a very interesting and melodic instrument, sounding beautiful both in group rhythm and solo. They often use sets of kpanlogos of different keys, which are very similar to the Cuban conga sets, which, in all likelihood, originated from kpanlogos.

Listen to the sound of the set from kpanlog

**Ashanti Drums ( Ashante)**

Ashanti drums - traditional peg drum set in Ghana. The set is called after the largest drum, Fontomfrom ( Fontomfrom). Often, a large drum can be taller than a person and you need to climb using a ladder attached to the drum. Smaller drums are called Atumpan ( Atumpan), Apanthem ( Apentema), Apetia ( Apetia) .

The Ashanti call their drummers the heavenly drummers. Drummers occupy a high position in the court of the Ashanti chief, they are responsible for ensuring that the huts of the chief's wives are in perfect order. In Ashanti lands, women do not have the right to touch the drum, and the drummer does not dare move his drum from place to place. It is believed that this could cause him to go crazy. Some words cannot be tapped on a drum, they are taboo. For example, you cannot mention the words “blood” and “skull”. In ancient times, if a drummer made a serious mistake in conveying the leader's message, his hands could be cut off. Nowadays there is no such custom, and only in the most remote corners can a drummer still lose an ear for negligence.

With the help of drums, the Ashanti can drum out the entire history of their tribe. This is done during some festivals, when drummers recite the names of deceased chiefs and describe significant events in the life of the tribe.

Listen to the sound of Ashanti drums

**Talking drum ( Talking Drums)**

Talking drum- a special type of African drums, originally intended to maintain communication between villages. The sound of the drum could imitate human speech, and a complex system of rhythmic phrases was used. As a rule, a talking drum is two-headed, hourglass-shaped, the skin on both sides is tightened with a belt made of leather or animal intestines braided around the body. When played, the talking drum is held under the left hand and struck with a curved stick. By squeezing the drum (meaning the drum ropes), the player changes the pitch of its sound, while different notes are highlighted in its sound. The more you compress the drum, the higher its sound. All this gives different versions of the “drum language”, thanks to which it is possible to transmit various messages and signs to other, neighboring villages. Some examples of drum rhythms are associated with spiritual beings in each tribe. The sounds of prayers and blessings from talking drums begin a new day in countless villages across West Africa.

The talking drum is one of the oldest instruments used by West African griots (in West Africa, a member of a caste responsible for preserving tribal stories in the form of music, poetry, stories) and their origins can be traced back to the empire of ancient Ghana. These drums spread to Central and South America through the Caribbean Sea during the slave trade. Talking drums were subsequently banned from African-Americans because slaves used them to communicate with each other.

The tool is unique in its own way. Outwardly, he may seem unassuming, but this impression is deceiving. A talking drum accompanies a person both in work and in leisure. There are few tools that can “keep pace” with a person. That is why it rightfully occupies a special place in African culture and is part of the world cultural heritage.

In Congo and Angola such drums are called lokole, in Ghana - dondon, in Nigeria - gangan, in Togo - leklevu.

Listen to the beat of a talking drum

Ashiko (ashiko)

Ashiko(ashiko) - West African drum in the shape of a truncated cone. Ashiko's homeland is considered to be West Africa, presumably Nigeria, and the Yoruba people. The name is most often translated as “freedom”. Ashikos were used for healing, during initiation rituals, military rituals, communication with ancestors, for transmitting signals over distances, etc.

Ashiko is traditionally made from a single piece of hardwood, while modern instruments are made from bonded strips. The membrane is made from the skin of an antelope or goat, sometimes from cow skin. A system of ropes and rings controls the degree of tension of the membrane. Modern types of ashiko may have plastic membranes. Ashikos have a height of about half a meter to a meter, sometimes a little higher.

Unlike the djembe, where due to its shape it can only produce two tones, the sound of an ashiko depends on the proximity of the strike to the center of the head. In the musical tradition of the Yoruba people, the ashiko almost never accompanies the djembe because they are completely different drums. There is an opinion that ashiko is a “male” drum and djembe is a “female” drum.

Ashiko-shaped drums are called bocu in Cuba and are used during carnivals and street parades called comparsa.

Listen to the African Ashiko drum

Bata (Bata)

Bata- these are three membranophones with a wooden body in the shape of an hourglass, having at the ends two membranes of different diameters, which are played by hand.

Manufacture bata either by the traditional African method of hollowing out a whole tree trunk, or by the modern method of gluing together individual planks. On both sides bata membranes made of thin leather (for example, goat skins) are stretched. In traditional bata they are attached and tensioned using strips of leather, the industrial version of the bata uses an iron fastening system designed to bongs And Kong. Enu (enú, “mouth”) is a larger membrane, which has a correspondingly lower sound. It plays open, muted, and touch strokes. Chacha (chachá)- smaller membrane. Slaps and touches are played on it. Play on bata sitting, placing it on your knees in front of you. The larger membrane is usually played with the right hand, and the smaller one with the left.

In Cuba the ensemble uses 3 bata: Okonkolo- a small drum that, as a rule, plays a strictly fixed pattern that serves as rhythmic support. In fact, it is a metronome in an ensemble. This drum is usually played by the least experienced drummer. Itotele- middle drum, its function is to “respond” to the big drum Iya. Iya (Iyá)- large and, therefore, the lowest, the “mother drum”. plays it olubata- leading, most experienced drummer. Iya is the soloist of the ensemble. There are many settings options bata; O the main rule is tone chacha each larger reel coincides with enu next smallest. Small bells are often hung on the bata.

Bata were brought to Cuba from Nigeria along with African slaves of the Yoruba people, one of whose objects of worship was Chango (Shango, Changa, Jakuta, Obakoso), Lord of the Drums. In Cuba bata began to be widely used in ritual music, where the number of drums in an ensemble was reduced to three (in Nigeria there are usually 4–5).

Bata play a significant role in religious ceremonies Santeria, in which drumming is the language of communication with the gods, and the sense of rhythm is associated with a person’s ability to “go through life” correctly, that is, to perform the right actions at the right moment. Drums in Santeria are perceived as a family, where everyone has their own voice and their own assigned responsibilities, while the patron of each species bata is a separate Santeria "god" orisha - the patron of concolo is Chango, andotele- Ochun, a iya - Yemaya . In addition, it is believed that each drum has its own “soul” anya (añá), which is “invested” in the newly made bata during a special ritual, “born” from the “souls” of other batas who have already undergone initiation. There are known cases when people were specially transported from Nigeria aña, while manufacturing a new drum “body” in Cuba.

Before the socialist revolution of 1959, Bata drumming took place in closed rituals where either initiates or initiates were invited. However, after the revolution, Cuban music was declared the national treasure of Cuba and groups were created (for example, Conjunto Folclorico Nacional de Cuba) that studied traditional (mainly religious) music. This, of course, met with discontent among the "dedicated" drummers. Although Bata music has become public domain over time, it is still customary to separate drums used for religious ceremonies ( fundamentalo (fundamento)) and "worldly" ( aberikula).

Listen to the bata drums

Bugaraboo ( bougarabou)

Bugaraboo(emphasis on U) - a traditional instrument of Senegal and Gambia, it is not found in other African countries. Typically, a musician plays three or four drums at the same time. The body is shaped like a goblet or something like an inverted cone. Sometimes the body is made of clay.

A few decades earlier, the bougarabou was a solo instrument. They played it with one hand and a stick. However, recent generations have begun to assemble tools into installations. Perhaps they were influenced by the conga instrument: as you know, several are always used when playing. For better sound, the drummer wears a special metal bracelet, which adds color to the sound.

The bugarabu is similar in appearance to a djembe, but the leg is shorter or absent altogether, the wood is of a different species and is a little thinner, due to this the sound is more melodic. When playing, the drummer stands on his feet and physically hits the head hard. The sound from the instrument is beautiful on the one hand: bright and deep, and practical on the other hand: it can be heard for many miles. Bugaraboos have a characteristic deep, rolling sound, which is how the drum got its name. A ringing slap and long-lasting deep bass are the distinctive features of this drum, which combines a large playing area and a voluminous resonating body. Often used as a background bass drum to play with djembe and other drums. However, it is also great for solo play.

African boogaraboo drum sound

Sabar ( sabar)

Sabar - traditional instrument of Senegal and Gambia. Traditionally it is played with one hand and a stick. The wand is held in the left hand. Just like the kpanlogo, the sabar membrane is secured with pegs.

Sabar is used for communication between villages, over distances of up to 15 km. Different rhythms and phrases help convey messages. There are several different sizes of this drum. Sabar is also called the musical style of sabar playing.

Listen to the African drum sabar

Kebero ( kebero)

Kebero - a double-sided conical drum used in the traditional music of Ethiopia, Sudan and Eritrea. The Kebero is the only drum used during Christian church services in Ethiopia. A small version of the kebero is used during civil holidays. The body is made of metal, both sides are covered with a leather membrane.

The Kebero-type barrel-shaped drum is mentioned in the lyrics of the song "Seven Hathor", which was performed with instrumental accompaniment and dancing. A recording of the text is preserved in the temple of the goddess Hathor at Dendera (built between 30 BC and 14 AD). Subsequently, the barrel-shaped drum became a tradition of subsequent eras. A similar cone-shaped drum - cabero used during services in the Coptic Church, and is now preserved in the rituals of the Ethiopian Church.

Listen to the Ethiopian service with kebero

Udu ( Udu)

Udu- an African clay drum-pot originating from Nigeria (udu is both “vessel” and “world” in the Igbo language). The deep, haunting sounds that the oud produced seemed to many to be the “voices of the ancestors” and it was originally used in religious and cultural ceremonies. When the hole is struck, it produces a deep, low sound, a ceramic ringing sound across the surface. May have a membrane on the surface.

It is worth noting that there is simply no traditional school of playing the oud, just as there is no generally accepted name for this instrument. Actually, this is not at all surprising, given that for most of their history the Ibo lived in disparate groups. The only basic technique common to all Nigerian musicians is hitting the side hole while opening and closing the neck of the drum with the other hand. This produces a hypnotic bass, which is why many people love Uda so much. The situation is the same with the name of the instrument: it changes not only from region to region, but also from the ceremonies for which the drum is used. The name most often attributed to it is “abang mbre,” which simply means “play pot.” Another interesting detail is that initially only women played the udu.

Despite the emergence of udu made from fiberglass and wood, clay remains the most popular material for making this instrument. Nowadays, most craftsmen make drums on a potter's wheel, but in Nigeria the traditional method of making them without the use of machines and complex tools is still widespread. There is an interesting technique for playing a fiberglass oud in which the properties of the resonator are changed by pouring water into a pot. With water, the drum acquires a truly mystical sound.

Udu instruments combine a unique "aqua-resonant" sound with a warm "earthy" vibration, creating a seamless fusion of deep and high enveloping tones. Pleasant to look and feel, soothing and peaceful to the ear, Udu can lead you into deep meditation, giving you a feeling of comfort and tranquility.

Listen to the sound of oud

Calabash ( calabash, calebasse)

Calabash - a large bass drum made from a pumpkin. In Mali it was originally used for cooking. It is played with hands, fists or sticks. The diameter of the instrument is about 40 cm. Sometimes the calabash is immersed in a basin of water and hit with a fist, in this case a very powerful and pumping bass is obtained.

Listen to the sound of the calabash

Gom dram ( gome drum)

Gom dram - bass drum from Ghana. Made from a wooden box (45x38 cm) and antelope skin. They play it while sitting on the ground, while using their heels to help change the tone. The style of music is close to Afro-Cuban. The drum was introduced to Ghana in the 18th century by Congolese fishermen. Looks like)

The tribal king or diviner uses this drum in ceremonies. Yoruba richly decorate their drums with various figures.

Chokwe, Angola
(Chokwe)

Chokwe is a double-sided drum used for long-distance communication and ritual storytelling.

Senufo, Ivory Coast
(Senufo)

Senufo is a double-sided drum used for long-distance communication and epic accompaniment.

Listen to African Yoruba rhythms

Listen to Chokwe's African rhythms

Listen to African Senufo rhythms

Drum Cuba,
Nigeria (Kuba)

The royal drum is richly inlaid with shells

Bamileke, Cameroon
(BAMILEKE)

Belongs to the nationality of the same name in Cameroon.

Yaka, Cameroon
(YAKA )

Wooden drum with a slot. This drum is used for accompaniment and is played with two sticks.

Latin American drums

Cajon ( Cajоn )

Cajon appeared in Peru at the beginning of the 19th century. According to one version, slaves used fruit boxes to play music, since African drums were banned by the Spanish colonial authorities. The peak of its popularity came in the middle of the century; until the end of the 19th century, musicians continued to experiment with materials and the design of the cajon to achieve better sound. From that time on, it began to spread throughout Latin America and by the twentieth century had become an integral part of Peruvian and Cuban musical culture.

In the 1970s, Peruvian composer and cajon maker Caitro Soto gave the cajon as a gift to the Spanish guitarist Paco de Lucia, who visited Peru. Paco liked the sound of the cajon so much that the famous guitarist purchased another instrument before leaving the country. A little later, Paco de Lucia introduced the cajon to flamenco music, and its sound became firmly associated with this musical direction.

On our website you can find a tutorial about flamenco rhythms for darbuka.

Listen to the sound of the cajon

Kongs ( Conga )

Conga is a narrow, tall Cuban drum with African roots, possibly derived from the Makuta Makuta drums or Sikulu drums common in Mbanza Ngungu, Congo. A person who plays congas is called a "conguero". In Africa, congas were made from hollow logs; in Cuba, the process of making congas is reminiscent of making barrels. Actually, Cuban congas were originally made from barrels. These instruments were common in Afro-Caribbean religious music and rumba. Congas are now very popular in Latin music, especially in styles such as salsa, merengue, regaeton and many others.

Most modern congas have a staved wood or fiberglass body and a leather (plastic) membrane. When played standing, the congas are usually approximately 75 cm from the edge of the body to the performer's head. The conga can also be played in a sitting position.

Although they congas originated in Cuba, their inclusion in popular and folk music in other countries has led to a diversification of terminology for documentation and performers. Ben Jacobi, in his Introduction to the Conga Drum, suggests that the drums are called congas in English, but tumbadoras in Spanish. The names of the individual reels, from large to small, as they are commonly called in Cuba:

Super tumba can reach a diameter of about 14 inches (35.5 cm).
Cabinet usually has a diameter of 12 to 12.5 inches (30.5 to 31.8 cm).
Conga (conga) usually 11.5 to 12 inches (29.2 to 30.5 cm) in diameter.
Quinto about 11 inches in diameter (about 28 cm).
Requinto may be less than 10 inches in diameter (24.8 cm).
Ricardo) approximately 9 inches (22.9 cm). Because this drum is often mounted on a shoulder strap, it is usually narrower and shorter than a traditional conga.

The term "conga" was popularized in the 1950s as Latin music swept the United States. Cuban son and New York jazz mixed and gave a new style, later called mambo, and later salsa. In that same period, the popularity of the Conga Line helped to spread this new term. Desi Arnaz also played a role in the popularization of conga drums. The word "conga" comes from the rhythm la conga, often played at Cuban carnivals. Drums on which the rhythm was performed la conga had a name tambores de conga, which translated into English as conga drums.

Listen to the conga solos

Bongs

Bongo or bongos, an instrument of Cuban origin consisting of a pair of single-headed, open drums placed next to each other. The drum with a larger diameter is called “embra” (hembra - Spanish woman, female), and the smaller one is called “macho” (macho - “male” in Spanish). A smaller bong sounds about a third higher than a wider one.

Apparently, bongs came to Latin America along with slaves from Africa. Historically, bongos are associated with styles of Cuban music such as salsa, changui and son, which appeared in Eastern Cuba in the second half of the 19th century. However, it is worth noting that pairs of bong-like drums with ceramic bodies and goatskin have been found in Morocco, as well as in Egypt and other Middle Eastern countries.

Listen to bongo solos

(Pandeiro)

- South American tambourine used in Portugal and other countries.

In Brazil, the pandeiro is considered a folk musical instrument, the soul of samba. The rhythm of the pandeiro complements the sound of the atabaque when used in the musical accompaniment of Brazilian capoeira.

Traditionally, the pandeiro is a wooden rim over which a skin membrane is stretched. Cup-shaped metal bells (in port. platinelas) are built into the sides of the rim. Nowadays, the membrane of the pandeiro or the entire pandeiro is often made of plastic. The sound of the pandeiro can be modulated by tightening and loosening the membrane.

The pandeira is played in the following way: the performer holds the pandeira in one hand (often a hole is made in the rim of the pandeira in one of the spaces between the platinella bells for the index finger to make it more convenient to hold the instrument), and with the other hand he hits the membrane, which, in fact, and produces sound.

The creation of different rhythms on the pandeira depends on the force of the blow on the membrane, on where the blow lands and on what part of the palm is struck - the thumb, fingertips, open palm, boat palm, edge of the palm or the bottom of the palm. The pandeiro can also be shaken or a finger can be rubbed along the rim of the pandeiro, producing a slightly squeaking sound.

By alternating different blows on the pandeiro and, thereby, extracting different sounds, the pandeiro rhythms are ringing, clear, and even slightly transparent. Pandeiro is generally different in that it can create a ringing and pronounced tone. It gives purity to the sound and places accents well when performing fast and complex rhythms.

“Tu-tu-pa-tum” is one of the simplest rhythms performed on the pandeiro. Two strikes with the thumb on the edge of the pandeiro (“tu-tu”), a strike with the entire palm on the center of the pandeiro (“pa”) and again a strike with the thumb on the edge of the pandeiro (“tum”). At the last blow, the pandeira is shaken a little, making an upward movement with the instrument, as if “towards” the palm that strikes.

The relative simplicity of this instrument, which, at first glance, is not so difficult (especially in comparison with the berimbau) to learn to play, is deceptive. The technique of playing the pandeira is quite difficult. To become a real master of playing the pandeira, you need to practice a lot, as, in principle, in any business in which you want to become a professional.

Listen to Pandeiro's solo

- very deep, loud Brazilian bass double head drum. Made of metal or thin wood, the heads are covered with goatskin (often plastic these days). Surdo is actively used in Brazilian carnival music. Surda is played with a stick with a soft tip in the right hand, and the left hand, without a stick, muffles the membrane in between. Sometimes the sound is produced with two beaters. There are three sizes of surdo:

1. Surdu “(ji) primeira”("de primeira") or "ji marcação" ("de marcação") is the most bass drum with a diameter of 24 inches. Plays the second and fourth counts of the bar - accent beats in samba. This is the basis for the formation of bateria.

2. Surdu "(ji) segunda"(“de segunda”) or “ji resposta” (“de resposta”) with a diameter of 22 inches. Plays the first and third counts of the bar. As its name suggests - "resposta", "response", - the surdu segunda answers the surdu primeira.

3. Surdu "(ji) terceira"("de terceira") or "ji crorci" ("de corte"), "centrador" ("centrador") have a diameter of approximately 20 inches. Plays the same beats as surda primeira, with the addition of various variations. The rhythm of the entire bateria is based on the sound of this drum.

Listen to solo surdo

Cuica

Kuika is a Brazilian percussion musical instrument from the group of friction drums, most often used in samba. It has a creaky, sharp timbre of a high register.

It is a cylindrical metal (originally wooden) body, 6-10 inches in diameter. The skin is stretched over one side of the body, the other side remains open. On the inside, a bamboo stick is attached to the center and perpendicular to the leather membrane. The instrument is hung from the side at chest level using a belt. When playing the cuik, the musician rubs the stick up and down, using a damp cloth held in one hand, while pressing the thumb of the other hand on the leather membrane on the outside, in the area where the stick is attached. Rubbing movements generate sound, and the tone changes depending on the degree of pressure on the membrane.

Kuica plays an important rhythmic role in samba music of all genres. Notable is the use of the instrument by groups of performers at the Rio de Janeiro carnival, in the rhythm sections of cuique performers. In the absence of such musicians, Brazilian singers can imitate the sound of cuiki.

Listen to the sound of kiuka

Pow Wow Drum ( Pow Wow Drum)

Drum Pow Wow- a traditional American Indian drum made in the Sioux Drums style. The drum is carefully assembled from 12 sections of the major New Mexico tree species, one for each month of the year; the parts are polished, then covered with raw leather and braided. The instrument was used in rituals of healing, communication with spirits and as an accompaniment to dances. The size of the reels varies greatly; Several players play large drums.

Listen to American Indians singing to the powwow drum

Stilldrum ( Steel drum, pan, kettle drum)

Stilldrum or steel drum- invented in the 1930s after the passage of a law in Trinidad and Tobago banning membrane drums and bamboo sticks for performing music. The drum began to be forged from steel barrels (in large numbers left on the beaches after the end of the Second World War), from sheets of steel 0.8 - 1.5 mm thick. Tuning the instrument consists of forming petal-shaped areas in this steel sheet and giving them the desired sound using hammers. Tool resetting may be necessary once or twice a year.

Used in Afro-Caribbean music such as calypso and soca. The instrument is also represented in the armed forces of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago - since 1995 there has been a "steel band" with the defense forces, which is the only military band in the world using a steel drum. Usually, the ensemble plays several types of instruments: the ping-pong leads the melody, the tune boom forms the harmonic basis, and the bass boom keeps the rhythm.

It is the predecessor of such instruments as hang drum and glucophone.

Listen to the Steel Drama melody along with Cajon and Ukulele

European drums

**Tamorra ( Tamorra)**

Tamorra, also called tamborra (etymologically related to the word Tamburo or drum in Italian), is a frame drum with light jingles, typical of the folk music tradition of the Italian province of Campania, but also common in Sicily. It resembles a Basque tambourine, but is much heavier and much larger. The playing technique uses alternating strokes of the thumb and all other fingers. A unique brush rotation technique is also used. For the first time, images of tambourines similar to the tamorra appear on ancient Roman frescoes, and the position of the musician’s hand is very reminiscent of modern traditional technique.

Apparently, these drums are closely connected with the ancient mysteries. Remnants of these Dionysian mysteries have survived practically to this day in the form of musical traditions associated with the so-called tarantism. Tarantism, according to some researchers, is one of the forms of mass hysteria associated with the ancient belief in a mythical creature, the so-called Taranta, which is sometimes identified with the tarantula spider, although this is not entirely correct. Taranta is rather an evil spirit, a demon, which, when possessing victims, usually young women, caused convulsions, clouding of consciousness, even hysterical fits. Epidemics of tarantism covered entire regions. This phenomenon has been described in chronicles since the early Middle Ages.

To cure this disease, a Tamorra player was invited to perform a rapid rhythm (usually in 6/8) for a long time, accompanied by singing or a melodic instrument. The patient on whom this ritual was performed had to move rhythmically and quickly for many hours. The ritual could last up to a day or more, causing complete exhaustion. For a complete cure, the procedure was carried out several times a year. The last cases of tarantism were described in the 70s of the last century. The folk dances tarantella and its more ancient form pizzicarella come from this ritual. The convulsive movements of the victim, from whom the evil spirit left, were ritualized over time and transformed into various dance movements of these incendiary dances.

In our studio you can hear how Tamorra sounds performed by Antonio Gramsci.

Listen to the rhythms of Tamorra

**Boyran ( bodhrán)**

Boyran- an Irish percussion musical instrument that resembles a tambourine with a diameter of about half a meter (usually 18 inches). Irish word bodhran translated as “thundering”, “deafening”. The boyran is held vertically and played in a specific way with a wooden stick resembling a bone. A professional boyran player's kit includes sticks of a wide variety of shapes and sizes.

The uniqueness of the boyran lies in the use of a stick with two tips when playing, which strikes the membrane with one end or the other, which allows you to significantly reduce the interval between hits. This stick has a special name - “ kipin". The second hand (usually the left) is used to mute the head and change the pitch of the sound. Sometimes a single-pointed stick is used, but then you have to make more movements with the hand to perform rhythms of similar speed.

The diameter of the boran is usually from 35 to 45 cm (14″-18″). The depth of its sides is 9-20 cm (3.5″-8″). The tambourine is covered with goatskin on one side. The other side is open to the performer's hand, which can control the pitch and timbre of the sound. There may be 1-2 crossbars inside, but they are usually not made in professional tools.

Today, the bodhran is used not only in Irish folk music, it has stepped far beyond the borders of this small island, and music is played on the bodhran, which, it would seem, has nothing in common with the environment in which we are used to seeing and hearing it, but wherever he did not appear, a piece of Ireland appears there with him.

Listen to boyran's solo

**Lambeg, Northern Ireland ( lambeg)**

In addition to the bodhran, which is generally strongly associated with Irish folk music and National Liberation Party traditions, Ireland also has another drum, the lambeg, found mainly in Northern Ireland and associated with the traditions of the Liberal Unionist Party. Conservatives advocating for Northern Ireland to remain part of the United Kingdom). Compared to bojran, lambeg is much less popular, although in fact it is no less interesting and unique.

The name of the drum - "lambeg" - is a generic name, like, for example, copier - that's what we call all copiers, although in fact it is the name of the company. Lambeg is an area near Lisburn, a few kilometers southwest of Belfast. It is believed that this name stuck to the drum, because it was there that they first began to play it with reed sticks.

Lambeg, along with Japanese drums, is one of the loudest drums in the world. Often the volume of its sound reaches 120 decibels, which is comparable to the sound of a small aircraft taking off or the sound of a pneumatic drill. During street processions, the sound of lambeg can be heard for several kilometers in the area.

What is this “monster”? The diameter of the lambeg is about 75 cm, the depth is about 50 cm, and the weight is 14-18 kg. The body is usually made of oak, and the top and bottom are covered with goatskin. Previously, lambeg was made from a single piece of wood, but since... Nowadays such trees no longer grow, it is made from two curved oak plates, fastened from the inside like a barrel. A thicker skin is stretched on one side of the drum, and a thinner one on the other, depending on whether the owner of the drum is right-handed or left-handed (the stronger hand should hit the thicker skin). But regardless of the thickness of the skin, the pitch of the sound upon impact on both membranes should be the same.

As mentioned earlier, lambeg is played with reed sticks, because The reed has no connecting seams, so it does not refract in the middle. It is split by threads along the entire length of the stick, so gradually the sticks fray at the ends and fail.

As for decorations, the lambeg is either very simple and austere, or is completely decorated with military, memorial, religious or political symbols.

During rehearsals or performances, the lambeg is installed on a special stand, but during processions the performers have to literally carry it on themselves. A strong strap is attached to the drum, which goes over the neck. At the same time, quite often you can observe a picture when one musician is walking and several people are fussing around, helping him carry the drum, supporting him here and there.

The most reliable version of the origin of lambeg is that it came to Ireland from Scotland or Northern England in the first half - mid-17th century with immigrants, former military men, or from Holland through William of Holland. In any case, all researchers agree that the ancestor of the lambeg is an ordinary military drum of a much smaller size. And it began to “grow” a century and a half later, somewhere from 1840-1850, due to the usual competition between performers, something like: “My drum is bigger than your drum...” Before that, lambeg was often accompanied by the sounds of a pipe, but after it almost doubled in size, the pipes ceased to be heard, and now the “lambeg-pipe” pair is the exception rather than the rule.

As mentioned at the beginning of the article, Lambeg is strongly associated with the Liberal Unionist Party, or the Orange Order, which organizes processions every year in July, and in August the National Liberation Party marches with a boyran in its hands. As for the rhythms they perform, they are very similar in many ways, because the origins, in any case, regardless of political affiliation, are folk. In addition to such political processions, festivals are held throughout the year in Ireland, where hundreds of performers compete to see who can play the lambeg better. Often such competitions last for several hours in a row, until the performers are completely exhausted. The largest festival of its kind takes place in Markethill, Co. Armag, on the last Saturday in July.

Listen to the roar of the lambeg drum

swiss drum)

The Swiss achieved independence in 1291, and became a model of military prowess. The needs of extended marches and camp life contributed to the development of drum music in the 1400s. The rest of Europe took notice of these military musical forms at the Battle of Marignano (near Milan, Italy) in 1515.

The Germanic principalities adopted this martial music in the 1500s and 1600s. The French used Swiss mercenaries in the 1600s and 1700s, who used drum music that influenced the rest of the French army. During Queen Anne's reign in Great Britain, the English army became very disorganized and undisciplined. In 1714 the English army was reorganized, tThis is how drum music was adopted by the British military (with the exception of Scottish regiments).

Drum rhythms were used to broadcast various signals. Military camp life requires a sequence of daily signals: time to get up, breakfast, calling in sick, getting ready, lunch, duty calls, dinner, evening retreat, curfew. On the march with The signals were used to make various formations, including stopping the march, expanding, compacting, speeding up or slowing down. An important use of drums was in the parade before and after the battle. Contrary to popular belief, drums were not used on the battlefield because it was too noisy and confusing.

The history of drum rudiments is closely related to the Swiss drum, which later transformed into the snare drum. snare drum), which was previously called side drum (eng. side drum- that is, “a drum worn on the side”) or simply - a military drum (eng. military- military).

In 1588, the book “Orchestrography” by Thoinot Arbeau from Dion (France) was published. In it, Arbo described the “Swiss Stroke” and the “Swiss Storm Stroke”. These strokes were presented in various combinations, but the fingering for them was not specified.

By 1778, when drums were already well integrated into the military system, Baron Friedrich von Stuben of Philadelphia wrote a manual on the use of drums, through the signals (rhythms) of which the appropriate orders were given.

The first person to use the term "rudiment" was Charles Stewart Ashworth. In 1812, Charles Stuart Ashworth published his textbook A New, Useful and Complete System of Drumming, which used the term to classify a group of drum rudiments. He positioned himself (and is rightfully considered as such) as the father of rudimentary theory.

In 1886, US Navy bandleader John Philip Sousa wrote his didactic work Trumpet and Drum, a book of instructions for the field trumpet and drum. Being a manual for military drummers, it also became widespread among civilians, as it contained a complete set of rudiments for those times.

The National Association of Rudimental Drummers (abbr. NARD) began in 1933. This organization was created to promote the rudiments and introduce them into the educational system. NARD decided to position 26 main rudiments, divided into two tables, each of which included 13 rudiments.

Listen to the Swiss drum duel from the movie "Drumroll"

Timpani ( timpani)

Timpani- a percussion musical instrument with a certain pitch. They are a system of two or more (up to seven) metal cauldron-shaped bowls, the open side of which is covered with leather or plastic, and the lower part may have a hole.

Timpani are an instrument of very ancient origin. In Europe, timpani, close in shape to modern ones, but with a constant tuning, became known already in the 15th century, and since the 17th century, timpani have been part of orchestras. Subsequently, a mechanism of tension screws appeared, which made it possible to rebuild the timpani. In military affairs, they were used in heavy cavalry, where they were used to transmit combat control signals, in particular, to control the formation of cavalrymen. Modern timpani can be tuned to a specific pitch using a special pedal.

At the end of 2014, timpani made by Antonio Stradivari were discovered in the Vatican vaults. The name Stradivarius is associated among the general public, first of all, with violins, however, we now know for certain that there are also Stradivarius drums, shown in the image for this note.

The body of the timpani is a cauldron-shaped bowl, most often made of copper, and sometimes of silver, aluminum or even fiberglass. The main tone of the instrument is determined by the size of the body, which varies from 30 to 84 cm (sometimes even smaller). A higher tone is obtained with a smaller instrument.

A membrane made of leather or plastic is stretched over the body. The membrane is held in place by a hoop, which in turn is secured by screws used to adjust the pitch of the instrument. Modern timpani are equipped with pedals, pressing which easily rearranges the instrument and even allows you to perform small melodic parts. Typically, each of the instrument's drums ranges from a fifth to an octave.

The timbre of the instrument is determined by the shape of the body. So the hemispherical shape creates more sonorous sounds, and the parabolic shape creates duller sounds. The quality of the surface of the body also affects the timbre. Timpani sticks are wooden, reed or metal rods with round tips, usually covered with soft felt. The timpanist can achieve different timbres and sound effects using sticks with tips made of different materials: leather, felt or wood.

Playing the timpani consists of two main playing techniques: single strokes and tremolo. Any of the most complex rhythmic structures are formed from single beats, using either one or several timpani. The tremolo, which can reach enormous frequencies and resembles thunder, can also be played on one or two instruments. On timpani it is possible to achieve enormous gradations of sound - from barely audible pianissimo to deafening fortissimo. Among the special effects is the muted sound of timpani covered with pieces of soft cloth.

Listen to the timpani concerto

Adufe)

- a large square tambourine in Portugal of Moorish origin with two membranes, inside of which beans or small pebbles are often poured, which rattle during the game. The membrane is made from goatskin and is available in sizes from 12 to 22 inches (30 to 56 cm). Traditionally, this tambourine is played by women during religious processions and during regional music festivals.

In 1998, at the World Expo in Lisbon, musician José Salgueiro presented giant adufes, which were a great success.

In Spain, a similar instrument is called pandeiro cuadrado(square pandeiro). Unlike Adufe, he is hit not only with his hand, but also with a stick. More recently, this instrument almost disappeared - it was played by three village women. Currently it is played professionally by the Spaniard Ales Tobias and Cyril Rossolimo.

Interestingly, the Cairo Museum houses an actual rectangular double-sided frame drum from the 14th century BC, which was found in the tomb of a woman named Hatnofer.

Listen to the rhythm for adufe

Listen to the orchestra with square pandeiros

In fact, it is a single rim; the sounding part of the instrument is metal cymbals or bells attached directly to it. There is also a type of tambourine with a membrane.

Tambourine has been known since time immemorial. It can be found in the south of France and India, in Mexico and Central Africa, on the islands of Polynesia and in Asia - in short, various peoples have paid tribute to this wonderful instrument. But the tambourine originally originated from Provence and the Basque Land, where, as Gevart said, it was used in combination with a homemade pipe

20 Nov 2015

Percussion folk instruments. Video tutorial

Russian folk percussion instruments are the first of three groups of folk instruments.A characteristic feature of Russian folk percussion instruments is that some of them were household items.Perhaps one of the most common Russian folk instruments is spoons. There used to be spoons wooden, and people began to use these wooden spoons as a percussion instrument. They usually played on three spoons, two of which were held in one hand, and the third in the other. Children often play on two spoons, fastened together Spoon performers are called spoons . There are very skillful spoon players who play on a large number of spoons, which are stuck both in their boots and in their belts.

The next percussion instrument, which was also a household item, is ruble . It is a wooden block with notches on one side. It was used to wash and iron clothes. If we run a wooden stick over it, we will hear a whole cascade of loud, crackling sounds.

Our next tool that we will get acquainted with will be ratchet . There are two varieties of this tool. A ratchet, which is a set of wooden plates tied together with a rope and a circular ratchet, inside of which there is a toothed drum, when rotated, the wooden plate hits it.

An equally popular percussion folk instrument is tambourine , which is a wooden hoop with small metal plates, with leather stretched on one side.

The next Russian folk percussion instrument is box . It is a block of wood, usually made from hardwood, with a small cavity underneath the top of the body that amplifies the sound produced by drumsticks or xylophones. The sound of this instrument conveys well the clatter of hooves or the clicking of heels in a dance.

Russia with its vast expanses cannot be imagined no C's horses, without coachmen. In the evening, in the snow, when visibility was very poor, it was necessary for people to hear the approaching three. For this purpose, bells and bells were hung under the horse's bow. Bell It is a metal cup open to the bottom with a striker (tongue) suspended inside. It sounds only in limbo. Bell it is a hollow ball in which a metal ball (or several balls) rolls freely and, when shaken, hits the walls, resulting in a sound produced, but duller than a bell.

So many songs and instrumental compositions are dedicated to the Russian troika and the coachmen that it became necessary to introduce a special musical instrument into the folk instrument orchestra, imitating the sound of the coachmen's bells and bells. This instrument was called - bells . A strap is sewn onto a small piece of leather the size of a palm to help hold the instrument in the palm. On the other hand, as many bells themselves as possible are sewn on. By shaking the bells or hitting them on the knee, the player produces sounds reminiscent of the ringing bells of the Russian troika.

Now we'll talk about a tool called kokoshnik .

In the old days, village watchmen were armed with so-called mallets. The watchman walked

at night around the village and knocked on it, letting fellow villagers know that he was not sleeping, but working, and at the same time scaring off thieves.

The percussion folk instrument kokoshnik is based on the principle of this sentry beater. Its basis is a small wooden frame covered with leather or plastic, which is struck by a ball suspended from the top. The player makes frequent oscillatory movements with his hand, causing the tied ball to swing from side to side and alternately hit the walls of the kokoshnik.

The next musical instrument is called firewood . It consists of logs tied with rope of different lengths. Not all wood will sound good. It is better to take hardwood firewood. The logs are taken of different lengths, but approximately the same thickness. After the instrument is made, it is tuned.

We have become acquainted with the main Russian folk instruments, and in conclusion I would like to introduce you to some of the most famous percussion instruments of other nations.

A very common Latin American instrument is maracas.

Maracas or maraca is the oldest percussion and noise instrument of the indigenous inhabitants of the Antilles - the Taino Indians, a type of rattle that produces a characteristic rustling sound when shaken. Currently, maracas are popular throughout Latin America and are one of the symbols of Latin American music. Typically, a maraca player uses a pair of rattles, one in each hand.

In Russian, the name of the instrument is often used in the not entirely correct form “maracas”. The more correct form of the name is "maraca".

Initially, the dried fruits of the gourd tree, known in Cuba as “guira” and in Puerto Rico as “iguero”, were used to make maracas. The gourd tree is a small evergreen plant that is widespread in the West Indies (Antilles), Mexico and Panama. Large higuero fruits, covered with a very hard green shell and reaching 35 cm in diameter, were used by the Indians to make both musical instruments and dishes.

To make maraca, small fruits with a regular round shape were used. After removing the pulp through two holes drilled in the body and drying the fruit, small pebbles or plant seeds were poured inside, the number of which varies in any pair of maracas, which provides each instrument with a unique individual sound. At the last stage, a handle was attached to the resulting spherical rattle, after which the instrument was ready

Now let's get acquainted with a very famous Spanish percussion instrument - castanets.

Castanets are a percussion musical instrument that consists of two concave shell plates, connected in the upper parts with a cord. Castanets are most widespread in Spain, Southern Italy and Latin America.

Similar simple musical instruments, suitable for rhythmic accompaniment of dance and singing, were used in Ancient Egypt and Ancient Greece.

The name castanets in Russian is borrowed from Spanish, where they are called castañuelas (“chestnuts”) due to their resemblance to chestnut fruits. In Andalusia they are more often called palillos ("sticks").

The plates have traditionally been made from hardwood, although recently metal or fiberglass is increasingly being used. In a symphony orchestra, for the convenience of performers, castanets are most often used, mounted on a special stand (the so-called “castanet machine”).

Castanets, used by Spanish dancers, were traditionally made in two sizes. Large castanets were held with the left hand and beat out the main movement of the dance. Small castanets were held in the right hand and played various musical patterns that accompanied the performance of dances and songs. Accompanied by songs, castanets acted only as acting out - during a break in the voice part.

In world culture, castanets are most strongly associated with the image of Spanish music, especially with the music of Spanish gypsies. Therefore, this instrument is often used in classical music to create a “Spanish flavor”; for example, in such works as J. Bizet’s opera “Carmen”, in Glinka’s Spanish overtures “Aragonese Jota” and “Night in Madrid”, in “Rimsky-Korsakov’s Capriccio Espagnol”, in Spanish dances from Tchaikovsky’s ballets.

Although percussion instruments are not given the main role in music, percussion instruments often give music a unique flavor.

Percussion is the largest family of musical instruments today. The sound from instruments of this type is extracted by striking the surface of the sounding body. The sound body can take many shapes and be made from a variety of materials. In addition, instead of striking, shaking is allowed - essentially, indirect striking with sticks, hammers or beaters on the same sounding body.

The history of the appearance of the first percussion instruments

Percussion instruments are among the most ancient. The first prototype of a percussion instrument appeared when primitive people, striking stone against stone, created a kind of rhythm for ritual dances or simply in everyday household chores (crushing nuts, grinding grain, etc.).

In fact, any device that produces measured noise can be called a percussion instrument. At first it was stones or sticks, planks. Later, the idea came to tap the rhythm on skin stretched over a hollow body - the first drums.

When excavating tribal settlement sites in Central Africa and the Far East, archaeologists discovered samples that were more similar to modern ones. Obviously, it was they who at one time served as an example for the creation of European percussion instruments.

Functional features of percussion instruments

The sound produced by percussion instruments comes from primitive rhythmic melodies. Clinking and ringing prototypes of modern percussion musical instruments were used during ritual dances by the peoples of Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome, Asian countries.

But representatives of the ancient Arab states used percussion instruments, in particular drums, in military campaigns. European peoples adopted this tradition much later. Poorly melodious, but loud and rhythmic, drums became an invariable accompaniment of military marches and anthems.

And in the orchestra, percussion instruments have found quite wide application. At first, he was denied access to European academic music. Gradually, drums found their use in dramatic music within opera and ballet orchestras, and only then did they find their way into symphony orchestras. But today it is difficult to imagine an orchestra without drums, timpani, cymbals, tambourine, tambourine or triangle.

Classification of percussion instruments

The group of percussion musical instruments is not only numerous, but also very unstable. Several different ways of classifying them have been developed, so the same instrument can belong to several subgroups at once.

The most common percussion instruments today are timpani, vibraphone, xylophone; various types of drums, tambourines, African tam-tam drum, as well as triangle, cymbals, and many others.