Percussionists get teased quite a bit, but guess what? There are loads of percussion instruments, really! Let’s dive into the **top 5 tuned or pitched percussion instruments**. These are often some of the **most misnamed**.
Keep on reading to find out what they look like, their inner workings, the music they produce and much more!
What is a tuned percussion instrument?
Tuned instruments refers to musical instruments that are calibrated to produce specific pitches or tones.
Tuned – or pitched – percussion is one of the categories within the percussion family. Those percussion instruments with a definite pitch. There is usually more than one pitch on these percussion instruments, meaning you can play melodies and harmony on them.
The opposite is an untuned percussion instrument that does not produce a definite pitch. Examples of these instruments are a bass drum, cymbal, triangle and drum kit.
Tuned percussion instruments
Tuned percussion includes a variety of instruments. They are each made of different materials, produce different sounds and you use different mallets on each instrument.
However, there is one big similarity. The layout of tuned percussion instruments (excluding the timpani) is exactly the same as the piano. Once a percussionist can play one of these instruments, they can make music on any of them easily.
Idiophones
Many percussion instruments are idiophones. An idiophone is an instrument where the material itself vibrates to create the initial sound.
Xylophones, glockenspiels
The xylophone is possibly the best-known member of the percussion family and originates from Africa. It is has wooden bars (also known as notes or keys) that have resonators (tubes) underneath. When played with a hard mallet it can produce a piercing sound, but with a softer mallet it produces a mellow sound.
COMES WITH: Full set
FEATURES: Mallets & Dust Cover
Yamaha YX35G Xylophone
When you check the price above, you’ll see there are loads of great places to buy this item. Our personal favorite is Gear4music.
It is the largest music retailer in the UK and fast becoming the most respected online music shop in the US too. Their customer service is excellent, they have competitive prices, really fast shipping, and usually have the longest guarantee.
Most professional musicians use Gear4music, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t too!
- Established and trusted brand
- Height Adjustable
- Smaller bars create a lesser quality tone and dynamic range
The professional musician who wrote this article combined many things,
from the product build, manufacturer’s reputation through to feedback
from other users, to create our famous TedScore™.
The glockenspiel is similar to the xylophone, the fundamental difference is that the notes on the instruments are made from metal and it is much smaller in size. This means the glockenspiel produces a much brighter and more pure sound.
It is particularly popular for use in school music education because it can come in a very small
COMES WITH: High Carbon Steel Bars produce bright tones
FEATURES: Mallets & Dust Cover
Yamaha YG250D Glockenspiel
When you check the price above, you’ll see there are loads of great places to buy this item. Our personal favorite is Gear4music.
It is the largest music retailer in the UK and fast becoming the most respected online music shop in the US too. Their customer service is excellent, they have competitive prices, really fast shipping, and usually have the longest guarantee.
Most professional musicians use Gear4music, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t too!
- More resonance due to nodal point support string
- Compact Size is good for rehearsal space
- Stand not included
The professional musician who wrote this article combined many things,
from the product build, manufacturer’s reputation through to feedback
from other users, to create our famous TedScore™.
Marimba
The marimba is a rich and warm instrument and is typically used for solo music. The bars are wooden and have resonators underneath. The large bars help giving the marimba its mellow character.
Here is a rather impressive arrangement of some music – Rimsky Korsakov’s Flight of the Bumblebee played on the marimba with four mallets!
Aesthetically, the marimba is similar to the xylophone. The main difference is that the bars on the xylophone are much smaller, which gives the xylophone a more piercing sound.
COMES WITH: Yamaha Tuning Method
FEATURES: Mallets & Dust Cover
Yamaha YM1430
Marimba
When you check the price above, you’ll see there are loads of great places to buy this item. Our personal favorite is Gear4music.
It is the largest music retailer in the UK and fast becoming the most respected online music shop in the US too. Their customer service is excellent, they have competitive prices, really fast shipping, and usually have the longest guarantee.
Most professional musicians use Gear4music, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t too!
- Height Adjustable Frame
- Compact frame for travel
- Sound quality is not as good as Honduras rosewood bars
The professional musician who wrote this article combined many things,
from the product build, manufacturer’s reputation through to feedback
from other users, to create our famous TedScore™.
Bells
Tubular Bells are also known as Chimes. They typically have a range of 1.5 octaves, are played with hard mallets and have a damping pedal so the percussionists can stop the bells from ringing. Their pitch is rarely used for melody, but instead they are used to add colour. Their sounds can be compared to Church Bells.
Tubular Bell Trivia! Despite the title ‘Tubular Bells’, Mike Oldfield’s iconic music album features very little of the instrument!
COMES WITH: Yamaha Tuning Method
FEATURES: Mallets & Dust Cover
Yamaha YCH6018
Tubular Bells
When you check the price above, you’ll see there are loads of great places to buy this item. Our personal favorite is Gear4music.
It is the largest music retailer in the UK and fast becoming the most respected online music shop in the US too. Their customer service is excellent, they have competitive prices, really fast shipping, and usually have the longest guarantee.
Most professional musicians use Gear4music, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t too!
- New suspension system
- Lower hanging bells make easier playing
- Mallets not included
The professional musician who wrote this article combined many things,
from the product build, manufacturer’s reputation through to feedback
from other users, to create our famous TedScore™.
Timpani
Timpani are also known as kettle drums. They are large bowls that are usually made of copper, with a head stretched across the top. The percussionist can change the pitch of the drum by loosening or tightening the head by operating a pedal.
The timpani are most commonly played alongside the percussion section of an orchestra. They are very important as they support the tune, harmony and rhythm. There are typically four drums (32, 30, 28 and 25 inches). This is to allow the player to play more notes in quick succession more easily.
Intermediate Players
COMES WITH: Full set
FEATURES: Mallets & Dust Cover
WHD Complete Timpani Drum Set
When you check the price above, you’ll see there are loads of great places to buy this item. Our personal favorite is Gear4music.
It is the largest music retailer in the UK and fast becoming the most respected online music shop in the US too. Their customer service is excellent, they have competitive prices, really fast shipping, and usually have the longest guarantee.
Most professional musicians use Gear4music, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t too!
- Come with high quality Remo heads
- Great entry-level option
- Mallets not included
The professional musician who wrote this article combined many things,
from the product build, manufacturer’s reputation through to feedback
from other users, to create our famous TedScore™.
Other tuned percussion instruments
The vibraphone has a slightly different layout to the other percussion instruments. Another difference is that inside of its resonators are small electric fans. You can set the speed of the fans to different levels, which changes the duration of the sound. They are great instruments for playing chords as the sound can linger for a while.
COMES WITH: Full set
FEATURES: Mallets & Dust Cover
Yamaha YV2030MS Vibraphone
When you check the price above, you’ll see there are loads of great places to buy this item. Our personal favorite is Gear4music.
It is the largest music retailer in the UK and fast becoming the most respected online music shop in the US too. Their customer service is excellent, they have competitive prices, really fast shipping, and usually have the longest guarantee.
Most professional musicians use Gear4music, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t too!
- Swivel Pedal makes dampening from different positions easier
- Great entry-level option
- Mallets not included
The professional musician who wrote this article combined many things,
from the product build, manufacturer’s reputation through to feedback
from other users, to create our famous TedScore™.
Quirkier percussion instruments include the:
- Aluphone, famously played by Evelyn Glennie at the 2012 London Olympics.
- The kalimba, which is a series of small, narrow metal bars played with the fingers.
- And also the boomwhackers, one of the most accessible percussion instruments as it is simply a plastic tube made to a certain length which you can strike on any surface.
Top 5 tuned percussion instruments
Summary
I hope we have cleared up for you which percussion instruments are which! These top five percussion instruments are featured here because of their versatility and the range of sounds they can produce between them. They can be played by musicians in many genres of music. At the back of the orchestra, wind band, brass band, jazz band or down in the theatre pit, to name a few.
Best for Intermediate Players
Yamaha YX35G Xylophone
An established and trusted brand
Best for Pit Work
Yamaha YV2030MS Vibraphone
Swivel Pedal makes dampening from different positions easier
Best instruments for Intermediate Players
WHD Timpani Set
Come with high-quality Remo heads and is a great entry-level option
Cool to see the glockenspiel make the list. It’s like every Christmas song’s secret weapon, isn’t it? Next up, top 5 instruments for making a haunted house sound track. Spoiler: The theremin tops the list.
Got to play a marimba once, was pretty cool. That’s all.
Interesting article. I’m always looking for resources to share with my students, especially ones that break down complex information into digestible parts. I particularly appreciate the section on tuned percussion instruments as it’s a topic we’re covering next semester. However, I noticed that there wasn’t much mention of the chimes or the vibraphone, which could also be fascinating for readers exploring the broader family of tuned percussion.
This article on tuned percussion instruments has been incredibly insightful. It’s fascinating to learn about the diverse range of instruments such as marimbas, xylophones, and timpani. I’ve always been intrigued by the unique sounds they produce in orchestras and bands. Your explanation of idiophones and their characteristics provided a solid foundation for understanding the essence of these instruments. Thanks for sharing such valuable information.
always thought timpani was kinda underrated. Cool to see it getting some love here. It’s got this epic sound that no other percussion really does. Good stuff!
Absolutely agree! The timpani’s depth adds an unparalleled richness to orchestral music.
Imagine aliens discovering timpanis first when they land. They’d think earth is just one big orchestra spot. lol
Hey Sam, loved the rundown. Was curious about the marimba’s origins. Is it African or Latin American?
Hey Sam, awesome rundown on tuned percussion instruments! Does the material of mallets used on marimbas change the sound much? I’m curious cause I’m thinking about experimenting with different ones for a project.
Definitely does! Harder mallets give a brighter sound, while softer ones are more mellow. Gotta play around to find what suits your style.