Top 12 Kids' Drum & Percussion Instruments

Percussion is generally referred to as the rhythm section of a music ensemble. A percussion instrument is a musical instrument that produces sound when struck, plucked, shaken, or rubbed. The use of percussion instruments became more common in the early 20th century. Music genre such as rock, hip-hop, rap, and even funk uses some percussion beat to keep the tune in time.

Classification of Percussion instruments

There are two standard classifications of percussion instrument:

The pitched or tuned percussive instrument, like drum sets, marimba, xylophone, and vibraphone, produces notes when struck. These instruments are employed in performing a melodic section of a composition. Contrarily, untuned percussion instruments are incapable of manufacturing a selected pitch. Examples of unpitched percussion instruments include the snare, gong, suspended cymbal, tam-tam, tom-tom, triangle, agogo bells, and tambourines.

Percussion instruments for different age groups

For preschoolers, percussion instruments such as tambourine, xylophone, ocarina, and rattles can be the best to begin. For children in early elementary, drums can be a decent pick. While playing drums, the kid has to coordinate all the four limbs to work simultaneously. It expands the child’s brainpower and growth. Playing drums build the foundation to perform several other instruments like claves, congas, djembe, and bass drums.

Materials used in percussion instruments

Few percussion instruments are made from a specific material that gives them their characteristic sound. However, many manufacturers choose synthetic materials for instruments like xylophones, Maracas, Drum, etc. While the synthetic material is durable, drums and tambourine made from woods or bamboos are better in terms of performance. It is better to consider non-toxic, child-safe material with a smooth-edge finishing.

Sounds produced by the percussion instruments

Timpani is made up of copper with drumheads made of plastic or calfskin stretch over their tops. The pitch is changed by stretching or loosening the drumheads. The xylophone has keys, which players hit with a mallet. The resonators attached to the bottom of the keys give the xylophone its bell-like sound. Marimba, the larger version of xylophone with wooden or plastic, resonators gives a more perfected, rounded sound.

Categories Simillar to Kids' Drum & Percussion Instruments includes Kids' Guitars & Strings, Kids' Pianos & Keyboards

Kids' Guitars & Strings

Kids' Pianos & Keyboards