Percussion for Dummies

Percussion is a word we often use to describe a musical instrument or a group of instruments that you play by striking or hitting them with something, like your hands, a stick, or even a drumstick. Think about when you tap your fingers on a table, or clapping your hands together, that's a form of percussion too! So, basically, percussion involves making sounds by hitting or striking an instrument.

Let's take an example: have you ever seen a drum set? The drums on a drum set are a perfect example of percussion instruments. When you hit the drums with the drumsticks, they make different sounds depending on where and how hard you hit them. It's like when you tap on a tabletop in different places, it can make different sounds too!

But wait, there's more! Percussion can also refer to a section of an orchestra or a band. Just like a team has different players who do different things, an orchestra or a band also has different sections, like the brass section, the woodwind section, the string section, and the percussion section. The percussion section is made up of people who play instruments like drums, tambourines, cymbals, maracas, and lots of other cool instruments that you hit or strike to make sound.

So, to sum it all up, percussion means making sounds by hitting or striking an instrument, like drums or tambourines, or even just clapping your hands. It can also refer to a section in an orchestra or a band where people play these kinds of instruments. Just think of it like playing music by hitting or striking things! Pretty cool, right?