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The xylophone (from Ancient Greek ξύλον (xúlon) 'wood' and φωνή (phōnḗ) 'sound, voice'; [1] [2] lit. ' sound of wood ' ) is a musical instrument in the percussion family that consists of wooden bars struck by mallets .
A number of instruments have been invented, designed, and made, that make sound from matter in its liquid state. This class of instruments is called hydraulophones. Hydraulophones use an incompressible fluid, such as water, as the initial sound-producing medium, and they may also use the hydraulic fluid as a user-interface.
Non-metal mallets are used for general playing, while metal mallets produce a more brilliant sound. Rubber mallets may be used for a warmer sound, although rubber that is too soft may struggle to excite the metal bars. Playing chords on a glockenspiel can be done with four mallets using a grip such as Stevens technique.
The hard mallets create the sharp and bright sound, normally used for faster playing. The soft mallets create the mellow and softer tone, used for slower songs. In the Thai xylophone family, there are several similar instrument with bars made from different types of material, such as metal (ranat ek lek, ranat thum lek) and glass (ranat kaeo).
The criteria for classifying musical instruments vary depending on the point of view, time, and place. The many various approaches examine aspects such as the physical properties of the instrument (shape, construction, material composition, physical state, etc.), the manner in which the instrument is played (plucked, bowed, etc.), the means by which the instrument produces sound, the quality ...
Orchestral percussion section with timpani, unpitched auxiliary percussion and pitched tubular bells Djembé and balafon played by Susu people of Guinea Concussion idiophones (), and struck drums Modern Japanese taiko percussion ensemble Very large drum kit played by Terry Bozzio Mridangam, an Indian percussion instrument, played by T. S. Nandakumar Evelyn Glennie is a percussion soloist
The means by which the sound is produced. The most widely used classification system for musical instruments, Hornbostel–Sachs, takes this approach. Musical usage, in particular the traditional division into tuned percussion and untuned percussion, and the similar and more modern division into pitched percussion and unpitched percussion.
A glockenspiel and a set of crotales in use While individual cowbells are generally considered unpitched, sets such as these can be found in a chromatic arrangement.. A pitched percussion instrument (also known as a melodic or tuned percussion instrument) is a percussion instrument used to produce musical notes of one or more pitches, as opposed to an unpitched percussion instrument which is ...