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GM Non melodic percussion

Skip navigation General Midi Voices GM Non Melodic Percussion

Intro , Brief def of some of the instruments , Complete list with MIDI note numbers

For a brief description of some of the less known instruments such as Agogo, Timbale, Cuica, Cabasa etc, try

http://www.hobgoblin-usa.com/info/glossary.htm

For a description of the modern drum set, and its history:

Drum set ; History of the Drum and Drum Set.

Off-line, see the New Groves Dictionary of Musical Instruments.

You can select any of these instruments into a part using the Non Melod Perc.. . menu, - see Parts | Non melodic percussion menu

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Brief def of some of the instruments

Many of the instruments are frequently played in pairs, one pitched higher than the other, which is why there are often two entries. For instance, High Agogo, and Low Agogo.

Agogo - struck clapperless bell (Yoruba tribe, Africa).

Bongos - paired small Afro Carribean drums in two pitches, made from hollow tree trunks.

Chinese cymbal - has high cup shaped centre and distinctive hollow sound.

Claves - 2 cylindrical hardwood sticks, one hit with the other, L. Am.

Conga - Afro Cuban drum - long tapered or barrel shaped, played with fingers or palm of hand.

Cabasa - gourd with handle, covered with beads, and sometimes with pieces inside. L. Am. and 20th c., sounded by twisting in air, moving beads, striking with palm or rotating bowl in palm.

Cuica - Brazilian friction drum with remarkable pitch range.

Guiro - elongated gourd with marks and frets on sides, switch is rubbed against frets to make sound. Afro Cuban and 20th c. music.

Hi Hat - pedal operated double cymbal, also played by striking with a stick.

Maracas - pair of gourd rattles.

Ride cymbal - large cymbal used for "ride" rhythms.

Snare drum - military / orchestral side drum tensioned with strings (these are the "snares")

Timbale = tuned pair of single headed cylindrical drums important in L. Am. and 20th c. music.

Tom - small drum, Chinese, skin attached to sides by brass nails.

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Complete list with MIDI note numbers

The instrument is played by playing the note number on channel 10.

35 Acoustic Bass Drum 59 Ride Cymbal 2
36 Bass Drum 1 60 High Bongo
37 Side Stick 61 Low Bongo
38 Acoustic Snare 62 Mute High Conga
39 Hand Clap 63 Open High Conga
40 Electric Snare 64 Low Conga
41 Low Floor Tom 65 High Timbale
42 Closed Hi-Hat 66 Low Timbale
43 High Floor Tom 67 High Agogo
44 Pedal Hi-Hat 68 Low Agogo
45 Low Tom 69 Cabasa
46 Open Hi-Hat 70 Maracas
47 Low-Mid Tom 71 Short Whistle
48 High Mid Tom 72 Long Whistle
49 Crash Cymbal 1 73 Short Guiro
50 High Tom 74 Long Guiro
51 Ride Cymbal 1 75 Claves
52 Chinese Cymbal 76 High Wood Block
53 Ride Bell 77 Low Wood Block
54 Tambourine 78 Mute Cuica
55 Splash Cymbal 79 Open Cuica
56 Cowbell 80 Mute Triangle
57 Crash Cymbal 2 81 Open Triangle
58 Vibraslap 
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