The information in this section has come from books by Beck (1995) and Girsberger (1998)
The details of these books are at the end in the "References" section
WHAT are Timpani?
Click on the picture to hear what timpani sound like (Ferrier, 2009).
Timpani are large tunable drums usually played with felt-tipped mallets (Girsberger, 1998:83)
Timpani are also called "Kettle Drums" (Beck, 1995:98)
WHERE do you play Timpani?
Play about 3cm to 5cm from the edge of the Timpani
The larger the size, the further away from the edge of the timpani you play
Do not play in the middle of the Timpani
The middle of the Timpani does not resound
Some modern composers have written advanced pieces which use odd places to play:
such as striking the rims (hard metal ring around the drum)
-
or the shell (called the "bowl" because of it's shape) of the Timpani
HOW do you play Timpani?
Playing the Timpani is like drawing a big Tick in the air
The bottom of the Tick is where you strike the drum
This is called an "up-stroke"
A specialised felt-tipped mallet is used to play Timpani
WHEN do you play Timpani?
Timpani music is written on the Bass Clef (see picture)
For more information about the Bass Clef click on MUSIC NOTATION on the "Home Page"
The Bass Clef music lets you know when to play the Timpani
A "note" = "play"
A "rest" = "silence"
If you have a rest you need to stop the Timpani from sounding
Placing your little fingers lightly on the drum surface will stop the sound
WHY are Timpani played?
The Timpani play deep pitched notes that help support the melody
Special effects include:
- "rolls" (fast hand-to-hand playing)
- and "glissando" (where the tuning pedal is moved immediately after playing a note (changes the pitch very quickly)
