15 Percussion Instruments Worth Adding To Your Setup

Percussion instruments can add a unique flair to your music. I’ll recommend a few great options to enhance your setup and elevate your sound.

Percussion is the oldest form of musical instruments, aside from the human voice. For thousands of years, people have played various kinds. These instruments beautifully reflect the cultures they originated from, showcasing a rich history.

Today’s market offers these instruments readily, so adding them to your setup shouldn’t be challenging.

Here are some of the percussion instruments that are definitely worth trying:

1. Cowbell

A cowbell is one of the first percussions that come to mind. Its familiar sound fits many music genres like classic rock and Afro-Cuban beats. Various types and sizes are available, offering different sustain and sound colors.

2. Octobans

First introduced by Tama in 1978 and popularized by legendary drummer Cobham, octobans are relatively new percussion instruments. They come as a set of eight small-diameter tom-toms tuned in octaves. However, most drummers prefer using two or four single-head octobans. This setup makes your drums sound brighter and more melodic.

3. Drumset Tambourine

A tambourine is one of the most common percussions, and I’m sure you’re familiar with its sound. Many tambourines come with a mounting system, letting you attach them to your drum set. It’s a cheap and easy way to add some dynamics to your playing.

4. Effect Cymbals

Hi-hats are key in a standard drum kit, but other cymbals can add unique colors to your playing. Each cymbal offers different pitch, sustain, and tone. Common effect cymbals include China, Trash, and Splash.

5. Gong

This large percussion instrument has a history dating back thousands of years. Eastern civilizations, particularly the Chinese, used it for mediation and rituals. Today, many rock drummers prefer it because of its almost endless sustain.

6. Wood Block

This common slit percussion instrument is a hollow piece of wood that comes in various shapes like rectangular, round, and tubular. It has been used throughout history in both western and eastern cultures. In a modern drum set, it typically sits at the top rear rim of the bass drum.

7. Side Snare

Using unique percussion instruments can make your drumming sound more exotic. However, sometimes a familiar sound in a new way is what’s needed. A side snare fits this role perfectly. It’s simply a snare drum with smaller dimensions, providing a higher pitch.

8. Mark Tree (Chime Tree)

This is a valuable addition to your drum set. It has metal tubes of varying sizes, often aluminum, hanging from a wooden stick. You can get different designs and sizes. Each one produces a chime-like sound, enhancing the stage atmosphere.

9. Timbales

If you want to add some reggae and ska flavor to your sound, this is the percussion you need. Developed in the late 19th century, this instrument is a type of drum with a metal casing. Its amazing tonal characteristics make it popular among Latin jazz drummers, for salsa, Afro-Cuban, and many other beats.

10. Conga

This percussion instrument from Cuba is arguably the most popular. Many drummers use it, even though it differs greatly from a classic drum set. It’s essential to Latin music genres, such as salsa, samba, Afro-Cuban, Latin rock, and various jazz subgenres.

11. Maracas

Maracas, originating from Caribes, are a pair of shakers often made of wood and leather. They’re used in various Latin music styles but also feature in pop, rock, and other genres. For instance, you can hear maracas in many Led Zeppelin songs.

12. Güiro

The Güiro is an interesting instrument from Puerto Rico. It’s an open-ended hollow gourd with parallel notches. Play it by rubbing a stick along the notches, producing a fantastic, recognizable ratchet sound used in various music genres and other purposes.

13. Rototom

After exploring exotic instruments, let’s return to something more common. The Rototom, created by Al Payson and Michael Colgrass, is a top percussion addition. It features no shell, just a zinc or aluminum frame and one head. You can tune it easily by rotating. With its wide pitch range, it elevates your drumset’s sound. It’s simple to mount and worth trying, regardless of your preferred genre or playing style.

14. Gong Drum

Played like a gong, the gong drum is a large tom that you can mount like other toms. With a bass-size diameter, it offers a super-low pitch and exceptional sustain. To hear it in action, listen to the band Styx and drummer Ed Cassidy.

15. Drum Module

Though it’s not a physical percussion instrument, a drum module is a fantastic tool for modern drummers. Whether you play on pads or connect triggers to acoustic drums, it offers new possibilities to enhance your playing instantly. A drum module is a great way to easily expand your sound and improve as a musician.

Here’s a list of common percussion instruments that can be a great addition to your drum set. Each brings a unique tone, adding new colors to your playing. The *world* of percussion is vast, and these are just a few options. Listen to as many as you can to understand their characteristics. Some will definitely become part of your set, no matter the genre you play.

Image Credits:

Cowbell – Image by: Erhard Glück, CC BY-SA 2.0 DE, via Wikimedia Commons
Octoban – Image by: Andrewa, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Drumset Tambourine – Image by: Frenciscobcn, CC BY-SA 1.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Effect Cymbals – Image by: bigdrumthump.com from Santa Monica, United States, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Wood Block – Image by: Ferbr1, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Side Snare – Image by: Chocho, FAL, via Wikimedia Commons
Mark Tree – Image by: Muzyczny.pl, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Timbales – Image by: http://muzyczny.pl, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Conga – Image by: Edwin1971 at Dutch Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Güiro – Image by: No machine-readable author provided. Miguel Andrade assumed (based on copyright claims)., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Rototom – Image by: Andreas Hünnebeck, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Gong Drum – Image by: Xylosmygame at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Drum Module – Image by: Sascha Jäggiuploaded on Flickr by: Dave Kobrehel from CH, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons