Grade 4- Percussion Instruments: Creative Arts and Sports

Percussion musical instruments are musical instruments played by striking, shaking, hitting or scraping.

Naming percussion musical instruments by looking and listening.

1.     Drums

2.     Marimba

3.  Shakers

Shakers

4.     Kayamba

5.     Xylophone

Xylophone

6.     Kigamba

7.     Adongo

Adongo

8.     Njuga

Njuga

9.     Ibirandi

10.   Jingles

Jingles

Grouping percussion musical instruments

Percussion musical instruments are grouped in to two groups namely

1.     Melodic percussion instruments- Are instruments that when played they produce a tune

2.     Non melodic percussion instruments- Are instruments that played they cannot produce a tune

Melodic percussion instruments

1. Marimba

Non-Melodic percussion instruments

1. Kayamba

2. Adongo

3. Drums

4. Xylophone

5. Triangles

6. Njuga

Parts of a drum

Parts of a drum

1. Membrane or the skin is hit using hands or sticks to produce sound. The skin could cover both end of the hollow body of the drum

2. Resonator/ Sound box – This part makes the sound louder. In other words it amplifies the sound

3. Laces – They are used to attach the membrane onto the body of the drum. They are also used in tightening and loosening the membrane to make it produce the best desired sound

4. Sling – It is a strap or belt that is fixed on the side of the drum. This part is used for carrying or holding the drum.

5. Pegs-These are used to hold and attach the skin firmly onto the body

Tuning a drum

A drum can be tuned by:

1. Tightening or loosening the membrane covering the head of the drum using laces

2. Placing besides a fire/warming the skin near a fire

3. Placing outside under the sun

4. The tighter the membrane of the drum, the higher the pitch produced.

Making a percussion instrument

Shaker

Materials to be used to make a shaker

1. Wires

2. Nail

3. A Y- Shaped Stick

4. Bottle Tops

5. A hammer

6. Seeds

7. Bottle

8. Empty Tins

How to make a shaker

1. Pierce a hole through the two opposite sides of the stick

2. Burn the bottle tops to remove the rubber

3. Flatten the bottle tops using a hammer

4. Using a nail, punch holes through the bottle tops.

5. Pull the wire through the bottle tops to arrange them on it

6. Pull the wire through the holes at the ends of the stick and tie it firmly

7. You can play the instrument by shaking as you sing

Materials used to make a drum

1. Wood

2. Empty

3. Skin

4. Ropes