Common pitched percussion instruments include:
- Timpani: These are large, bowl-shaped drums that are tuned to specific pitches. Timpani are played by striking the drumheads with mallets.
- Xylophone: A xylophone consists of a series of wooden bars of different lengths, which are struck with mallets. Each bar is tuned to a specific pitch.
- Marimba: A marimba is similar to a xylophone, but it has wooden resonators underneath the bars, which gives it a warmer, more mellow sound.
- Vibraphone: A vibraphone is a metal-bar instrument that has a motor-driven rotating damper that creates a vibrato effect.
- Glockenspiel: A glockenspiel is a small, high-pitched metal bar instrument that is often used in orchestras and marching bands.
Pitched percussion instruments are used in a wide variety of genres of music, from classical to jazz to pop. They add color and texture to the music and can be used to create melodic lines, chords, and accompaniments.