The Glockenspiel (グロッケンシュピール Gurokkenshupīru), also called bells, is a musical instrument in the percussion family.
Construction[]
The instrument is comprised of a set of tuned metal bars arranged in the fashion of the keyboard of a piano. It is similar to the xylophone; however, the xylophone's bars are made of wood, while the glockenspiels are metal plates or tubes, thus making it a metallophone. The glockenspiel, moreover, is usually smaller, and higher in pitch.[1]
Performance[]
Like all mallet percussion instruments, glockenspiel players need to be well-versed in the layout of a keyboard and performing with such. Players must select the proper material mallet for the performance; usually, a small mallet with a hard ball made of metal. This produces the distinct and resonant tone glockenspiels are famous for.
It is uncommon, but not impossible for the glockenspiel's part to be written for more than two mallets, which can be achieved by holding two mallets in one or each hand.
Glockenspiels are notoriously loud and shrill, meaning players must carefully choose dynamics to blend best with the music.
The instrument is often the first pitched percussion instrument new percussionists start with, due to the relatively small size and expense of it when compared to other mallet percussion instruments.
Scoring[]
Glockenspiels are found in nearly every genre of music. In concert bands and symphony orchestras, glockenspiel parts are typically written as one of the instruments of a larger percussion part, usually also including other mallet instruments or auxiliary percussion.
Glockenspiels are often used as auxiliary sound effects in popular music.
Gallery[]
References[]
- ↑ George Grove (ed.), A Dictionary of Music and Musicians, 4 vols. (London: Macmillan and Co., 1878–1889)
| Woodwinds | |
|---|---|
| Brass | |
| Strings | |
| Percussion | |
| Other | |