The percussion family of instruments contains a wide variety of instruments to play. While many percussionists learn multiple instruments, you have to pick one to start learning, so let\u2019s study several choices and which might be the best for you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The table below lists 10 popular percussion instruments (11 with drum kit) ranked form easiest to hardest: <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n A large part of what makes some percussion instruments easier to pick up than others is whether they are pitched or unpitched instruments. Pitched instruments such as the xylophone are overall more complex than unpitched instruments like the bass drum. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Table of Contents<\/p>\nInstrument Name<\/strong><\/th> Percussion Type<\/strong><\/th> Music Style<\/strong><\/th> Reading Music<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead> Bass Drum<\/td> mallet\/beater<\/td> orchestral, wind band, marching band<\/td> required, easy<\/td><\/tr> Cymbals<\/td> hands\/sticks<\/td> orchestral, wind band, marching band<\/td> required, easy<\/td><\/tr> Tambourine<\/td> hands\/sticks if mounted<\/td> folk, classical, samba, gospel, pop, country, rock<\/td> not required, easy<\/td><\/tr> Timpani<\/td> mallets\/sticks<\/td> orchestral, wind band rock, jazz<\/td> required, moderately easy<\/td><\/tr> Cajon<\/td> hands<\/td> tondero, zamacueca, Peruvian waltz, flamenco, rumba, blues, pop, rock, funk, and jazz. <\/td> not required, moderate<\/td><\/tr> Djembe<\/td> hands<\/td> traditional African music, world pop music<\/td> not required, moderate<\/td><\/tr> Conga\/Bongo<\/td> hands <\/td> Latin and Afro-Cuban genres: rumba, salsa, conga. Jazz<\/td> Not required, moderate<\/td><\/tr> Snare Drum<\/td> sticks<\/td> orchestra, wind band, marching band<\/td> Required, difficult<\/td><\/tr> Tabla<\/td> hands<\/td> Hindustani classical, pop, folk<\/td> Not required, difficult<\/td><\/tr> Xylophone – Vibraphone – Marimba – Glockenspiel<\/td> mallets <\/td> orchestral, wind band, marching band, pop, jazz <\/td> Required, very difficult<\/td><\/tr> Drum kit<\/td> sticks<\/td> rock, jazz, pop, country, blues<\/td> Not required, very difficult<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n