Emilie Meyer
Timpani, or kettledrums, are musical instruments in the percussion family. They are played by striking a membrane, called a head, stretched over a large bowl, traditionally made of copper. The drums are set up in an arc around the performer, with the lowest drum on the left and the highest on the right in North America, Britain, and France, and the reverse in German-speaking countries. Panning is a technique used in music production to create a surround sound by placing sounds on a left-to-right spectrum. In an orchestra, timpani are typically centred or placed to the left. When panning drums, it is important to maintain a 'healthy' balance, ensuring that the most impactful elements remain at the core of the beat.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Timpani | Musical instruments in the percussion family |
| Other names | Kettledrums, timps, vessel drums, semispherical drums |
| Parts | Membrane called a head, a large bowl traditionally made of copper |
| Tuning | Movable foot-pedal |
| Played by | Striking the head with a beater called a timpani stick or timpani mallet |
| Beat spot | Approximately 4 inches (10 cm) in from the edge |
| Roll | Striking the timpani at varying velocities; mallets are held a few inches apart |
| Orchestral positioning | Centered or to the left |
| Number used | Professional orchestras may own more than one set; schools and youth orchestras may have two or three |
| Arrangement | Drums are set up in an arc around the performer, with the lowest drum on the left and the highest on the right (American system) or vice versa (German system) |
| Panning | A technique to make drum sounds fill an entire room; the most impactful elements should remain at the core of the beat |
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What You'll Learn
Orchestral positioning
In a traditional orchestra, the string section, including violins, violas, cellos, and basses, sits at the front of the room. The woodwind section is positioned slightly behind the strings, followed by the brass and percussion sections at the back. When panning orchestral instruments, it is generally recommended to avoid extreme left or right panning, as it does not accurately reflect the positioning of instruments in a live orchestra. Instead, slight panning adjustments can be made to create a sense of space and separation between different sections and instruments.
For example, the 1st violins are typically positioned halfway left, while the 2nd violins are placed slightly closer to the centre, allowing for distinction between the two sections. The violas are positioned at the centre or slightly right, followed by the celli less than halfway to the right. The basses are then positioned halfway to the right side. This gradual panning from left to right helps create a sense of depth and separation within the string section.
The percussion section, including the timpani and bass drum, is usually centred or placed slightly to the left to avoid clashing with the celli and basses. The horns are often positioned slightly to the left, while the trumpets are placed slightly to the right. The woodwind section, including flutes and clarinets, is typically placed slightly to the left, with the oboes and bassoons slightly to the right.
It is important to note that orchestral positioning can vary depending on the specific piece and the creative vision of the composer or arranger. While traditional orchestral seating can be used as a guide, experimentation and customization are often employed to achieve the desired sound and effect. Additionally, the use of reverb can significantly impact the perceived positioning of instruments, with greater reverb suggesting increased distance and space between sections. Ultimately, the goal is to strike a balance between creating a realistic orchestral image and achieving the desired auditory experience.
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Panning techniques
Kicks and Snares:
When panning drum sounds, maintain the impact of the core of your beat by keeping kicks and snare sounds at the centre without applying any panning. This provides a solid foundation for the rest of your percussion to build upon.
Hi-Hats, Cymbals, and Percussion:
Around the central kicks and snares, you can pan other percussion instruments to create a sense of space and dynamics. Typically, hi-hats, cymbals, tambourines, and shakers are panned slightly to the right or left of centre, adding depth to your mix without overwhelming the main beat.
Toms and Melodic Percussion:
For more exotic and melodic percussion elements, such as toms, bongos, and congas, a more radical panning approach can be taken. Panning these instruments between +/- 45 and +/- 90 creates a spacious and immersive soundstage. However, be cautious when panning elements completely to the left or right, as they may disappear when played back on a mono source or with a broken speaker.
Orchestral Panning:
When panning an orchestra, it's important to consider the traditional seating arrangement of the different sections. For example, first violins are typically placed halfway left, cellos less than halfway right, and basses halfway right. Panning these sections accordingly can add a sense of realism to your mix. However, be cautious not to overdo it with extreme panning, as it might sound unnatural and contradict the actual positioning of the orchestra.
Balancing the Mix:
Maintain a 'healthy' balance in your panning to preserve the power of your song. For every element panned to one side, counterbalance it by panning something else to the other side. This ensures your mix doesn't become lopsided and helps create a cohesive and immersive soundscape.
Layering and Clap/Snare Enhancement:
A simple yet effective technique to strengthen clap and snare sounds is to layer three equal drum sounds on top of each other. Pan one close to the far right (+80/+90), one close to the far left (–80/–90), and leave the third exactly in the centre. This creates an expansive and impressive soundstage. Additionally, you can layer two different snare sounds to create a unique, new snare tone.
Remember, panning is a creative process, and experimentation is key. Play around with the panning settings to find what works best for your composition. Keep in mind that timpani, being drums with definite pitches, present unique challenges. Focus on both impeccable drumming technique and cultivating the noble tone of the timpani to create a well-rounded and impactful performance.
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Timpani rolls
Timpani, or kettledrums, are musical instruments in the percussion family. They are played by striking a membrane called a "head" with a specialised beater called a timpani stick or timpani mallet. A timpani roll is executed by striking the timpani at varying velocities. The speed of the strokes is determined by the pitch of the drum, with higher-pitched timpani requiring a quicker roll than timpani tuned to a lower pitch.
It is important to realise that playing rolls on different notes and on different sizes of drums means that your roll speed needs to change to make your roll sound its best. On low notes and big drums, you will play relatively slowly compared to the roll that you'll play on a small, high-pitched drum. There is an optimal speed for every roll that doesn't choke the sound and doesn't sound like individual strokes or like your roll is an exact rhythm. Rolls also need to be fluid. They're not measured in most cases, which means that your roll will be "out of time" and "in time" all at once.
When performing a timpani roll, mallets are usually held a few inches apart to create more sustain. Anton Bruckner's Symphony No. 7 requires a continuous roll on a drum for over two and a half minutes. In general, timpanists do not use multiple bounce rolls like those played on the snare drum, as the soft nature of timpani sticks causes the rebound of the stick to be reduced, causing multiple bounce rolls to sound muffled.
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Pitch and resonance
The timpani is a musical instrument in the percussion family. It is a type of drum categorised as a hemispherical drum, consisting of a membrane called a "head" stretched over a large bowl, traditionally made of copper. The pitch of the drum can be altered using a foot pedal, which tightens or releases the tension on the drumhead. Timpani are also the most resonant drums, with a lengthy sustain to the tone.
When playing the timpani, a player is, in a sense, both drumming and producing tones. The quality of the "drumming" needs to be impeccable, with the same attention to perfect timing, evenness, and fluidity of hands, and dynamic control that one would bring to snare drumming or drum set playing. At the same time, the unique and noble tone of the timpani must be maximised with every stroke.
To produce the round, resonant sound commonly associated with the timpani, a timpanist will beat the head approximately 4 inches (10 cm) in from the edge. Beating at this spot produces a round, resonant sound. A timpani roll is executed by striking the timpani at varying velocities; the speed of the strokes is determined by the pitch of the drum, with higher-pitched timpani requiring a quicker roll than lower-pitched timpani. While performing the timpani roll, mallets are usually held a few inches apart to create more sustain. Anton Bruckner's Symphony No. 7 requires a continuous roll on a drum for over two and a half minutes.
In general, timpanists do not use multiple bounce rolls like those played on the snare drum, as the soft nature of timpani sticks causes the rebound of the stick to be reduced, causing multiple bounce rolls to sound muffled. Instead, timpanists like to use alternate sticking in general, because it helps maintain consistency and quality of sound, but there are many times when doubles are useful. Developing even doubles is essential practice.
In German-speaking countries such as Germany and Austria, large timpani are traditionally placed at the right side of the performer, with smaller timpani to the left. In other words, the pitch increases from right to left. In other regions, it is common to reverse this direction, so that the pitch increases from left to right, an arrangement that feels intuitive as it is similar to a piano keyboard.
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The American and German systems
The German system, on the other hand, sets up the drums in the reverse order, with the lowest drum on the right and the highest on the left, resembling a drum set or upright bass. This setup is common in Germany, Austria, Greece, Holland, Switzerland, and Hungary.
The American grip is a hybrid of the German and French grips. In the German grip, the palm of the hand is approximately parallel to the drum head, with the thumb on the side of the stick. The French grip has the palm perpendicular to the drum head and the thumb on top of the stick. The American grip falls somewhere between these two styles.
The choice between the two setups is often based on the player's handedness. The German setup is more natural for right-handed players, while the American system may be preferred by left-handed players. However, the distinction between the two systems is not strict, and many North American players use the German setup and vice versa.
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Frequently asked questions
Panning is a tool that helps you turn a small layer of sound into a surround-sounding tune. It helps to make your drums sound huge and fill the entire room.
Timpani and bass drums are usually centred or to the left in an orchestra to avoid clashing with celli/basses. In German-speaking countries, large timpani are placed on the right side of the performer, with smaller timpani on the left. In other regions, the direction is reversed, with the pitch increasing from left to right.
Kicks and snare sounds should be left at the centre. Around this centre, you can pan other drums and percussion samples like hi-hats, cymbals, tambourines, and shakers a little to the right and/or left of centre. For more melodic percussion instruments like toms, bongos, and congas, a more radical panning between -/+ 45 and -/+ 90 is suggested. You can also try layering three equal drum sounds on top of each other and panning them to the far right, far left, and centre to create a spacious and impressive sound. Additionally, timpani rolls can be used to produce a sustained tone.
