Identification

• Timpani are large bowl-shaped drums made of copper or fiberglass. The timpani's drumhead is made of calfskin traditionally or plastic in modern examples. A percussionist plays timpani by striking the drumhead with felt-tipped wooden sticks, which are known as mallets or beaters. The timpani can produce a specific pitch based on their size.
  
  

History

• Timpani were used first by Asian military horseback riders, who bought the drums to Europe sometime in the 15th century. Two hundred years later, the drums were brought to the orchestra because of the ability to tune them to play a specific pitch. At first, threaded bolts around the rim were used to tighten or loosen the drumhead. However, in the 18th century, a handle was attached to the bolt to expedite tuning.
  
  

Parts

• Timpani have several parts, which either provide the tuning capability or are traditional pieces. The bowl of the drum is known as the resonator. The drumhead stretches across the top. Tension screws are located around the top of the drumhead. The pedal beneath the resonator activates the tension screws to change the drum's pitch at any time. Most modern timpani are tuned with tuning gauges.
  
  

Sound Properties

• Timpani drums can play precise pitches. When the tension screws are tightened, the drumhead stretches, raising the pitch. Looser tension screws lower the pitch. An individual timpani drum has a range of a perfect fifth, and professional models may extend that range by an octave. According to Virginia Tech Music School, the standard sizes and ranges of timpani include: 20-inch diameter, F3 to C4; 23-inch diameter, D3 to A3; 26-inch diameter, A2 to E3; 29-inch diameter, F2 to C3; and 32 inch-diameter, D2 to A2.
  
  

Playing a Timpani

• Timpanists strike the drumhead about halfway to three-quarters from the center. According to Georgia State University's School of Music, the actual sounded frequencies of the timpani are further affected in a significant way by air damping within the bowl to finally produce the sequence of frequencies actually heard from the instrument. In an orchestra, one timpanist may play two, three or four individual timpani so that a range of pitches can be played to accent the music.