Course detail

Introduction to Issues of Percussion Instruments

FEKT-BPC-UHBAcad. year: 2025/2026

Students will learn the basic division of percussion instruments into membranophonic and idiophonic ones (metallophones, xylophones, litophones, crystallophones, elasmatophones) including examples of selected instruments, as well as conventional and less conventional ways of making the tone, types of drumsticks, tonal ranges of instruments, and dynamic and articulation options. Students will have the opportunity to individually test the aspects mentioned above on the instruments.

Language of instruction

Czech

Number of ECTS credits

Mode of study

Not applicable.

Guarantor

doc. Ing. MgA. Mgr. Dan Dlouhý, Ph.D.

Department

Hudební fakulta (HF JAMU)

Entry knowledge

Knowledge of music theory is required.

Rules for evaluation and completion of the course

Evaluation of study results follows Rules for Studies and Examinations of BUT and Dean's Regulation to the Rules for Studies and Examinations of BUT. Credit is given for completing the course exercises.
To obtain the credit it is necessary to complete at least 10 exercises during semester. Other forms of the checked instructions are specified by a regulation issued by the guarantee of the course and updated for every academic year.

Aims

The aim of the course is to familiarize students with percussion instruments and their literature in terms of a sound or music director.
The student will be able to:
- enumerate the basic percussion instruments,
- describe membranophone percussion instruments with a certain pitch,
- describe membranophone percussion instruments with indefinite pitch,
- describe idiophonic percussion instruments of various materials with a certain pitch,
- describe idiophonic percussion instruments of various materials with indefinite pitch,
- describe elasmatophone percussion instruments.

Study aids

Not applicable.

Prerequisites and corequisites

Not applicable.

Basic literature

Beck, J., Encyclopedia of percussion. Garland Publishing N. Y., 1995. ISBN 978-0824047887 (EN)
Blades, J. Percussion Instruments and their History. 4th ed. London: Bold Strummer Ltd, 1992. ISBN 978-0933224612 (EN)
Kotek, Miroslav: Bicí nástroje. Panton Praha, 1983 (CS)

Recommended reading

Not applicable.

Classification of course in study plans

  • Programme BPC-AUD Bachelor's

    specialization AUDB-ZVUK , 3 year of study, winter semester, compulsory-optional

Type of course unit

 

Fundamentals seminar

26 hod., compulsory

Teacher / Lecturer

doc. Ing. MgA. Mgr. Dan Dlouhý, Ph.D.

Syllabus

1. Basic division of percussion instruments. Membranophonic percussion instruments with a definite pitch (timpani).

2. Membranophonic percussion instruments with a definite pitch (other).

3. Membranophonic percussion instruments with indefinited pitch (orchestral membranophones).

4. Membranophonic percussion instruments with indefinited pitch (Latin American membranophones).

5. Membranophonic percussion instruments with indefinited pitch (ethnic membranophones).

6. Membranophonic percussion instruments with indefinited pitch (drum set).

7. Idiophonic metal percussion instruments – Metallophones with a definite pitch.

8. Idiophonic metal percussion instruments – Metallophones with indefinited pitch.

9. Idiophonic wooden percussion instruments – Xylophones with a definite pitch.

10. Idiophonic wooden percussion instruments – Xylophones with indefinited pitch.

11. Idiophonic stone percussion instruments – Litophones with a definite and indefinite pitch.

12. Idiophonic glass percussion instruments – Crystolophones with definite and indefinite pitch.

13. Idiophonic percussion instruments - Elasmatophones.