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The most commonly found orchestral percussion instrument is the timpani (kettle drums). A kettle drum is tuned to a single note. Often an orchestral score will ask for two or more drums tuned to different notes (especially the tonic and dominant notes).

The xylophone, glockenspiel, celeste and marimba are also percussion instruments which produce notes of definite pitch.

Most percussion instruments make sounds of indefinite pitch. These include the snare drum, bass drum, cymbals, tambourine, gong and triangle.

EnglishItalianGermanFrench
Bass drumCassa, gran cassaGrosse TrommelGrosse caisse
CymbalsPiatti/CinelliBeckenCimbalos
DrumTamburoTrommelTambour
GlockenspielGlockenspielGlockenspielJeu de timbres
Snare drumTamburo piccoloKleine TrommelCaisse claire
TriangleTriangoloTriangelTriangle
TambourineTamburelloTamburinTambour de Basque
Kettle drumTimpanoPaukenTimbales
XylophoneXilofonoXylophonXylophone
tambourine
xylophone
timpani