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What makes up a tambourine?

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The tambourine is actually much more simple than a lot of people make it to be. The first part of the tambourine is the ring of the tambourine. This is the piece of wood, plastic, or metal that the other pieces of the tambourine are attached to. Most of the time, from the name of this part, the ring is in a simple circular formation. However, newer models of this instrument have started taking on a more conducive shape for the player that allows them to grip the tambourine easier. The second part of the tambourine is the head of the drum that is stretched across the ring of the tambourine. The head can be made of animal skins, or even some advance extremely thin plastics. This gives the tambourine a drum sound. The tambourine can be played by hitting it with your hand or with a drumstick. Slapping the instrument against your leg or thigh can also play the tambourine. The larger the drumhead is the deeper the sound the tambourine is going to sound, therefore if you want a more higher pitched sound to your tambourine, make sure you grab one that is in the smaller variety.

The third portion of the tambourine, and the most noticeable are the metallic rings that are placed around the ring, which are basically just called jingles. The jingles are used whenever the instrument is played. When you hit the top or slap it against your leg, the jingles make that familiar noise. Also some musicians simply shake the instrument just to use the jingles without having to strike a melody with the drum.

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