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Position:Home>Performing Arts> Why does the person playing the Timpani likes to lean on the instrument & listenQuestion: Why does the person playing the Timpani likes to lean on the instrument & listen!? I thought that is the cutest thing I've ever seen in orchestra performances!. The Timpani or other percussion like instruments musicians like to put the body and lean on the instrument and listen to it!.
Is it because of the rest of the orchestra noise, they want to hear how their one particular instrument they're playing sound like!? I am confused!.!. Thanks!Www@QuestionHome@Com Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: I was a timpani player in my college orchestra, and my high school orchestra!. and it can be for two reasons: Reason 1: They are tuning the drums!. You can't hear one particular instrument in an orchestra EVER!. But you hear the rest of the orchestra, and usually most Timpani players now (Well at least the professional ones) just tune by the pitch of the piece!. For example the orchestra would play a C# chord, and the Timpani player would tune the instrument really fast, at least that's how my Timpani teacher taught me to do!. Reason 2: They want to make sure the Timpani is in tune!. It's hard for Timpani players to tell if they are in tune because, let's say you're playing a very mellow piece, and you don't think you're in tune!. Than you would lean over, and just tap the drum head very softly!. It's actually kind of embarrasing to the Timpani player himself, and the orchestra if you're drums are not in tune!. You would end up playing a note flat or sharp, or not even in the note range, and everybody else in the orchestra would think they are out of tune, and the conductor looks at everybody thinking "What the hell is happening here!?" than stop the whole piece, you see where I'm going here!? Well, hope this answers your question!.Www@QuestionHome@Com The timpanist is tuning!. They are changing notes!. This is done by moving the pedal, changing the tension of the head which changes the frequency and vibrations, which in turn changes the pitch!. They lean up against the them and listen so no one else can hear them, otherwise it might effect the piece, especially if the rest of the orchestra is quite!.Www@QuestionHome@Com OMG, they are trying to change the notes on their timpani!. During most songs, there are key changes and they have to change the notes!. That's why they are trying to listen to it, to make sure they have the right note!. I'm surprised you noticed that, it's SUPPOSED to be inconspicuous, but who cares!.Www@QuestionHome@Com Really it′s just a body custom, you don′t need to do that, the timpani has a definite intonation, the timpani, the triangle and the piccolo, are instruments that could be listen above all others instruments of the orchestra and maybe the player have other sensation!.Www@QuestionHome@Com |