Other
The Mudcat Cafe: Make Your Own Drums
Hands-on-activity for making music. Find out how to make your own drums at this website. Explore and have fun with music.
Other
Notation in Musicator
Site includes music composition software: percussion marking, fret marking, notes, rests, and more.
Other
The Mudcat Cafe: Blocks, Bells, Box Drums and Mallets
Have you ever wondered how to make homemade musical instruments? Use this site to find out how to construct sandpaper blocks and mallets.
Other
Rhythm Web: Coffee Can Drums
Learn how to make a percussion instrument using a coffee can. This site provides instructions for making the coffee can drum. You can also listen to audio clips of coffee can drums being played in various ways.
Michigan Reach Out
Michigan Reach Out!: Drums (Sounds Like Science)
This site is provided for by Michigan Reach Out. Students experiment with the variables of force, pitch and volume after making a drum.
Phil Tulga
Phil Tulga: Unifix Drum Machine
Get creative making your own beat patterns with this fun interactive unifix drum machine. Simply click the yellow squares wherever you like and then hit the play button. You can also choose from example drum patterns.
PBS
Classics for Kids: Musical Instruments
An A-to-Z directory of all the instruments and tools of the orchestra. Each entry includes a description, a picture, and a sound sample.
PBS
Classics for Kids: Match the Rhythm
Match the rhythm you hear by hitting a section of the drum set.
The Franklin Institute
Franklin Institute: Music to Our Ears
Discover the connection between sound waves and hearing with this webpage tutorial. Be sure to click on the picture for detailed information.
American Museum of Natural History
American Museum of Natural History: Anthropology: Sounds of the Silk Road
Travel the tales and sounds of the Silk Road through this resource and understand how music shaped Asian, and eventually, western cultures. You can create your own music to share with your friends, and gain knowledge about common...
Curated OER
Merriam Webster: Visual Dictionary Online: Snare Drum
Illustration of a snare drum, with its parts designated.
BBC
Bbc Radio 3: World on Your Street
World on Your Street, although not actively maintained since 2005, is one answer to uncovering different sounds in world music. Find interviews with musicians who brought their music to the UK from many different parts of the globe....
Other
Anything but Quiet: Taiko in America
Discusses the development of Japanese Drumming, called Taiko in America from 1960 to the present.
Wikimedia
Wikipedia: Cadence
Read about the musical term cadence and its importance in music and dance. Includes a description of the four main types of cadences in modern music theory and other definitions of cadence at this site.
Countries and Their Cultures
Countries and Their Cultures: Ndembu
The Ndembu inhabit the western portion of Mwinilunga District in Zambia's Northwestern Province. The Ndembu, numbering about 40,000 in Zambia, constitute about 1 percent of the total population. Some 40 percent of Ndembu are now...
Countries and Their Cultures
Countries and Their Cultures: Lozi
The Lozi consist of a number of interrelated ethnic groups located along the Zambezi River in Barotse Province of western Zambia. The term "Lozi" refers both to the Lozi proper and to those groups that have become subject to and...
Other
Rhythms of Puerto Rico Plena
Study the rhythms of Puerto Rico through the musical form of the plena. Included are explanations of the different types of drums used in the plena. Audio examples and a pdf document of sheet music demonstrating the plena can also be...
Countries and Their Cultures
Countries and Their Cultures: Lango
The Lango are one of the largest of the non-Bantu ethnic groups in Uganda. Since Ugandas independence, the Lango have become integrated into national political life. Music and dance are important aspects of Lango life; the finger piano,...
Countries and Their Cultures
Countries and Their Cultures: Nyamwezi and Sukuma
The Nyamwezi and Sukuma are two closely related ethnic groups that live mostly in the region to the south of Lake Victoria in west-central Tanzania. Beliefs in a High God are widely held but involve no special cult. Belief in witchcraft...
Quia
Quia: Dear Mr. Henshaw: Parts of a Friendly Letter
A fill-in-the-blank music game on percussion instruments. The student is able to check their answer after each of the 10 questions.
Other
Vic Firth: Educator's Resource Library
This website is a cornucopia of resources for percussion instruction. There are videos, audiocasts, podcasts, interviews with talented percussionists. Please check out this website is you are interested in any aspect of percussion.
Dallas Symphony Orchestra
Dallas Symphony Orchestra Kids: Listening Library
At this resource listen to a selection of audio clips that feature the works of a full range of composers and a full orchestra of instruments. Scroll down an alphabetical list to find the composer or instrument you want, then choose the...
Other
Wine Country Productions: Sequential Circuits
This company offers restored and warrantied electronic music equipment and instruments including drum machines and synthesizers. Provides spare parts as well as technical service.
Other
Homemade Instruments
Do you want to make an egg shaker? Come to this website and find out how. Homemade instruments can be made from different household items. Don't miss out on all of the music that can be made at home or school.