Timpani
Timpani are sometimes called "kettle drums." This is because they look like large cooking kettles with large heads stretched across the top. There is a pedal attached to the head of each of the timpani and it can be used to tighten or loosen the head to produce different pitches.
Timpani come in a variety of standard sizes and can produce different notes based on their size. Standard size timpani are 32 inch diameter, 29 inch diameter, 26 inch diameter, 23 inch diameter, and 20 inch diameter. Each timpano has a range of about a perfect 5th.
Padded mallets are used to strike the timpani. These mallets can vary in size and hardness to make different sounds when they hit the timpano head.
Timpani can be heard in orchestras, concert bands, and percussion ensembles.
Study the image provided and listen to the sound sample of the timpani to gain an understanding of this instrument.
Listen to a sample of the timpani:
