percussive
Involving rhythmic striking
Percussive describes sounds made by striking or impact—sharp, rhythmic, and resonant rather than sustained or melodic.
Drums and xylophones are percussive instruments.
The word extends to anything with a similar quality: percussive consonants, the percussive clatter of typewriter keys.
A percussive style emphasizes rhythm and attack over smoothness.
Struck membrane instruments
- cymbalsClashing metal percussion
- xylophonePitched percussion with bars
- marimbaTuned bar percussion instrument
- timpaniTunable orchestral percussion
congas · bongos · djembe · tabla · snare · tom-tom · gong · tambourine
Having regular tempo
- drummingPercussive rhythm-making
- beatingRepeated striking or pulsing
- strikingNoticeably impressive
- poundingForceful repeated striking
tapping · staccato · syncopated · polyrhythmic · pulse · cadence · tempo · groove
Fine-edged, or astute
- crispFirm and breakable
- staccatoShort, separated note style
- resonantDeeply vibrating with sound
- thuddingMaking dull impacts
cracking · snapping · clacking · clattering · ringing · metallic · wooden · hollow
drums
Struck membrane instruments
- cymbalsClashing metal percussion
- xylophonePitched percussion with bars
- marimbaTuned bar percussion instrument
timpani · congas · bongos · djembe · tabla · snare · tom-tom · gong · tambourine · vibraphone
rhythmic
Having regular tempo
pounding · tapping · staccato · syncopated · polyrhythmic · pulse · cadence · tempo · groove · backbeat
sharp
Fine-edged, or astute
thudding · cracking · snapping · clacking · clattering · ringing · metallic · wooden · hollow · booming
clipped
Cut or trimmed briefly
punchy · abrupt · explosive · rhythmic · choppy · syllabic · accented · hammering · plosive · articulated
mallets
Headed striking tools
- sticksSlender wood pieces
- brushesBristled implements for grooming
- hammeringStriking repeatedly with force
striking · rimshot · roll · flam · paradiddle · dampening · muting · slapping · tapping · fingerpicking
- dance qualitiesfluidity, graceful, musicality, rhythmic, grace
- music wordsacoustic, melodic, harmonic, rhythmic, bass
- music adjectivesmelodic, harmonic, rhythmic, tonal, tuneful
- rhythm typessyncopated, upbeat, downbeat, driving, pulsing
- sound textureswarm, bright, crisp, smooth, harsh
- Guitarelectric guitar, acoustic guitar, classical guitar, guitar string, guitar strap
percussivesustained
Kept up continuously
bowed · blown · plucked · strummed · continuous
- percussion sectionStruck instrument players
- body percussionSounds from striking oneself
- keyboard percussionTuned bars struck with mallets
- percussion instrumentsInstruments played by striking
- tuned percussionStruck instruments with pitch
- hand percussionInstruments played by striking directly
repercussion, percussion, repercussions, percussionist, percussions, percussively