Tambourine

The tambourine is one percussion instrument that has been used for thousands of years, by both men and women players, in a wide variety of cultures, including Mesopotamian, Greek, and Roman cultures.  It is a simple, yet versatile instrument (probably one of the reasons it is still with us today!), and it adds a unique voice to whatever musical context it is played in. The context in ancient times was usually religious, but the tambourine has become part of modern popular and folk music.  Since the 18th century, it has also been incorporated into Western Classical musical compositions.

The tambourine (also known as the timbrel or tabret in the Christian Bible) is a hand-held frame drum, with a round wooden frame to which is attached an animal skin or parchment "head".  Around the frame of the drum are the familiar and unmistakeable metal discs, or "jingles", which produce the unique metallic, "jingle" sound that makes the tambourine easy to identify when heard.  The instrument can be shaken, or the wooden frame is often struck with hands or against the body; the attached skin head can be played with the hands or fingers, by brushing or striking the skin.