Is a xylophone a percussion instrument? Specifically, how is it classified within the percussion family, given its tuned bars? Is it considered a pitched or unpitched percussion instrument, and are there different types of xylophones that might fall into different subcategories? And, broadly, what are the defining characteristics that qualify an instrument as percussion in the first place?
Answer
Yes, a xylophone is a percussion instrument.
Percussion instruments are musical instruments that are sounded by being struck, shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise agitated. Xylophones consist of tuned wooden bars, typically arranged in a keyboard fashion. These bars are struck with mallets (usually made of rubber, plastic, yarn, or wood) to produce musical notes. The length and density of each bar determine its pitch. The act of striking the bars with mallets is the defining characteristic that categorizes the xylophone as a percussion instrument. Furthermore, the sound is produced by the vibration of the struck material (wood), another characteristic of percussion instruments.