The term ‘Percussion’ covers a lot of instruments. As such, it’s a pretty common to come across ones listed in your sheet music which you don’t have access to. Whether this is due to limited budget, broken instruments, or obscure rarities don’t really matter. What does matter is figuring out a suitable alternative.

The basic principle to selecting an alternative is to find something with the closest equivalent timbre or function. So, without further ado, here are my Top 10 percussion substitutions!

Mallets are expensive and even as a seasoned percussionist it can be difficult to know which ones to buy. For this reason, most percussionists I know tended to start from the same general selection of mallets before branching out.

This month I thought it would be useful to explore popular recommendations. Whether you’re looking to boost your school collection or a student has asked for advice, I hope this list helps you on your way!