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!

I like to think of orchestras as their own micro societies. You have a hierarchy, with the conductor, concert master, and section leaders. You have rituals, such as rehearsals, sound checks, and performances. And, as with any society, there are rules or moral codes.

Using the term ‘section etiquette’ makes it sound more complicated than it is. Ultimately, what I’m discussing here is how musicians, especially percussionists, interact with each other. The rules below aren’t complex — there are only three — but they’re useful for promoting section harmony.