Timbales
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Timbales are Latin American drums which are played in pairs. They are pitched in the middle range - lower than bongos, but higher than congas, timbales have shallow metal bodies supported on a central rod. A plastic skin is stretched very tightly over the drum head. Timbales are normally played with thin sticks and have a metallic, clanging tone. By striking the rim, head, or shell you can produce a wide variety of pitches and tone colors.
| Family |
| Percussions |
| Pitch range |
| None. |
| Material |
| Cylindrical metal bodies, with tight plastic heads. |
| Size |
| About 14 in (36 cm) in diameter, 8 in (20 cm) deep. |
| Origins |
| Timbales are played in bands all over Latin America, and may have originally been developed in Cuba. |
| Classification |
| Membranophone: an instrument that produces its sound by the vibration of a stretched skin. |
| And also... |
| The name of the instrument stems from the French word "timbale," meaning kettledrum. The word kettledrum itself dates back to the 16th century. |
