Tambourine

Etymology and Alternative Spellings

Fr: tambour de Basque; Ger: Schellentrommel, Tamburin; It: tamburino, tamburello; Sp: pandereta, pandero

Construction

The modern orchestral tambourine is a shallow wooden single-headed drum. The shell of the drum contains numerous spaces in which pairs of metal disks, called jingles, are placed. The jingles can be made of different metals each one containing a different timbre. Some of the metals include silver, bronze, or steel. These disks are held in place by metal pins that are driven through holes in the centers of the disks and into the wood of the shell. The diameter of the drum is generally 10 inches but may range anywhere from 6 to 12 inches. There can be either one or two rows of jingles depending on what sound is required. The tambourine's head is typically made of animal skin but some are made with synthetic material as well. The head is attached to the shell through pins around the edge. The tension of the head is produced by the drying of the animal skin or increasing the tension evenly around the edge.