CHAP. II.] 



SIMPLE INSTRUMENTS. 



131 



Hence it follows that electricity may be used as a motive power ; 

 and, indeed, the carillon at Saint Germain TAuxerrois, besides having 

 an ordinary key-board, possesses also an electric one. " Thus it 

 would be possible," says M. Sire, " for the organ in a church to play 

 the chimes : this would be quite a new effect." 



III. DRUMS. 



We have now come to the simple instruments of which 

 are obtained by stretched skins or parchment, and are generally rein- 

 forced by a box. They are usually called 

 drums and kettle-drums. 



The most simple of these instruments 

 is the tambourine, formed of parchment 

 stretched over a cylindrical hoop, and fur- 

 nished all round with small bells or small 



plates of sounding metal. The instrument FIG 85 _ The tambourine . 

 is held in one hand and is struck by the 

 back of the other, or the thumb and fingers are passed over the 



FIG. 66. European military drums. 



surface. This gives both a rhythmed vibration of the parchment 

 and sounds produced by the shaking of the little bells or plates. 



K 2 



