What is idiophone?

What Does idiophone Mean

An idiophone is a musical instrument whose sound is generated through the vibration of its primary material . This means that idiophones sound when your body vibrates , without the need for membranes or strings to vibrate.

For an idiophone to emit sound, your body must have the elasticity necessary for the vibration to be maintained. This forces its structure, be it stone, metal or wood, to have certain physical characteristics.
Percussion instruments that lack membranes are generally idiophones. According to how they are made to vibrate, it is possible to differentiate between rubbed, plucked, percussed instruments, etc.

The triangle is an example of an idiophone. In this case, it is a triangular shaped metal object with an open vertex. The musician must hold the triangle by a string that is tied at the top vertex and strike the idiophone with a stick, generating the vibration and, therefore, the sound.
A bell is also an idiophone. Shaped like an inverted cup , this hollow object vibrates when struck.
A popular instrument in Caribbean and African rhythms that is part of the set of idiophones is the maraca . This instrument consists of a hollow sphere crossed by a handle that allows it to be held. Inside the sphere are seeds or small stones. Thus, the performer has to take the maraca by the handle and shake it so that the seeds or stones hit the wall of the sphere, producing the sound.

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