What are the percussion instruments of definite pitch?

Answer 1

Percussion instruments are classed by organologists as idiophones: instruments which produce their sound by the vibration of their bodies. Percussion specifically infers being struck.

Pitch is classed as sound with periodic structure, which is usually clarified as "not noise". Noise is generally described as being a lot of components, usually not related mathematically to one another. As clarification, a Flute can sound a very-nearly pure sine tone, but at lower pitches makes a complex sound with any sine components 'harmonically' related: each is an integer multiple of the fundamental's frequency. Bells are periodic, although their components tend to be less harmonic, and gongs tend to "klangs", stacks of music-interval-related components (like fifths or fourths) which are not related by simple counting-math.

Therefore, percussion instruments of definite pitch should be those instruments which make a sound definable as periodic from the vibration of their own bodies, usually from being struck. (This leaves out the snare-drum, for instance, because the action of the snares is to generate a lot of unrelated components, which act to make a sense of noise, rather than tone.)

Many drums emit a single pitch: tomtoms, for instance. Timtoms are a variant invented in the last century for Marching Bands: open-shell drums hung together on a wearable frame, each drum pitched to allow a semblance of melody. These are on the edge of 'percussion instruments of definite pitch'; it is unlikely that some one will object greatly if two timtom sets are not tuned together, even in the same band.

Tympani may also teeter on the edge of the definition, because, although they can produce specific pitches and can be tuned, the pedal or crank used to tune them can result in very different pitches even for the same positions. However, we're entering here into the definition.

Most of the percussion instruments of definite pitch have a number of elements, each tuned to produce a definite pitch, and struck to produce the sound. This includes celeste, vibraphone, orchestra bells, and even pianos (the hammers allow it to be considered part of the percussion section of the orchestra). Still giving a sense of pitch, but with non-harmonic componenets, the xylophone, tubular bells, and perhaps marimba (which might be termed harmonic after the initial striking noise), all qualify.

The newest variety of percussion instrument of definite pitch would be the Thongophones, which Blue Man Group have brought to popularity: tubes or pipes actuated by slapping a membrane (the Thong) over their ends. They produce definite, repeatable pitches, are gathered into logical groupings like the xylophone and others.

Answer 2

No; the snare creates so many frequencies at once that it's impossible to discern a single pitch.

Answer 3

Those are the timpani, sometimes known as kettle drums.

Answer 4

C. timpani