This biography in the discipline of percussion music research, contains a considerable amount of contemporary detail regarding the professional careers of many important percussionists who have held leading positions since the early-20th century. It also includes information in the areas of symphonic and jazz music, including major composers and timpanists. The text is written in an accessible style by a percussionist who is acquainted with a considerable number of the biographical subjects. Among subjects included are Vida Chenoweth, Lionel Hampton, William Ludwig, Jan Pustjens, and 76 others.

The Encyclopedia of Percussion is an extensive guide to percussion instruments, organized for research as well as general knowledge. Focusing on idiophones and membranophones, it covers in detail both Western and non-Western percussive instruments. These include not only instruments whose usual sound is produced percussively (like snare drums and triangles), but those whose usual sound is produced concussively (like castanets and claves) or by friction (like the cuíca and the lion’s roar). The expertise of contributors have been used to produce a wide-ranging list of percussion topics. The volume includes: (1) an alphabetical listing of percussion instruments and terms from around the world; (2) an extensive section of illustrations of percussion instruments; (3) thirty-five articles covering topics from Basel drumming to the xylophone; (4) a list of percussion symbols; (5) a table of percussion instruments and terms in English, French, German, and Italian; and (6) an updated section of published writings on methods for percussion.

Alphabetically arranged entries summarize the professional careers of over 500 percussionists from various musical venues. Due to the shrinking global village, ethnic percussion was rediscovered and incorporated into the concert hall. Since percussion transcends all musical styles, it often is featured center stage as a solo or ensemble in heterogeneous musical settings. These excerpts represent percussionists who spent the majority of their lives performing as collaborative or solo artists or working as inventors or manufacturers of percussion instruments. Where applicable, select discographies, bibliographies, and videographies accompany the entries. This detailed reference will appeal to professional percussionists, instructors, and percussion historians. Data has been compiled from numerous disparate sources and entries are cross referenced. Individual bibliographies include articles by or about the person and a general bibliography lists broader reference works. Discographies and videographies reflect samples of an artist's work. Select photographs complement the text.

Percussion instruments such as drums, cymbals, gongs, and xylophones comprise one of the largest and ever-expanding areas of music performance, composition, and sound effects. Profusely illustrated, A Dictionary for the Modern Percussionist and Drummer is an essential resource for any student, professional, or amateur musician who wants to delve into the vast world of percussion and drumming instruments and terminology. With an emphasis on modern terms in many languages and genres, James A. Strain has defined, detailed, and explained the use of percussion instruments and drums not only for classical genres (such as orchestra, symphonic, band, and opera) but also for popular styles (such as jazz, rock, music theater, and marching band). Also included are those world music instruments and ensembles commonly found in public school and university settings (such as steel drum bands, samba bands, and gamelan ensembles) as well as historical genres related to rope and rudimental drumming. Written for professional and amateur percussionists as well as non-percussionist educators, this book includes valuable topics on instrument construction and tuning and specific playing techniques, as well as instrument setup diagrams with models and ranges of keyboard percussion instruments. With more than 300 images and examples, it is the ideal reference book to enable any musician to better understand the extensive world of percussion and drumming.

Presented by a senior American percussionist, this book offers a list of those writings which have influenced his own work. It provides insight into the mind of a performing artist, along with an interdisciplinary view of percussion music.