Nonpercussion

Nonpercussion is a term used to describe musical instruments or sounds that are not produced by striking or hitting. This distinguishes them from percussion instruments, which are a fundamental part of many musical traditions. Instead of being struck, bowed, or plucked, nonpercussion instruments often produce sound through other mechanisms.

Wind instruments are a primary example of nonpercussion instruments. These include woodwinds like flutes, clarinets, and saxophones, and brass instruments such as trumpets, trombones, and tubas. Sound is generated in these instruments by the vibration of air within a column, often initiated by the player's breath. Similarly, some electronic instruments create sounds without any physical impact. Synthesizers, for instance, generate sound waves electronically, and their output can be manipulated to produce a vast range of timbres and effects. The human voice, while capable of percussive sounds, is fundamentally a nonpercussion instrument as vocalizations are produced by the vibration of vocal cords.