A family of instruments that either use their hands, or something else to play.

There are four types of Percussion instruments:

Mallets: Usually the well known Xylophone, Marimba, Vibraphone, Glockenspiel/Bells. The Chimes/Tubular Bells could also be in this category.

Drums: Snare Drum, Base Drum, Toms, Bongos, Congas, Gongs, Drum Kit, Brake Drum, and many more that I don't know.

Auxiliary: Triangle, Shaker, Maracas, Slap Stick, Temple Blocks, Wood Blocks, Claves, Vibraslap, Crash Cymbals, Suspended Cymbal, Chains, Sleigh Bells, and many, many more.

Then there is the Timpani, which is in it's own category.

Despite what other people say about us, we are just as important as other instruments. We can read notes, both Treble and Base Clef. For Marimba, we can read both at the same time in a Grand Staff. Percussion is the unique section that keeps the beat most of the time. If we were the bad people who ignore and annoy the conductor, I don't think we'd exist. Some conductors are Percussionist themselves.

We do not always share the same instruments.

We do not just randomly hit stuff.

Timpani is the only instrument we have to worry about pitch.

Our Instruments have a certain spot where we have to hit. We call this the sweet spot.

A group of different instruments, usually in band, that make up background/non central noises within the piece.