Tambour

(Fr.: ‘drum’).

A term applied generically to various types of drum (membranophones). Pierre Trichet’s Traité des instruments de musique (MS, c1630, F-Psg 1070) used it to denote a side drum, kettledrum or tambourine. In French the word is usually modified in some way, for example tambour militaire, tambour roulant etc. As applied to educational percussion instruments, ‘tambour’ denotes a small single-headed frame drum (resembling a tambourine without jingles) with a head of parchment or plastic. This instrument is used as a timekeeper in percussion and instrumental groups. It is held in the hand and struck with the fingers or a soft-headed drumstick, and in some cases is sufficiently deep in tone to be used instead of a bass drum.

JAMES BLADES