Temple blocks

2025-06-09T19:44:22Z

107.19.16.48:

{{Short description|Percussion instrument}}
{{About|the percussion instrument|Chinese wood blocks|Wooden fish|other uses|Temple Block (disambiguation){{!}}Temple Block}}

{{Infobox Instrument
| name = Temple blocks
| image = Modern Templeblocks.jpg
| background = percussion
| names = {{hlist|Tone blocks|skulls|wooden bells|dragons' mouths}}
| classification = Percussion
| hornbostel_sachs = 111.242.221
| hornbostel_sachs_desc = Sets of hanging bells without internal strikers
| inventors =
| related = {{hlist|[[Woodblock (instrument)|Woodblock]]|[[wooden fish]]|[[slit drum]]}}
| builders = {{hlist|[[Latin Percussion (company)|Latin Percussion]]|[[Pearl Drums|Pearl]]|[[Meinl Percussion|Meinl]]}}
| range =
| articles =
}}

'''Temple blocks''' are a type of percussion instrument consisting of a set of [[Woodblock (instrument)|woodblocks]]. It is descended from the [[Wooden fish|muyu]] or wooden bell, an instrument originating from eastern Asia, where it is commonly used in religious ceremonies.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Blades |first=James |title=Percussion Instruments and Their History |publisher=Bold Strummer |year=1992 |isbn=978-0-933224-71-1 |edition=Rev. |pages=391 |oclc=28230162}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Beck |first=John H. |title=Encyclopedia of Percussion |publisher=Routledge |year=2014 |isbn=978-0-415971-23-2 |edition=2nd |pages=92 |oclc=939052116}}</ref>

==Description==
It is a carved hollow [[wood]]en instrument with a large slit. In its traditional form, the [[wooden fish|muyu]], the shape is somewhat bulbous like a bell, but modern instruments are often rectangular in shape.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Cook |first=Gary |title=Teaching Percussion |publisher=Cengage |year=2018 |isbn=978-1-337-6722-2-1 |edition=3rd |pages=243 |oclc=1100674819}}</ref> They are generally played in sets of four or more to give a variety of pitches, in which they are also known as "tone blocks".<ref>{{Cite book |last=Kalani |title=All About Hand Percussion |date=2008 |publisher=[[Alfred Music]] |isbn=978-0-7390-4964-8 |pages=31 |oclc=227032333}}</ref> In Western music, they can be traced back to early [[Jazz drumming|jazz drummers]] where they were used as exotic instruments before being later adopted into widespread orchestral use.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Cirone |first1=Anthony J. |title=The Art of Percussion Playing |last2=Grover |first2=Neil |last3=Whaley |first3=Garwood |publisher=Meredith Music |year=2006 |isbn=1-57463-047-4 |edition=1st |pages=88 |oclc=70782197}}</ref> An updated version of the instrument made by [[Latin Percussion]], known as "granite blocks", is made out of plastic rather than wood.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kight |first=Jacob Marcus |date=2020 |title=The Rearrangement and Assignment of Wind Band Percussion Parts for Optimal Performance |url=https://diginole.lib.fsu.edu/islandora/object/fsu:770782/datastream/PDF/view |website=Electronic Theses, Treatises and Dissertations |publisher=[[Florida State University]] |page=8}}</ref>

The sound of temple blocks is similar to that of normal [[Woodblock (instrument)|woodblock]]s, although temple blocks have a darker, more "hollow" timbre.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Skidmore |first=David |date=2012 |title=Wood / Temple Blocks: Vic Firth Percussion 101 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1soGwaPwyCo |website=YouTube |publisher=[[Vic Firth]] |at=0:38 |type=video}}</ref> In their most common configuration of five, temple blocks are typically tuned to a [[pentatonic scale]]. [[Diatonic and chromatic|Chromatic and diatonic]] sets have also been made.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Holland |first=James |title=Practical Percussion: A Guide to the Instruments and Their Sources |publisher=Scarecrow Press |year=2005 |isbn=978-1-4616-7063-6 |edition=Rev. |pages=50 |oclc=681550519}}</ref> Despite this, they are not commonly treated as [[pitched percussion]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Black |first=Dave |title=Essential Dictionary of Orchestration |last2=Gerou |first2=Tom |date=1998 |publisher=[[Alfred Music]] |isbn=978-1-4574-1299-8 |page=246 |oclc=1120720854}}</ref>

Temple blocks are often used as [[sound effect]]s, such as in [[Leroy Anderson]]'s "[[The Syncopated Clock]]" and "[[Sleigh Ride]]" where they mimic a ticking clock and a galloping horse, respectively.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Kruckenberg |first=Sven |title=The Symphony Orchestra and Its Instruments |date=2002 |publisher=Chartwell Books |isbn=0-7858-1522-8 |pages=197 |oclc=51725370}}</ref> They can also be used to reinforce the melody. [[John Barnes Chance]]'s ''[[Incantation and Dance]]'' and ''[[Variations on a Korean Folk Song]]'' both have temple blocks introduce and double the [[Motif (music)|motifs]] that appear within the music, with the latter using the pentatonic nature of the temple blocks to evoke the sound of the [[Orient]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Linaberry |first=Robin |title=Strategies, Tips & Activities for the Effective Band Director |publisher=[[Taylor & Francis]] |year=2021 |isbn=978-1-003-03419-3 |pages=20 |oclc=1200832393}}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{Percussion}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Idiophones]]
[[Category:Orchestral percussion instruments]]
[[Category:Chinese musical instruments]]
[[Category:Japanese musical instruments]]
[[Category:Korean musical instruments]]
[[Category:Concert band instruments]]

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Temple blocks