, 1904 Historically,
trumpets,
drums,
cymbals,
bagpipes, and other loud
musical instruments were used for clear communication in the noise and confusion of a battlefield. They are easily carried while the instrumentalist is in motion, i.e., marching. Modern additions include the upright
glockenspiel and several brass instruments including
trombone and
sousaphone, which are often used by
military bands.
Drum Chinese troops used
tàigǔ drums to motivate troops, to help set a marching pace, and to call out orders or announcements. For example, during a war between Qi and Lu in 684 BC, the effect of drums on soldier's morale is employed to change the result of a major battle. In the late fourteenth century the first timpani arose in Ottoman military ensembles known as
Janissary bands. During the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries janissary bands began to influence European court musicians with new percussion instruments such as the
timpani originally known as Kös, cymbals, and rattle.
Fife-and-drum corps of
Swiss mercenary foot soldiers also used drums. They used an early version of the
snare drum carried over the player's right shoulder, suspended by a strap (typically played with one hand using
traditional grip). Similarly, during the
English Civil War rope-tension drums would be carried by junior officers as a means to relay commands from senior officers over the noise of battle. These were also hung over the shoulder of the drummer and typically played with two drum sticks. Different
regiments and companies would have distinctive and unique drum beats which only they would recognize.
Trumpet The earliest trumpets were signaling instruments used for military or religious purposes and the modern
bugle continues this signaling tradition. Officers in command gave orders via sound from the trumpet because it had a piercing tone and high volume, which meant it could be heard in the midst of combat. Cavalry trumpets had a different timbre, so their calls would not be mistaken for other sounds meant for the infantry.
Bagpipe An instrument with a piercing sound and graceful melody which is meant to be played outdoors, its main goal is to inspire men and women in the midst of conflict. It is also used in mourning the fallen and celebrating victory. Music was played in the build up to battle, but not during. Textual evidence for the use of Scottish bagpipes in battle dates from in 1396, when records of the
Battle of the North Inch of Perth reference "warpipes" being carried into battle, though it is believed that bagpipes were originally intended for peaceful music. The Irish were also inspired by bagpipes, as witness in this 1586 account: "This sort of instrument is held among the Irish to be a whetstone for martial courage: for just as other soldiers are stirred by the sound of trumpets, so they are hotly stimulated to battle by the noise of this affair. In World War I German soldiers referred to Scottish pipers as
Die Damen aus der Hölle (Ladies from Hell).
Shawm One of several woodwind instruments used in battle as early as the 12th century. This instrument rose in popularity during the Renaissance period and is believed to be a successor of an instrument called the
zurna. It was mostly used as a military instrument. The overpowering noise coming from this instrument was used as a psychological weapon. The shawm found its way to Europe during the
Crusades. ==See also==