Orff Instruments

The German composer Carl Orff (1895-1982) developed a method to teach music which combines singing, dancing, acting and using percussion instruments and rhythm, melody and improvisation. He had the idea of creating a positive, fun and participative atmosphere in the classroom. Students use xylophones, marimbas, tambourines, glockenspiels, metallophones, drums, recorders and non-pitched instruments as well as snapping their fingers, patting and clapping. 

Lorena Varela. Orff instruments. (CC BY-NC-SA)

In this video you can see some Orff instruments: bongos (hand drums), metallophones (their bars are made of metal), glockenspiels (metallophones which haven't got any resonators under the metal bars) and xylophones (their bars are made of wood)

Glockenspiel sound

Xylophone sound

Recorder sound

Castanets sound

Yolanda Varela. Orff instruments. (CC-BY-NC-SA)

Cymbal sound

Wood block sound

Marimba sound

Triangle sound

Maracas sound