Martial music

Depending on the culture, a variety of percussion and musical instruments have been used, such as drums, fifes, bugles, trumpets or other horns, bagpipes, triangles, cymbals, as well as larger military bands or full orchestras.

The music is characterized by an often shrill sound combining bass drums, horns (boru), bells, the triangle and cymbals (zil) and several other traditional instruments.

The bugle call is a short tune announcing scheduled and certain non-scheduled events on a military installation, battlefield, or ship.

These short music pieces are played from an instrument called the bugle, it has been used by militaries as means of communication.

Historically, trumpets, drums, cymbals, bagpipes, and other loud musical instruments were used for clear communication in the noise and confusion of a battlefield.

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.

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.

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).

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.

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.

[6] In World War I German soldiers referred to Scottish pipers as Die Damen aus der Hölle [Ladies from Hell].