In order for a column of air to vibrate, something else must vibrate first. In most cases, this is called a reed. A reed is a thin piece of wood that vibrates when blown on correctly. In some instruments such as the trumpet, there is no reed so your lips must vibrate. The sound from a percussion instrument comes from the striking of two things together.
Many percussion instruments produce their own resonant frequencies.
They are the simplest type of instrument because usually very few parts produce an amplified sound. They also use electricity. There are many forces in physics that affect the quality of the sounds of music. They not only affect the manner in which the musical instrument is built but also the way in which the musical instrument is played. Many of these forces impact on each other and, therefore, it is important that musicians have a high level of understanding of the principles of physics.