Metallic instruments
Kanchakaruvi (Idiophones comprising of metallic instruments)
Kanchakaruvi is derived from two distinctive Tamil words, “Kanchai”, meaning metal and “Karuvi” meaning instruments. Although the term refers to those instruments that have been created using metal and/or metal alloys this category applies to the instruments which creates sound primarily by way of the instrument vibrating itself, without the use of string or membrane. Most percussion instruments which are not drums fall under this category.
These instruments are further divided into two categories based on whether the instrument is struck or plucked:
1) Struck, are those that are made to vibrate by being hit, either directly with a stick or hand (such as Thaalam), or indirectly, by way of a scraping or shaking motion (such as bells).
2) Plucked, are those that are made to vibrate by being picked at by hand (such as Morsing).