tambourine
A small frame drum with metal jingles, played by shaking or striking.
In Depth
The tambourine consists of a circular wooden or plastic frame with pairs of small metal discs (jingles or zils) mounted in slots around the rim. It may have a drumhead (headed tambourine) or be open (headless). The player shakes, strikes, or rolls the instrument to produce a bright, jangling sound. The tambourine appears in orchestral music, rock, pop, folk, and religious worship. Tchaikovsky used it in the Arabian Dance from The Nutcracker. In rock and pop, it adds rhythmic sparkle — Stevie Nicks of Fleetwood Mac made the tambourine a visual trademark. The instrument is deceptively difficult to play well at high speeds or with precise rhythmic control.
The tambourine has been associated with ecstatic worship for millennia — Biblical descriptions of Miriam dancing with a tambourine after crossing the Red Sea make it one of the oldest named instruments.