Coperto

As Printed on a Score

Printed over a timpani or drum part (coperti when several drums are meant) to have the head covered with a cloth for a muffled, dead sound. It lasts until a direction to remove the cover; the player needs rests to put the cloth on and take it off.

Also spelled: coperti

How Composers Use It

Covered drums lose their ring and much of their pitch, leaving a dull thud — the muffled drum of funeral processions. Use it for laments and dark processional music, and say whether all the drums are covered. For a quiet drum that keeps its pitch, ask for soft sticks instead, and allow time for any change.