Percussion

Howard uses a variety different percussive elements. Such as:

• Shakers. Attached to his right hand stick for live performances of City of Delusion and Screenager. It was also used on Endlessly, Liquid State, and many other songs. Live, most of the time, this is played by Morgan Nicholls
• Balafon. A west African Xylophone which can be seen on Hullabaloo DVD (Disc 1) used during Screenager
• Animal bones. Used instead of regular mallets on the Balafon (in the studio only), providing unique sounds heard on Screenager
• Llama toe nails. Used on Screenager, aside from rim shots on beats 2 and 4, and Unnatural Selection, on which Matt described them as being "back with a vengeance".
• 11" Ribbon Crasher (and a 15" on certain occasions). Mounted over his Ride cymbal and next to his 12" rack tom. Can be heard on Megalomania, Apocalypse Please, Time Is Running Out and the B-side Eternally Missed, as well as live versions of Hysteria. It is also quite audible in the Helsinki Jam and used on Psycho. Dom's had a ribbon crasher in his setup until replacing it with an electronic drum pad in 2017.
• Hang. This special instrument can be heard on the intro for Falling Away With You. It works like a steel drum that is played with the fingertips, thumbs and the heel of the palm. Dom can be seen recording the intro on the Making of Absolution Documentary DVD.
• Timpani. Dom used timpani both live and in the studio a few times. Live, he used it during the beginning of Exogenesis: Symphony Pt. 1: Overture. In the studio, he also used it on Knights of Cydonia and Supremacy and Survival.
• Tambourine. Matt and Dom used it on Endlessly while recording. Both handheld and a kit-mounted tambourines were used in various other songs in Muse's discography, like Pressure, Thoughts of a Dying Atheis, The Handler and Explorers. Like the ribbon crasher, Dom had a kit-mounted tambourine in his setup between The Resistance and Drones tours, until replacing it with an electronic drum pad in 2017.
• Gong. Used at the end of I Belong to You and Survival. Also used in Exogenesis: Symphony Pt. 2: Cross-Polination.
• Vibraslap. Used for I Belong to You and Explorers.
• Triangle. Heard in the chorus of I Belong to You.
• Chimes. Most notably heard at the end of Explorers.
• Cowbell. A wooden cowbell was used for Explorers.
• Tablas. Used on Isolated System.
• Udu. Used on Isolated System.
• Bongos. Used on Animals.
• Concert bass drum. Used on Unsustainable and Survival. Also used live by both Dom and Chris on Pray on the 2019 Simulation Theory Tour.
• Taiko. A large taiko was used on Unsustainable. Dom's also been seen using a smaller taiko in the studio while recording for Break It to Me.
• Tribal African and Japanese drums. Used as drum layers on various songs on Simulation Theory.
• Congas. Used on Break it to Me and various songs on The 2nd Law.
• Djembe. Used on Break it to Me and various songs on The 2nd Law.

Dom Howard describes the Hang: "A thing that looks like a cross between a barbeque and a flying saucer. It's like an inverted metal drum with a pentatonic C scale on the top that you tap with your hands. It's made by this company called PANArt. It's a really cool sounding instrument that's pleasurable to play and so relaxing as well."

Gallery

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  Dom recording the balafon with animal bones for Screenager

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  Balafon, used on Screenager, during rehearsals

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  Dom with tablas and an assortment of other percussion

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  Shaker, used on City of Delusion

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  Dom playing the Hang, as shown in the "Making of Absolution" DVD

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  Howard with a Taiko and a set of tribal drums, recording Simulation Theory.