Percussion for theater performances may very well be "heard and not seen," but it provides vital backstage support: Besides hinting at the personalities or attitudes of the various characters and providing rhythms to pace the choreography, it is even more important in creating the mood of a scene. It even handles "special effects" like water sounds, knocks marking the hours, door knocks, and so on.
說起戲曲鑼鼓，雖然一般「只聞其聲，不見其影」，卻是戲劇不可少的幕後功臣，除了烘托角色性格、節制舞蹈動作，更是劇情氣氛的營造者，水聲、更鼓、叩門聲等特殊音效也由它一手包辦。