A conventional wood block is a rectangular block of hardwood with a deep narrow slit. To get the best tone, the musician should strike the center and the edge of the wood block. Wood blocks are meant to be unpitched, but they are made in a wide variety of sizes to allow for pitch variations. Different types of beaters can be used, depending on the percussionist’s choice for volume and effect. Generally the sound from a wood block is a hollow and brittle sound.