 He was the first composer to indicate the exact sticks that should be used—"felt-covered", "wooden", etc.In several of his works, including "Symphonie fantastique" (1830), and his "Requiem" (1837), he demanded the use of several timpanists at once.Until the late 19th century, timpani were hand-tuned; that is, there was a sequence of screws with "T"-shaped handles, called "taps", which altered the tension in the head when turned by players.