What does a marimba sound like?
A marimba produces a deep, rich, mellow sound. It is softer and darker than the sound of a xylophone. This sound blends well with other instruments. Because of the resonators under each tone plate, the sound can resonate up to 2 or 3 seconds. The length, thickness, and density of each tone plate determines the pitch, or how high or low it sounds.
How do you play the marimba?
The marimba is a percussion instrument consisting of wooden bars. Use yarn wrapped or rubber mallets to hit the bars to produce musical tones. Use rubber mallets to hit the wooden bars to produce music. It uses pipes as they are suspended underneath the bars to amplify the sound of the wooden bars.
Is a marimba a percussion instrument?
All the instruments of the percussion family must be “hit”or “struck” to produce the sound. Drums, triangles, cymbals, even pianos are percussion instruments. The sound of a marimba is produced by hitting the tone plates with mallets.
What is a marimba resonator?
Resonators or pipes are suspended underneath the bars to amplify the sound of the wooden bars. The bars of a chromatic marimba are arranged like the keys of a piano, with the groups of two and three accidentals raised vertically, overlapping the natural bars to aid the performer both visually and physically.
How does a marimba work?
The marimba is an instrument that produces notes with wooden tone plates and then makes those notes richer with metal resonator pipes. Essentially, there are two methods of adjusting how high the notes produced by the tone plates are. For one, the size of the tone plates can be adjusted.
How does the marimba sound like?
Comparing the sounds, the marimba has a soft and mellow tone that sounds like it could meld with wind instruments. The impression one receives is somewhat restrained. By contrast, the xylophone's notes could be described as distinct and sharply defined.
How would you describe a marimba?
The marimba (/məˈrɪmbə/) is a musical instrument in the percussion family that consists of wooden bars that are struck by mallets. Below each bar is a resonator pipe that amplifies particular harmonics of its sound. Compared to the xylophone, the timbre of the marimba is warmer and more pure.
What do marimba resonators do?
As mentioned in the second example above, the resonator on a marimba can be modeled by a closed pipe. This model can be used to predict what type of sound (full and rich vs dull) the marimba will produce. Each pipe is a "quarter wave resonator" that amplifies the sound waves produced by of the bar.
Does the marimba produce sounds of definite pitch?
When we refer to definite pitch, we mean a sound that can be discerned from other sounds. The percussion instruments that clearly have a definite pitch include the xylophone, marimba, and drum.
What type of music uses marimba?
Marimbas are most commonly used to play classical music. The different types of marimba music include classical music, pop music, jazz music, and both classic and modern rock. Many different genres of music can be played using the marimba, meaning that most other types of music could be added to the list.
What is a marimba player called?
1) A marimba player is called a… um… marimba player, but a more fun word that's also used is marimbist.
What key is a marimba in?
It is a tube-resonated instrument pitched an octave below the orchestral xylophone; its range varies, but 31/2octaves upward from the C below middle C is common. Players may hold two sticks in each hand to play up to four notes at a time.
What does marimba Rhythm mean?
1:258:53What is a Marimba? - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSome rooms are four and a half or four octaves but generally marimbas are very very large. And theyMoreSome rooms are four and a half or four octaves but generally marimbas are very very large. And they have extremely low rumbling bass which I really really love and they sound tastic marimba.
What are marimbas made of?
A marimba is a wooden musical instrument that has a number of bars with different lengths that correspond to a different pitch with a different frequency spectrum. The instrument is commercially made from rosewood because the wood is a dense hardwood, although it is very expensive and difficult to cut (Suits 2001).
How many octaves does a marimba have?
The most common, standard range of a marimba is four octaves. When the instrument is used to play in a band, nearly all songs will be covered by this range.
Where is marimba music from?
According to oral history, the story of the marimba began a long, long time ago in Africa, where holes were dug in the ground, wooden bars were made to cross over this hole, and the bars were struck to produce sound.
What is the sound of the tambourine?
Rattling, metallic, bright, brilliant, silvery, festive, sparkling, shuffling, jingling, rustling. The sound of the tambourine has solely the properties of noise and is composed of the attack when the head is struck and the characteristic rattling of the jingles. Because the head is tightly braced it has no resonance.
What does marimba Rhythm mean?
1:258:53What is a Marimba? - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSome rooms are four and a half or four octaves but generally marimbas are very very large. And theyMoreSome rooms are four and a half or four octaves but generally marimbas are very very large. And they have extremely low rumbling bass which I really really love and they sound tastic marimba.
What is the sounds of maracas?
Maracas are made from hollowed gourds tied to a handle for shaking and inside the gourd there are stones, beans or seeds. Different sounds can be made with a single maraca: it can be hit with one hand by making a hard deep noise or it might be shaken back and forth giving a lighter and echoing sound.
Is a marimba pitched or Unpitched?
Pitched PercussionPitched Percussion is any instrument that has actually musical pitch (like the piano). Pitched percussion instruments include the xylophone, marimba, vibraphone and timpani.
What is a marimba?
The marimba ( / məˈrɪmbə /) is a percussion instrument consisting of a set of wooden bars struck with yarn or rubber mallets to produce musical tones. Resonators or pipes are suspended underneath the bars to amplify their sound.
How many octaves does a marimba have?
There is no standard range of the marimba, but the most common ranges are 4.3 octa ves, 4.5 octaves and 5 octaves; 4, 4.6 and 5.5 octave sizes are also available.
What is a marimba player called?
A person who plays the marimba is called a marimbist or a marimba player . Modern uses of the marimba include solo performances, woodwind and brass ensembles, marimba concertos, jazz ensembles, marching band ( front ensembles ), drum and bugle corps, indoor percussion ensembles, and orchestral compositions.
What is the most popular marimba in Colombia?
In Colombia the most widespread marimba is the marimba de chonta ( peach-palm marimba). Marimba music has been listed on UNESCO as an intangible part of Colombian culture. In recent times Marimberos (marimba players) and the marimba genres as a whole have started to fade out in popularity. Nonetheless the genre is still popular in the departments of Chocó and Cauca.
Where did the name Marimba come from?
In Latin America, enslaved Africans recreated them in the 16th and 17th centuries. The name marimba stems from Bantu marimba or malimba, 'xylophone'. According to some Western sources, the word marimba is formed from ma 'many' ...
Where is the Marimba found?
Music instruments like the Marimba are present through the entirety of Sub-Saharan Africa. The instrument itself is most similar and shares its name with the marimbas of modern-day Angola and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Although it is also similar to instruments that exist in West Africa such as the balafon or heri of Mali and Guinea, known as gyil among the Gur peoples in and around northern Ghana and Burkina Faso.
Which grip is more popular on marimba?
The choice of grip varies by region (the Musser-Stevens grip and the Burton grip are more popular in the United States, while the traditional grip is more popular in Japan), by instrument (the Burton grip is less likely to be used on marimba than on a vibraphone) and by the preference of the individual performer.
What musical classification is a marimba?
Marimba is classical music. It constantly features instrumental songs. The marimba also falls under jazz and can be used by rock and pop artists. The most popular type of marimba music is classical.
What sound range does it play?
The marimba is a pitched percussion instrument. It consists of wooden tone plates lined up like piano keys. When struck, the notes sound out. They are longer and lower the note, and are also wider. On a five-octave marimba, the tone plate for the lowest note has a width of 80 mm and a length of around 620 mm.
What wood is used for marimbas?
In addition to rosewood, a slightly reddish wood called African padauk is sometimes used. This wood is strong and projects sound well, making it well-suited as a material for tone plates. Rosewood used in marimbas.
What wood is used to make tone plates?
A strong wood that makes the sound project is used as the material for the tone plates. A type of lumber called rosewood has long been used to make tone plates. This is a heavy tree harvested in Central and South America. Trees aged between 200 and 400 years are felled.
Is marimba better than raw material?
With the marimba, it is better if the sound lingers for a while. Even at the raw-material stage, it is best if there is a long-lasting bonging sound when the material is struck, and that is the kind of material that should be chosen.
How does a marimba sound?
A marimba produces a deep, rich, mellow sound. It is softer and darker than the sound of a xylophone. This sound blends well with other instruments. Because of the resonators under each tone plate, the sound can resonate up to 2 or 3 seconds. The length, thickness, and density of each tone plate determines the pitch, or how high or low it sounds.
What Does a Marimba Look Like?
Marimbas are large instruments. They have two rows of wooden bars, or tone plates, arranged like a keyboard. One row of bars is slightly raised behind the other row of bars. A large frame supports the tone plates, and then a full stand holds the frame. Here is a picture.
How do You Play a Marimba?
You play a marimba the same way you play a keyboard. Sort of. The person playing reads notes on a page of music. The tone plates on the instrument are arranged like the keys on a piano. Instead of using fingers on a keyboard, a marimba player uses mallets to strike the tone plates on the instrument.
How many mallets does a marimba player use?
Since we have two hands, you might think a marimba player uses two mallets. And, you might be wrong. A good player often uses two or more mallets PER HAND! That means playing with 4 or 6 mallets! That calls for some good coordination!
What are Marimbas and Xylophones?
Marimbas are close relatives to the xylophone, the vibraphone, and the glockenspiel. They are all like cousins. All of these have tuned bars arranged like a keyboard. The players of these instruments use mallets to strike the tone plates. You need to be able to read music to play these instruments. Marimbas and xylophones are usually made with bars of wood, while vibraphones and glockenspiels are made with metal bars.
How much does a marimba cost?
A good marimba will cost at least $10,000 to $20,000. A lot, right!? The best tone plates are made from Honduran Rosewood. Problem – those trees are now on the endangered species list. That may drive up the price for good marimbas even more.
How much does it cost to tune a marimba?
Usually, the marimba player takes the tone plates off his instrument, packs them up, and ships them off to a professional who will work with them to get them all back in tune with each other. Usually that involves carefully reshaping of the wood on a tone plate. Not really a job for most of us! From what I read it costs between $50 – $100 per octave for tuning. (Most marimbas are over four to five octaves.)
What is a Marimba?
Marimba: A more complex and unique percussion instrument of this type the Marimba consists of wooden bars under which multiple resonator pipes hanging underneath to amplify the sounds. These instruments are often quite large and for the untrained will look similar to Xylophones.
How do drums make sound?
Percussion instruments make their sound through vibrations through materials when struck with a mallet or hand, with the sound often amplified by the hollow body of the instrument.
What is the easiest percussion instrument to learn?
Xylophone: The easiest percussion instrument for many people to recognize, the Xylophone can be one of the more complex instruments to master. As you learn more about the instrument the number of keys in front of you will increase, often used in large concerto’s the Xylophone is an instrument that consists of wooden or metallic bars that are hit with wooden hammers.
How does a glockenspiel work?
You play the instrument by hitting each bar to produce the tuned sound. Each bar on the Glockenspiel will create a different sound, with the different rows regularly creating slight differences in sounds.
What is a pitched percussion instrument?
Pitched percussion instruments are able to change the pitch of the sounds they produce, allowing you to make a wide variety of sounds. These instruments are much more complex and have song sheets that can be followed closely to learn how to play the instrument. Unpitched percussion instruments are much simpler in their design, ...
How many types of percussion instruments are there?
There are two types of percussion instruments that can be used in the world, one has a larger family and the other one is much smaller. However, they are both capable of producing sounds that both amazes, or just gets your blood pumping ready for something amazing to happen.
What is the conclusion of percussion?
However, you will need to understand how each instrument makes their sound and how slight changes will affect them before you can become a percussion master .
How to make a marimba key?
Keys. To make the longest marimba key you will need to obtain well seasoned resonant hard wood that measures 5cm x 2.5cm and is 40cm in length. Each subsequent key is 1cm shorter with the shortest being 24cm long. There are 17 keys in all, so will need about 6 metres of wood.
Where are the nodes on a marimba key?
As a general rule of thumb, the nodes of a marimba key can be found 22.5% in from the ends of the bar. There are other ways to find the nodes, but this is a perfectly adequate method and much the easiest.
How to put resonators in correct position?
Cut the rails of the resonator rack to the correct length so that the rack can be dropped onto these shelves, placing the resonators in their correct positions below their respective keys when the 'crocodile jaw' rails holding the keys is lowered into position.
How many nuts and bolts do you need for a Marimba?
You will need 56 nuts and bolts, with the bolts being 4mm diameter by 2cm in length, to fix the resonator tubes to the support rails securely. You will need plastic stoppers or wooden plugs made from ply wood to seal the ends of the resonator tubes. Marimba beaters.
What wood do you use to make marimba keys?
That is to say, well seasoned, resonant hard wood. The wood shown above is Karagatch, a type of elm from Central Asia. Traditionally, rosewood has been the wood of choice for marimba makers but there are many more sustainable alternatives if you search around.
What is the key rail on a marimba?
This picture shows the basic design of a crocodile style marimba frame. The key rail is currently devoid of vine screws or keys, and is attached to the outer frame at one end by a door hinge. The legs are also bolted to the outer frame.
Is it hard to make a marimba?
Making a marimba from scratch is a big project and needs good planning...but clear information about the dimensions of the different keys and the shape and length of their undercut arches is surprisingly hard to find. This is probably due to wood being a natural product that varies considerably, making it hard to create a universal guide. Whilst the concept is scientific, making keys is a bit of an art - but even so, we all need somewhere to start, so a starting place is what this instructable aims to provide.
Overview
Construction
Marimba bars may be made of either wood or a synthetic fiberglass material. For the best sound quality, rosewood is the most desirable, while padauk is a popular affordable alternative. Synthetic fiberglass bars are often sold under trade names such as Kelon (for Ludwig-Musser), Klyperon (for J.C. Deagan), or Acoustalon (for Yamaha), among others. Bars made from synthetic materials generally fall short in sound quality and generally have a longer decay in comparison to wooden …
Etymology and terminology
The term marimba refers to both the traditional version of this instrument and its modern form. Its first documented use in the English language dates back to 1704. The term is of Bantu origin, deriving from the prefix ma- meaning 'many' and -rimba meaning 'xylophone'. The term is akin to Kikongo and Swahili marimba or malimba.
History
Instruments like the marimba are present throughout the entirety of subsaharan Africa. The instrument Itself is most similar and shares its name with the marimbas of modern-day Angola and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Although it is also similar to instruments that exist in West Africa such as the balafon of the Mandinka people, known as gyil among the Gur peoples in and around northern Ghana and Burkina Faso.
Mallet technique
Modern marimba music calls for simultaneous use of between two and four mallets (sometimes up to six or eight), granting the performer the ability to play chords or music with large interval skips more easily. Multiple mallets are held in the same hand using any of a number of techniques or "grips". For two mallets in each hand, the most common grips are the Burton grip (made popular by Gary Burton), the Traditional Grip (or "cross grip") and the Musser-Stevens grip (made popular by Leigh …
Repertoire
The marimba is a standard member of the orchestral percussion section.
The first solo marimba concerto, Concertino for Marimba, was composed by Paul Creston in 1940, after a commission by Frédérique Petrides. The Concertino for Marimba premiered on 29 April 1940 in Carnegie Hall with marimba soloist Ruth Stuber Jeanne and the Orchestrette Classique.
The Oregon Symphony Orchestra commissioned Tomáš Svoboda to compose Concerto for Mari…
Popular music
Traditional marimba bands are especially popular in Guatemala, where they are the national symbol of culture, but are also strongly established in the Mexican states of Chiapas, Tabasco, and Oaxaca. They are also very popular in other Central American nations such as Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica, as well as among Afro-Ecuadorians and Afro-Colombians.
There have been numerous jazz vibraphonists who also played the marimba. Notable among the…
See also
• Quadrangularis Reversum