Marimba

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article is about the musical instrument. For other uses, see Marimba (disambiguation).

Marimba

Classical marimba, model Antonko AMC-12

Percussion instrument

Classification

Percussion

HornbostelSachs classification

111.212
(Sets of percussion sticks)

Playing range

Related instruments

Marimbaphone

Musicians

See list of marimbists

Builders

See list of marimba manufacturers

The marimba (/mrmb/) is a percussion instrument consisting of a set of wooden bars

struck with mallets to produce musical tones. Resonators attached to the bars amplify their
sound. The bars are arranged as those of a piano, with theaccidentals raised vertically and
overlapping the natural bars (similar to a piano) to aid the performer both visually and
physically. This instrument is a type of idiophone, but with a more resonant and lowerpitched tessitura than the xylophone.
The chromatic marimba was developed in Chiapas, Mexico[1][2] from the local diatonic marimba,
an instrument whose ancestor was a type of balafon that African slaves built in Central
America.
Modern uses of the marimba include solo performances, woodwind and brass ensembles,
marimba concertos, jazz ensembles, marching band (front ensembles), drum and bugle corps,
and orchestral compositions. Contemporary composers have used the unique sound of the
marimba more and more in recent years.
A player of the Marimba can be called a Marimbist or a Marimba Player.
Contents
[hide]

1History

2Construction
o

2.1Bars

2.2Range

2.3Resonators

2.4Mallets

3Mallet technique

4Classical works

5In other music

6Flapamba

7See also

8References

9External links

History[edit]
See also: Xylophone History and Music of Guatemala

"The Marimba" from "The Capitals of Spanish America" (1888)

Xylophones are widely used in music of west and central Africa. The name marimba stems
from Bantu marimba or malimba, 'xylophone'. The word 'marimba' is formed from ma 'many'
and rimba 'single-bar xylophone'.[3][4]
Diatonic xylophones were introduced to Central America in the 16th or 17th century. First
historical record of Mayan musicians usinggourd resonator marimbas in Guatemala was made
in 1680, by the historian Domingo Juarros. It became more widespread during the 18th and
19th centuries, as Mayan and Ladino ensembles started using it on festivals. In 1821, marimba
was proclaimed the national instrument of Guatemala on its independence proclamation. [5]
The gourd resonators were later replaced by harmonic wooden boxes, and the keyboard was
expanded to about five diatonic octaves. Variants with slats made of steel, glass or bamboo
instead of wood appeared during the 19th century.
In 1892, Corazn de Jess Borras Moreno, a musician from Chiapas, expanded marimba to
include the chromatic scale by adding another row of sound bars, akin to black keys on the
piano.[6]
The name marimba was later applied to the orchestra instrument inspired by the Latin
American model. In the United States, companies like Deagan and Leedy company adapted
the Latino American instruments for use in western music. Metal tubes were used as
resonators, fine-tuned by rotating metal discs at the bottom; lowest note tubes were U-shaped.
The marimbas were first used for light music and dance, such as Vaudeville theater and
comedy shows.[4] Clair Omar Musser was a chief proponent of marimba in the United States at
the time.
French composer Darius Milhaud made the ground-breaking introduction of marimbas
into Western classical music in his 1947 Concerto for Marimba and Vibraphone. Newly
invented four-mallet grip enabled playing chords, and the innovation enhanced the interest for
the instrument.[4] In the late 20th century, modernist and contemporary composers found new
ways to use marimba: notable examples include Leo Janek (Jenufa), Carl
Orff (Antigonae), Karl Amadeus Hartmann, Hans Werner Henze (Elegy for Young
Lovers), Pierre Boulez (Le marteau sans matre) and Steve Reich.[4]

Construction[edit]

Folk and popular marimba

Bars[edit]
Marimba bars are typically made of either wood or synthetic material. Rosewood is the most
desirable, while Padauk is a popular affordable alternative. Bars made from synthetic materials
generally fall short in sound quality in comparison to wooden bars, but are less expensive and
yield added durability and weather resistance,[7] making them suitable for outdoor use;
marimbas with wooden bars are usually played inside because the bars are susceptible to
pitch change due to weather. Bubinga (Guibourtia demeusei) and mahoganyhave also been
cited as comparable to rosewood in quality for use as marimba bars.[8] The specific
rosewood, Dalbergia stevensonii, only grows in Southern Guatemala and Belize, formerly the
British Honduras, hence its common name.[9] This wood has a Janka rating of 2200, which is
about three times harder than Silver Maple. The bars are wider and longer at the lowest
pitched notes, and gradually get narrower and shorter as the notes get higher. During the
tuning, wood is taken from the middle underside of the bar to lower the pitch. Because of this,
the bars are also thinner in the lowest pitch register and thicker in the highest pitch register.
In Africa, most marimbas are made by local artisans from locally available materials.
Marimba bars produce their fullest sound when struck just off center, while striking the bar in
the center produces a more articulate tone. On chromatic marimbas, the accidentals (black
keys) can also be played on the space between the front edge of the bar and its node (the
place where the string goes through the bar) if necessary. Playing on the node produces a
sonically weak tone, and the technique is only used when the player or composer is looking for
a muted sound from the instrument.

Contra Bass Marimba: range of G1G3

Bass Marimba: range of C2F3

Range[edit]
There is no standard range of the marimba, but the most common ranges are 4 octaves, 4.3
octaves and 5 octaves; 4.5, 4.6 and 5.5 octave sizes are also available.
4 octave: C3 to C7.
4.3 octave: A2 to C7. The .3 refers to three notes below the 4 octave instrument. This is
the most common range.
4.5 octave: F2 to C7. The .5 means "half";
4.6 octave: E2 to C7, one note below the 4.5. Useful for playing guitar literature and
transcriptions.
5 octave: C2 to C7, one full octave below the 4 octave instrument, useful for playing
cello transcriptions, e.g., Bach's cello suites.
Bass range (varies, but examples range from G1G3 or C2F3)
The range of the marimba has been gradually expanding, with
companies like Marimba One adding notes up to F above the normal
high C (C7) on their 5.5 octave instrument, or marimba tuners adding
notes lower than the low C on the 5 octave C2. Adding lower notes is
somewhat impractical; as the bars become bigger and the resonators
become longer, the instrument must be taller and the mallets must be
heavier in order to produce a tone rather than just a percussive attack.
Adding higher notes is also impractical because the hardness of the
mallets required to produce the characteristic tone of a marimba are
much too hard to play with in almost any other, lower range on the
instrument.
The marimba is a non-transposing instrument with no octave
displacement, unlike the xylophone which sounds one octave higher
than written and the glockenspiel which sounds two octaves higher
than written.

PVC resonators

Resonators[edit]
Part of the key to the marimba's rich sound is its resonators. These
are tubes (usually aluminum) that hang below each bar.
In the most traditional versions, various sizes of natural gourds are
attached below the keys to act as resonators; in more sophisticated
versions carved wooden resonators are substituted, allowing for more
precise tuning of pitch. In Central America and Mexico, a hole is often
carved into the bottom of each resonator and then covered with a
delicate membrane taken from the intestine of a pig to add a
characteristic "buzzing" or "rattling" sound known as charleo.[10] In
more contemporary-style marimbas, wood is replaced by PVC tubing.
The holes in the bottoms of the tubes are covered with a thin layer of
paper to produce the buzzing noise.
The length of the resonators varies according to the frequency that
the bar produces. Vibrations from the bars resonate as they pass
through the tubes, which amplify the tone in a manner very similar to
the way in which the body of a guitar or cello would. In instruments
exceeding 4 octaves, the length of tubing required for
the bass notes exceeds the height of the instrument. Some
manufacturers, such as DeMorrow and Malletech, compensate for this
by bending the ends of the tubes. This involves soldering smaller
straight sections of tubes to form "curved" tubes. Both DeMorrow and
Malletech use brass rather than aluminium. Others, such
as Adams and Yamaha, expand the tubes into large box-shaped
bottoms, resulting in the necessary amount of resonating space
without having to extend the tubes. This result is achieved by the
custom manufacturer Marimba One by widening the resonators into
an oval shape, with the lowest ones reaching nearly a foot in width,
and doubling the tube up inside the lowest resonators.
Resonator tuning involves adjusting "stops" in the tubes themselves to
compensate for temperature and humidity conditions in the room
where the instrument is stored. Some companies offer adjustment in
the upper octaves only. Others do not have any adjustable stops. Still
some companies (Malletech and DeMorrow) offer full range
adjustable stops.
On many marimbas, decorative resonators are added to fill the gaps
in the accidental resonator bank. In addition to this, the resonator
lengths are sometimes altered to form a decorative arch, such as in
the Musser M-250. This does not affect the resonant properties,
because the end plugs in the resonators are still placed at their
respective lengths.

Mallets[edit]
The mallet shaft is commonly made of wood, usually birch, but may
also be rattan or fiberglass. The most common diameter of the shaft is
around 8 mm. Shafts made of rattan have a certain elasticity to them,
while birch has almost no give. Professionals use both depending on
their preferences, whether they are playing with two mallets or more,
and which grip they use if they are using a four-mallet grip.

Appropriate mallets for the instrument depend on the range. The

material at the end of the shaft is almost always a type of rubber,
usually wrapped with yarn. Softer mallets are used at the lowest
notes, and harder mallets are used at the highest notes. Mallets that
are too hard will damage the instrument, and mallets that might be
appropriate for the upper range could damage the notes in the lower
range (especially on a padouk or rosewood instrument). On the lower
notes, the bars are larger, and require a heavier mallet to bring out a
strong fundamental. Because of the need to use different hardnesses
of mallets, some players, when playing with four or more mallets,
might use graduated mallets to match the bars that they are playing
(softer on the left, harder on the right).
Some mallets, called "two-toned" or "multi-tonal", have a hard core,
loosely wrapped with yarn. These are designed to sound articulate
when playing at a loud dynamic, and broader at the quieter dynamics.

Mallet technique[edit]
Modern marimba music calls for simultaneous use of between two
and four mallets (sometimes up to six or eight[11]), 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 Howard Stevens). Each grip is perceived to have its
own benefits and drawbacks. For example, some marimbists feel
the Musser-Stevens grip is more suitable for quick interval changes,
while the Burton grip is more suitable for stronger playing or switching
between chords and single-note melody lines. The Traditional Grip
gives a greater dynamic range and freedom of playing. 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.
Six-mallet grips consist of variations on these three grips. Six mallet
marimba grips have been used for years by Mexican and Central
American marimbists, but they are generally considered non-standard
in the Western classical canon. Keiko Abe has written a number of
compositions for six mallets, including a section in her concerto Prism
Rhapsody.Other marimbists/composers using this technique include
Rebecca Kite (who commissioned composer Evan Hause to write
Circe, a major work for six mallets, in 2001), Dean
Gronemeier, Robert Paterson, and Kai Stensgaard. Paterson's grip is
based on the Burton grip, and his grip and technique have been called
the Paterson grip, and even the Wolverine grip. Paterson states that
his technique differs from others in that there is less emphasis places
on block chords on the lower bank of notes (the naturals or white
notes) and more emphasis on independence, one-handed rolls, and
alternations between mallets 12-3 or 1-23 in the left hand (or 45-6 or
4-56 in the right hand, respectively), and so on. In 2012, Paterson

released the world's first all six-mallet marimba album entitled Six
Mallet Marimba, demonstrating these techniques via works Paterson
has written. Ludwig Albert published at first a work for 8 mallets and
demonstrated the Ludwig Albert 8 mallet grip based on the traditional
grip from 1995.

Classical works[edit]

A marimba player (NDR Radiophilharmonie, Hanover, 2003)

This article needs additional citations for verification. P

article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced m
challenged and removed. (June 2015)
This list represents an incomplete selection of Western classical
compositions for the instrument:

Keiko Abe: Dream of the Cherry

Blossoms (1983), Frog (1958), Michi (1978), Variations on
Japanese Children's Songs (1982), Prismfor Solo Marimba (1986)

Ludwig Albert: Feel the Sunlight for marimba solo

(2012), Marimba Moods for 8 mallets(2000), Nimbostratus for
marimba solo (2011),Stratocumulus for marimba duo (2012), The
Universe double concerto for two marimba's & orchestra (2012)

Bruce Adolphe: Self Comes to Mind (2009), Red Dogs and Pink
Skies (2002), Reach Out, Raise Hope, Change Society (2011)

Pablo Aguirre: Concierto por la paz for Marimba and symphonic

orchestra

Benjamin C.S. Boyle: Les bois du paradis (2012)

Stephen Brown: Shadow of a Leaf, soprano and marimba (2006),

a ten song cycle sung as one

Michael Burritt: The Offering, Preludes 15, Caritas, Scirocco, Rounders (for marimba soloist with
percussion trio), Blue Ridge (for two marimbas)

Howard J. Buss: A Day in the City (1986) Brixton Publications

Howard J. Buss: Rite of Passage (1995) Brixton Publications

Paul Creston: Concertino for Marimba (1940)

Emma Lou Diemer: Concerto in One Movement for Marimba and

Chamber Orchestra (1991)

Jacob Druckman: Reflections on the Nature of Water (1986)[12]

Aisha Duo: Quiet Songs (2005)

Safri Duo: Baya Baya

Joseph Hallman: Violencia for marimba and cello (2007), written

for Alisa Weilerstein and Matthew McClung.

John Harbison: Concerto for Bass Viol (2005)

Hans Werner Henze: Five Scenes from the Snow Country for
Marimba solo (1978)

David A. Jaffe: The Library of Babel, for two five-octave marimbas

(2012)

Anders Koppel: Marimba Concertos 14 (19952005), Tarantella'

(for violin and marimba) (2001), Toccata (for marimba and
vibraphone) (1990)

Frederik Magle: Cantabile (symphonic suite) The Cortge &

Danse Macabre movement includes a marimba solo[13] (2009)

Linda Maxey: The Artistry of the Marimba (1994)

Olivier Messiaen: La Transfiguration de Notre Seigneur JsusChrist ("The Transfiguration of Our Lord Jesus Christ"), large 10part chorus, piano solo, cello solo, flute solo,clarinet solo, xylorim
ba solo, vibraphone solo, large orchestra (196569)

Olivier Messiaen: Saint-Franois d'Assise (Saint Francis of Assisi,

opera)

Darius Milhaud: Concerto for Marimba, Vibraphone and

Orchestra, Op. 278 (1947)

Luigi Morleo: Concerto per Marimba e Archi (1993)

Thea Musgrave: Journey through a Japanese Landscape (1994)

Clair Omar Musser: Etude in C Major

Lior Navok: Rosewood Staircase (2000)

Robert Paterson: Komodo (2005), Piranha (2009) (both using sixmallets), Mandala (for two marimbas) (2012) (four-mallets), Forest
Shadows, numerous works for marimba and other instruments

Tarik O'Regan: Triptych (2005) originally for choir and strings,

later arranged for choir and marimbas

Steve Reich: Music for 18 Musicians (1976), Six

Marimbas (1986), Nagoya Marimbas (for two marimbas) (1994)

Ney Rosauro: Concerto For Marimba and Orchestra (1986),

Concerto No. 2 for Marimba and Orchestra (2001), numerous solo
works

Joseph Schwantner: Velocities (1990)[12]

Emmanuel Sjourn: Concerto for marimba and strings (2006)

Antonio Eros Negri: Ragtime per Marimba e Archi (Preludio

Music, 2007)

Adam Silverman: Carbon Paper and Nitrogen Ink concerto for

marimba and wind ensemble or percussion ensemble (2013)

Gordon Stout: Two Mexican Dances (1974)

William Susman: Amores Montuos (2008) for flute &

marimba, Marimba Montuo (2002) for solo marimba

Tomas Svoboda: Concerto For Marimba and Orchestra, Op.

148 (1995)

Josef Tal: Chamber Music (1982) for Recorder, Marimba and

Harpsichord

Augusta Read Thomas: Silhouettes (2004)

Peter Togni: Lux Aeterna (2010) Gamelan & six voices, later
arranged for SATB and marimbas

Andersen Viana: Grlashodibzntmev for Vibraphone and

Marimba (2006), 3 Fugues (2010)

Alejandro Viao: Khan Variations (2001), Burritt

Variations (2012), Book of Grooves (for two marimbas) (2011)

Charles Wuorinen: Percussion Symphony (1976), Percussion

Quartet (1994), Metagong (2008), Marimba Variations for fiveoctave marimba (2009)

In other music[edit]

Folk marimba with gourds, HighlandGuatemala

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, Honduras, El
Salvador, Nicaragua and Costa Rica, as well as amongAfroEcuadorians and Afro-Colombians.
There have been numerous jazz vibraphonists who also played the
marimba. Notable among them are Gary Burton, David
Friedman,Stefon Harris, Bobby Hutcherson, Joe Locke, Steve
Nelson, Red Norvo, Dave Pike, Gloria Parker, Dave Samuels and
Arthur Lipner.
Marimbaist and vibraphonist Julius Wechter was the leader of a
popular 1960s Latin-flavored band called Baja Marimba
Band and Herb Alpert and his Tijuana Brass made frequent use of the
marimba.
Marimba was played famously by Brian Jones in the Rolling Stones'
songs Under My Thumb and Out of Time. Island Girl by Elton
Johnand Moonlight Feels Right by Starbuck also prominently feature
the instrument. Ruth Underwood played an electrically amplified
marimba in Frank Zappa's The Mothers of Invention. Art Tripp played
the marimba on several of Captain Beefheart & the Magic Band's
albums, most notably on Lick My Decals Off, Baby and The Spotlight

Kid. Victor Feldman played the marimba on several of Steely Dan's

early albums. It is played at the start of Mamma Mia by ABBA.
[14]
Percussionist Evelyn Glennie has collaborated with Bjrk and can
be heard playing the marimba on Post andTelegram, as well
as Oxygen. Thompson Twins included marimba in their many '80s
works. Jack White played marimba on The Nurse, a song on The
White Stripes' album Get Behind Me Satan. In 2003, Marina Calzado
Linage recorded an album bridging the gap between academic and
popular music, Marimba de Buenos Aires, featuring music bystor
Piazzolla. In 2009, Canadian musician Spencer Krug, working under
the moniker Moonface, released a 20-minute continuous piece
called Dreamland EP: Marimba And Shit-Drums with Jagjaguwar. The
recording consists entirely of marimba, drums and vocals and
comprises many movements and recurring themes. Vincent Montana
Jr. played the marimba on one of the great socially conscious soul
songs of the early '70s People Make the World Go Round by The
Stylistics. The experimental band Coil (band) used the marimba in its
later performances such as Selvaggina, Go Back into the Woods and
studio albums The Ape of Naples and Black Antlers.

Flapamba[edit]
Flapamba

Flapamba (from Emil Richards Collection)

Classification

Percussion instrument(Idiophone)

Developed

Brent Seawell

Playing range

F2C4, C4C6

Builders

Chris Banta

The flapamba is a musical instrument in the percussion family. It

consists of tuned wooden bars pinched on one side (over the node),
and mounted over resonator boxes. Sliding the bars slightly forward or
backward affects their tuning. Unlike marimba or xylophonehowever,
the sound is not as focused tonally, as it is a bit more percussive
(closer to tuned log drums).
Part of what makes the flapambas characteristic sound is the tuning;
for instance, the resonators are not tuned to the bars as in other
standard keyboard percussion instruments. Renowned studio
percussionist Emil Richards bought his original flapamba
fromProfessional Drum Shop in Hollywood in the late 60's/ early 70's,
and added it to his giant instrument collection, the Emil Richards
Collection.[15] The staff at the store convinced him to buy it, as they told
him that they were getting out of the percussion rental business since
Emil was dominating much of the work in town. Emil couldn't find any
info on the history or maker of the flapamba when he purchased it, but
nevertheless he started using it on recording sessions, as
the chromatic layout of the instrument made it an easy transition from
other keyboard mallet instruments. He used the softest mallets
possible or the meat of the fingers to get a warm, resonant, wooden
sound.[16] This original flapamba had a range from middle C (C4), up
two full octaves.
In the 2000s, Emil decided that he would like the flapamba to have an
additional lower range, so specialty mallet craftsman Chris Banta
made new bars spanning F2 to C4, and dubbed this the "bass
flapamba". He also replaced the bars on the original set to maintain
continuity of sound between both sets, and changed the finish to a
blonde color from the original set's brown. Both sets combined have a
range from F2C6. Emil's flapamba has been heard on countless
soundtracks and other recordings, such as on the television
shows Lost, Daktari, and Kung Fu.[16]
Elmer Bernstein used it on his soundtrack for McQ.[17]
The beginning of the Steely Dan track Rikki Don't Lose That
Number features Victor Feldman playing the flapamba, but his
contribution was cut from the original ABC singleversion.[18]