Keyboard Instruments
Marimba:
● Has the most solo literature in the percussion family
● Warm tone and color
● Played with four or two mallets
● Keep mallets in a v shape and keep hands low but mallets up
● Typically played with soft mallets, sometimes covered with yarn. Harder
mallets can be used for the upper range.
● The type of marimba used today came from Central America and Africa, and
is only about 100 years old
● Bars generally made of rosewood; however, most middle and high schools
will not have instruments made out of real rosewood
● Range:
o Four to five octaves
o Top note is always three octaves above middle C, but the lower note
can vary
o Pitch sounds as written on the staves
Xylophone:
● Like the marimba, the bars are usually made from rosewood, although
synthetic materials can be used as a replacement
● Harder mallets can be used
● Have a higher, sharp sound
● Origin is unclear, but can be attributed to African and Asian cultures
● Range:
o Some of the instruments go down to one C below middle C
o Pitched an octave higher than it is generally written
Glockenspiel
● Also known as the orchestral bells
● Made of metal bars
Keyboard Instruments
● Plastic or brass mallets work best
● Much smaller than the other keyboard instruments
● Does not require resonators
● High pitch and piercing sound
● Generally have no pedal to control the sustain
● Extremely loud instrument
● Range:
o Generally two and a half octaves. (G below middle C to C, to two
octaves above middle C)
o Sounds one octave above what is written on the staff
Vibraphone
● Also made of metal bars
● These metal bars give the instrument a much longer sustain than some of the
other keyboard instruments
● Mallets are made of a cord wrapping
● There is a pedal on the instrument to control the length of the notes
● Used extensively in jazz ensembles
● Range:
o Almost always F below middle C , up 3 Octaves to F, two and a half
octaves above middle C
Tubular Bells
● Also known as chimes
● Tuned metal tubes hung from a frame, vertically
● One of the mallets is raw hide and one is plastic.
● Has pedal that can control the sustain
● Complex series of overtones made to imitate church bells
● Hold mallets sideways and use same wrist motion as other instruments
● Range:
o One and half octaves (Middle C up to an F or G)
Keyboard Instruments
Additional Notes:
● Crotales (antique symbols) Use hard plastic rubber mallets on them, similar
to glockenspiel.
● Glockenspiel is most similar to it so you can substitute it if you don’t have
crotales.
● There are two octaves on the crotales and they sound 2 octaves about what is
written.
● Have students play two octave scales on the keyboard instruments because
the stickings change.
● Rules for doubles: it’s easier to do it going down (black keys to white keys) so
avoid doubles that go up the manual if you can. Also avoid doubles that
stretch far (a 4th is about the max). Students will tend to rush when they play
doubles.
Four Mallet Grips
● Burton grip (Cross grip-mallets cross each other) Palms down, and knock on
door wrist motion. Change interval of sticks using thumb and pointer finger.
His book is: “Four mallet technique”
● Stevens grip (Independent grip- mallets are not in contact). Leigh Howard
Stevens owns the company Malletech. Change interval by rolling mallet.
Better for wider intervals. His book is: “Method of Movement”
● Traditional grip (cross grip)—like Burton except back mallet is in front
instead. This one if very uncommon though.
