An Evolution of Keyboard Percussion Pedagogy

cided to choose advanced four-mallet There are three common grips, with
marimba techniques a~ the focus of my some slight variations, used in four mal-
doctoral lecture document, it seemed es- let percussion keyboard playing. These
sential to first explore the existing key- grips are: the Yraditional cross grip,”
board percussion tutors and their evolw the “Burton grip,” and the “Mussa/
tion. Although the focus is marbnba tech- Stevens grip.n
nique, there is a need to explore texts The Yraditional cross grip” is the
dealing with techniques ofrelatedinstru- earliest grip found in the pedagogical
merits, such a8 vibraphone and xylo- literature. This grip is formed by hold-
phone, so as not to delete any crossover ing one mallet, commonly called the in-
or overlapping pedagogical approaches. side mallet, between the thumb and in-
Most of the materials examined in dex finger while a second mallet,
this article pertain to four mallet perfor- commonly called the outside mallet, is
mance on vibraphone and marimba. inserted between the index finger and
However, the techniques are also appli- the middle finger. The two mallets crc~ss
cable to bells, xylophone, and although in the palm of the hand with the outside
rarely called for, crotales and chimes. mallet under the inside mallet. The
The reviewed materials are either texts “traditional cross grip” v.w used in most
his article could have been or video tapes and are presented chro- of the early vibraphone tutors, but it be-
subtitle& Loo&~ fir a Corn- nologically by publication date. came less popular with the arrival of an-
Technical and Musical
plete A significant feature of each text is other cross grip developed by the great
Marimba Tkor. When I de- the type of four mallet grip it employs. vibraphonist Gary Burton and called,

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An Evolution of Keyboard Percussion Pedagogy
appropriately, the “Burton grip.” How- Howard Stevens’ Method ofMomnent motion when simultaneously playing
ever, some great keyboard percussion for Marimba (pages 10-15). The mallets natural and accidental bars. Page seven
artists such as Keiko Abe, continue to in this grip do not cross, which allows of the lesson provides two very brief sec-
employ the traditional cross grip. for a larger interval spread than is pos- tions entitled Execution or 7Wmic and
The “Burton grip” is much like the sible with any other four mallet grip. Silencing One Mallet. Execution or lkh-
“traditional cross grip” except that the This increased spreading feature is pre- nit refers to the ability of a player to
inside mallet crosses in the palm under ferred by many mwimbists. change from one body position to an-
the weaker outside mallet. This crossing Four mallet keyboard techniques other and correspondingly position the
of the mallets adds additional support have been discussed in percussion peda- mallets. Wencing One M&t refers to
and strength to the outside mallet. The gogical texts since the early part of this uelevating” the outside mallet in situa-
‘Burton grip” has become the preferred century. The National School of tions when a single line passage is more
grip among such great vibraphone play- Vibracussion in Chicago published a efficiently played between the inside
ers as David Samuels, Bill Molenhof, fourteen lesson tutor entitled Home mallets. The entire lesson is only eight
David Friedman, and Jerry Tachoir. Study Course in Vibracussion. Lesson pages in length including a piece en-
The third common four mallet grip number thirteen is entitled Special La- titled Aloha on page eight,
is referred to as the “Muser/Stevens son on Four Ma& Playing and has a Circa 1930 Howard A. Green wrote
grip.” This grip is formed by holding the copyright date of 1922. There are dia- a book entitled Marimba Method. The
inside mallet at the end of the mallet grams in this lesson describing the car- text, published by Jenkins Music Corn-
shaft between the thumb and the index rect and incorrect ways of holding the pony of Kansas City, Missouri, gives no
finger and the outside mallet near the “traditional cross grip.’ There is a see- exact publishing date. This book briefly
end of the shaft between the middle fin- tion entitled Practical Application discusses both two and four mallet play-
ger and the ring finger. Detailed photo- which describes the proper hand posi- ing techniques. The section on four mal-
graphs illustrate this grip in Leigh tioning of the mallets and correct arm lets includes photographs that illustrate

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20
proper hand positioning of the “Musser Marimba. The third volume in the set, second volume Wickstrom uses dia-
grip” for all chord positions, copyrighted in 1960, focuses on four grams to illustrate the “traditional,”
Harry C. Thompson published the mallet playing. The text contains forty- =Musser,” a n d “ B u r t o n ” g r i p s .
text Irwtructor for Vibm.C!&te, Vibm one lessons in all, each based on an ele- Wickstrom discusses mallet spreading
phone and Vibrakarp through G, B. merit of music theory with a progressive and demonstrates chords with different
Tuthill in 1931. This text deals with the lesson plan that combines technique, intervals. He also includes a section on
techniques of holding the “traditional theory, and harmony, chord progressions.
cross grip,” spreading the mallets, and The text Four Ma&t Studies, writ- Four Mallet Technique Studies for
dampening the bars (for vibraphone), ten in 1968 by Gary Burton, is consid- Xylophone, Marimba, and Vibes by
He also discusses double note and chord ered by many to be the first significant Garwood Whaley is a general and basic
playing. text which approaches the study of four approach to four mallet playing that
Howard M. Peterson’s text of 1937 mallet keyboard percussion technique. was published in 1975. Whaley’s text,
entitled Peterson’s Xylophone and Ma- Burton uses photographs from above along with Raymond E. Meyer’s &ful-
rimba Studies presents three and four and below the instrument to illustrate tiple Mallet Studies for Marimba (1975);
mallet playing. Photographs are pro- the proper =Bwton grip” and spreading Karen Ervin’s Contemporary Solos and
vided to illustrate proper “traditional techniques. After thoroughly describing Contempomy Etudes of3 and 4 Mallets
cross grip,” spreading techniques, and these techniques (19771; Linda
the stroke. There are also photos that il- he includes ever- . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lorren -. Yunental’s
lustrate the shifting of body positions
and the turning of the hands for certain
cises to develop
them He presents lb date the most complete three works, The
S o l o Marimbist,
intervallic changes. Peterson also at-
tempts to cultivate the ability to read
fourteen of the
possible twenty- technical approach to volumes I and II
(19761, The Ma-
three and four note chords, and supplies
many etudes and folk tunes for musical
four consecutive
single line mallet the study of four-mallet rimba Goes Ba-
roqw, (19781, and
appbcatlon of the techniques.
Lionel Hampton’s Method for
permutations. (All
twenty-four a r e marimba playing is Bar Percussion
Notebooks, volumes
Vibmharp, Xylophone and Marimba ed-
ited by David Gornston first appeared in
listed for the first
time i n Marj Leigh Howard Stevens’ I and II (1978 and
1980); along with
1939 and a renewal was released in
1967. This method is organized in three
Holmgren’s text
Dewloping Four text Method of Gordon stout’s
three books of
sections, each focusing respectively on
two mallet playing, three mallet play-
Mallet Technique,
written in 1978,) Movement for Mtimba.. etudes (1975, 1982,
and 19891, are good
ing, and four mallet playing. Through- Burton concludes representative
out the book the student is introduced to his book with a section on voicing tech- sources for four mallet etudes and stud-
new scales, exercises and jazz tunes. niques in the jazz idiom. ies. None of them, however, specifically
Photographs are used to illustrate the Graded Reading Exercises for Four addresses the development of four mal-
“traditional cross grip.” There ars ever- Mallets by Max Neuhaus is a collection let keyboard percussion techniques as
cises to strengthen ?he manipulation of of musical etudes that was published in they are simply collections of studies
the hammers” (spreading technique). 1971 but contains no explanation of four and short pieces.
Photographs are used to illustrate the mallet technique. The book supplies a To date the most complete tschnical
propor movement of the hands and body good study for the somewhat ignored approach to the study of four-mallet ma-
positioning when playing chords which topic of four mallet sight reading. The rimba playing is Leigh Howard Stevens’
contain natural and accidental bars. work functions well as ~II etude book, text Method of Mownent for Marimba,
Thirteen pages provide examples for and in that respect is a contribution to published in 1979. In this text, which is
musical application of the techniques. four mallet texts. The book does not, divided into three parts, Stevens cars-
The last section concentrates OII four however, supply the foundation for a fully and completely examines all of the
mallet playing and includes a photo- complete school of four mallet tech- technical considerations involved in
graph illustrating the “double wrist nique. playing four mallet marimba. Excellent
turn.” The book ends with a section OII Fred Wickstrom’s Keyboard Mastery photographs along with detailed graphs
four mallet arranging and transcribing, for Mallet Percussion is a two volume are used to help explain body position-
About two decades after the Hamp- set published in 1972. The first volume ing, the ‘Stevens grip,” and the various
ton book appeared Pbil Kraus published concentrates on two mallet playing strokes. Stevens categorizes four differ-
three texts entitled Phil Kraus’ Modern while the second volume deals with ent strokes as they correlate with four
Mallet Method for Vibes, Xylophone, and three and four mallet playing. In the different motions. These include the

PERCKWVE NOTES * DECEMEER 199.2 21

 ---

Au Evolution of Keyboard Percussion Pedagoa

Single Independent (pp. 26-291, the nique, however, it lacks examples for tant aspects of playing that were not
Single Alternating ( pp. 30.311, the musical application of the techniques. previously addressed, or upon which
Double Vertical (pp. 32-341, and the In 1990, Stevens published a re- Stevens wished to expound. Section 1 of
Double Lateral (pp. 35-37). Part Two of vised edition of Method of Mownent for the supplement is entitled Other Ways
the book contains 590 exercises that de- Marimba which contains a supplemen- to Use MOM (Method of Movement) and
velop the techniques explained in part tal third part entitled Ten Years Later. focuses on how to practice the exercises.
ens. This text is a complete system for This supplement, while only ten pagss Stevens further explains the details per-
studying four mallet marimba tech- in length deals with some wry impor- taining to hand positioning, height, re-
covery, interval change, and striking
area. Section II is entitled Daily Ever-
cise Routines and focuses on the “core”
exercises that need to be practiced daily,
He supplies a chart which designates
how much time is to be spent on each
technique. Section III, entitled Tables of
Repertoire, simply lists various studies
and major works according to the tech-
niques which they contain. Section IV is
entitled Amplifications and describes
the three aspects that Stevens feels
need a wider range of volume amplifica-
tion. These include hand positioning, in-
ner mallet length, and keyboard height,
Section V is entitled A Retrospectitx and
Excellence in concert marimbas is a short history of the development of
tailored to the needs of the individual keyboard percussion technique. Stevens
list contributions from artists such as
“Myfive-octave~a~~baoneisthefi~tmarimbal’veever~. Picture Clair Oman Musser, Vida Chenoweth,
this: real depth of tone; remarkably even resonance; a stunning, naturally Gary Burton, and Joe Morello. He then
finished wood frame which is also as sleek and lightweight as can be; the concludes part three with a section
simplest assembly imaginable (and yet all the parts are so carefully fitted called First Edition Errata in which he
there isneverarattle!)-andthisistopped off bytheprofessionakattentive corrects the errors of the first edition,
service Ron offers. You can even order soft cases through him. What more The New Lionel Hampton Vibm-
could you want? Nancy Zeltsman, Marim/in phone Method, written in 1981 by Lionel
Hampton and Jean-Claud Forestier,
“I have been playing marimba for 35 years and this is the finest instrument contains a complete and detailed school
I’ve ever seen or performed upon,” of vibraphone playing within its 327
Jack Van Geem
San Francisco Symphony pages of text and musical examples, The
text is divided into three parts, plus an
“Ron Samuels’marimbaone product is pleasingtoallthesenses involved introduction discussing the fundamen-
with marimba playing. The marimba one instruments sound uncompro- tals of music. Part One focuses on vibra-
misingly full and rich; they feel exceptionally warm: and they look totally phone techniques and scales. The grip
Professional in every detail with their beautiful resonators and solid wood that is pictured is the ‘Xraditional cross
frame.ForthesereasonsthePercussionAreaattheUniversi~ofNevada,Las grip” and discussions include six mallet
Vegas owns two 5.octave marimba me instruments. Oh yes, one other playing. Parts two and three focus on
detail.. just try to beat the price!” Dr. Dean Gronemeier musical examples, The examples in part
Director of Percussion Studies two ars orchestral vibraphone transcrip-
University of Nevada, Las Vegas tions in the jazz idiom. Hampton’s text
supplies a complete foundation for ad-
RON SAMUELS vanced vibraphone playing.
PO. BOX 786 ARCATA, CA 95521
l
The videos M&et Keyboard Musi-
cianship, Steps to Em&vm, volumes 1
(707) 839-5725 FAX (707) 839-4869 and 2, by Dave Samuels appeared in
1988 and provide a good introduction to
22 PEfiCUSSlVE NOTES. CECEMSER t992
four mallet vibraphone playing. Although enough elaboration from any one artist niques. Cook also supplies musical ex-
Samuels demonstrates on the marimba, to consider the book a school of playing. amples and continues with a section on
the focus is on the vibraphone and the The merit of this compilation is the pre- phrasing and musical expression.
jazz idiom. Samuels explains the “Burton sentation of a variety of ideas and sp- Contemporary Mullet Method by
cross grip,” spreading techniques, the proaches for consideration from many Jerry Tachoir was published in 1991
proper stance in front of the vibraphone, great keyboard percussion artists. through Riohcat Music. He structures
striking the bars, mallet dampening and The vidw Master Study Series, volume the text in five chapters followed by
pedaling technique, sonx mallet permu- 1, was produced in 1988 by Jerry Tachoir eleven musical exercises. In chapter 1
tations, and improvisation. The video and is a basic outline of the various key- Tachoir diagrams and explains the
tapes are organized to reinforce Samuel’s kwud psrcwion t&chniqw as they pert&n ‘Burton grip” and speaks briefly on
books A Musical Approach to Four Mallet to the vibraphone. He explains the “Burton how to “warm up.’ In chapter 2 he ex-
Technique for lGbraphone, volumes 1 and cross grip,” how to strike the bars, motion of plains Yticking,’ “Independent Stick-
2, written in 1982. These books contain accuracy, and sorns mallet permutations. ing,” and uTheory.n The focus of chapter
excellent technical and musical e.x- Tachoir also discusses the techniques of 3 is “Sticking Chords.” In chapter 4
amples. @sling and dampen@. Tachoir discusses the techniques of
Master lkhniqw Builders for Kbra- Teaching Pwcussion by Gary Cook “Executing Harmonies While Improvis-
phone and Marimba, edited and corn- was published in 1988 and is an excellent ing” and ‘Cornping.’ In chapter 5 he
piled by Anthony J, Cirone in 1985, pre- survey of teaching techniques of many discusses ‘Uarity in Executing Lines
sents the playing philosophies and styles percussion instruments. The keyboard on the Vibraphone through the Use of
of thirteen different keyboard percussion chapter is extensive and provides a solid Dampening.” The book is very appro-
artists. There are many excellent techni- foundation for a school of four mallet priate for the beginning vibist, as it ex-
cal and musical approaches presented playing. Photographs illustrate in detail plains the various techniques and then
throughout the book, but there is not the three types of grips and various tech- offers musical exercises for the student

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23
Au Evolution of Keyboard Percussion Pedagogy
to employ the exercises. niques to musical s&zings. This appmach to formance Problems in West Side Suite.xHe
Although all the above texta are excel- keyboard percussion pedagogy would not is also the author of the soon-to.be avail-
lent, there are wry few that focus cnl learn- ody develop a m&ery of the technique, but able book, “A Musical Apprcach to Ad
ing the various fouxnallet techniques in a would also cultivate a musical interpreta- uanced Four-Mallet Marimba Techniquesa
nwica~ setting. Of these few, there are tion as well. The phrasing and shaping of (Baker Publications).
none that are specilidy geawl for the ma- the musical line would be inoxpwated inta
rimba. Of all the materials examined the study, thereby giving the student a Dean Gmnemeier received his degrees in
herein, the Method of Movement for Ma- more meaningful and musical learning ex- percussion pe~ormance fmm Nor-them Illi-
rimba by Leigh Howard Stevens is the only perience than merely the development of nois University and the University afAri-
complete system for the study of four mallet the technique. P N ZOML. He is cumntly Dimtor ofPercwstin
marimba tecbni~e. However, in order to be The preceding article is excerpted from &dies at the lhivemity ofNew.da, Las V&
a complete technical and nw_s~ca~ appmach Deank DMA Lecture Document, e&led gas. Dml is an actiw clinictin fir Kori mr-
to playing, the Steven’s bak might incor~~- “Advanced Marimba Techniques: An rimbus, and is also principal percussionist
rate a fourth part which applies the tech- Analysis B&h Musical Approackes to Per- with the Las V&IS Sympkony O&stra

Developed by Ganvood Whaley and the PAS Education Committee, this book
has been very well received and is now a required text in many college
percussion teclmiqaes classes.
TRBLEOFCONTENTS
. Recommendations for the Reorganization of Percussion Instruction
. Motivating the Percussion Student
. The School Percussion Ensemble: Organization
. The School Percussion Ensemble: Instrumentation
. The School Percussion Ensemble: Literature
. Percussion Equipment, Inventov, and Security
. Sticks, Mallets, and Beaters: Which for What?
. The Percussionist’s Pencil Aids to Marking Parts
. Percnssion Problems from the Podium
. Percnssion in the School Stage Band
. Presenting a Percussion Clinic for Kigh School Stndents
. All-State Percussion Auditions
. Percussion
-. -. in the Conceri Ban& An Annotated List
. The Llementv Percnssion Section Pari I Repertoire-The Foundation of
Musicianship Price: $9.95 plus $2.00 shipping
. The Elementary Percussion Section Part Ik Part Editing
. Percussion Method Books: A Bibliography
. The Worst Percnssion Solos Ever Written (How to Avoid Them)
. Audio and Video Percnssion Resources

24 PERCUSSIVE NO7ES. OECEMSER ,W