{"id":49283,"date":"2024-11-11T11:13:57","date_gmt":"2024-11-11T10:13:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/04b6162b-dfa0-4fb1-9db8-3ccadbf7c1dd"},"modified":"2024-11-11T12:07:19","modified_gmt":"2024-11-11T11:07:19","slug":"the-marimba-all-you-need-to-know-about-the-flutey-sounding-percussion-instrument","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcmusicmagazine\/rss_feed\/the-marimba-all-you-need-to-know-about-the-flutey-sounding-percussion-instrument\/","title":{"rendered":"The marimba: all you need to know about the ‘flutey’ sounding percussion instrument"},"content":{"rendered":"

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By <\/p>

Published: Monday, 11 November 2024 at 10:13 AM<\/p>

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The marimba is a percussion instrument consisting of wooden bars that, when struck by a mallet, produces a soft and mellow sound, not dissimilar to a woodwind instrument<\/a><\/strong>. Like a xylophone, piano or glockenspiel, the marimba is a tuned instrument, with the wider, longer bars producing the lowest-pitched notes and the narrower, shorter bars producing the highest.<\/p>

The trombone: the unique-sounding instrument that you’ll hear everywhere from classical to reggae<\/strong><\/a><\/li> <\/ul>

<\/div> <\/figure> <h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What does the marimba sound like?<\/h2> <p>It’s often supposed that the marimba must sound a lot like a xylophone, the instrument it most resembles in appearance. Does it?<\/p> <p>Not quite: its range is lower and its sound is softer and more \u2018flutey\u2019. That\u2019s because it uses a different tuning method, which gives it a similar harmonic structure to wind and string instruments.<\/p> <ul class=\"wp-block-list\"\/> <ul class=\"wp-block-list\"> <li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/instruments\/what-is-a-harp\"><strong>What is a harp?<\/strong><\/a><\/li> <\/ul> <h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What are the mallets made of?<\/h3> <p>Mallets typically have a rubber head wrapped with yarn, and a shaft made of wood, rattan, or fiberglass. The hardness of the mallet depends on the note being played, with softer mallets used for lower notes and harder mallets for higher notes.<\/p> <ul class=\"wp-block-list\"> <li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/instruments\/weirdest-instruments\"><strong>‘Somewhere between mesmerising and terrifying’: ten of the weirdest musical instruments out there<\/strong><\/a><\/li> <\/ul> <h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How many mallets do you need to play the marimba?<\/h3> <p>Generally two (one in each hand) or four (two in each hand). But there are some people who use six (three in each hand), or even four in each hand for a grand total of eight.<\/p> <figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube\"> <div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\"> <iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\""Drive" (as orig. performed by Black Coffee\/Guetta)- 2019 Hilton College Competition Marimba band.\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/mPr_SvnJ_z0?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen=\"\"\/> <\/div> <\/figure> <ul class=\"wp-block-list\"\/> <h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Who invented the marimba and when?<\/h2> <p>Nobody is one hundred per cent sure who invented the marimba. Some say it originated in Southeast Asia in the 14th century. Others claim it came from Africa, where holes were dug in the ground, wooden bars were made to cross over them, and the bars were struck to produce sound. One particular legend credits a Zulu goddess named Marimba with creating the instrument by hanging gourds (resonating chambers) below wooden bars.<\/p> <p>One way or another, though, the instrument made its way to South America in the 16th century, possibly brought there by African slaves.<\/p> <ul class=\"wp-block-list\"> <li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/works\/african-classical-music\">African classical music: nine great works by African composers that you should hear<\/a><\/strong><\/li> <li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/works\/best-percussion-music\"><strong>Best percussion music: what are percussion’s most exciting orchestral moments?<\/strong><\/a><\/li> <\/ul> <h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How has the instrument evolved?<\/h3> <p>Mostly in terms of range, which has expanded to somewhere between four to five octaves. Over the years, the gourds that were suspended below the wooden bars were replaced with wooden resonators, and then eventually with modern metal resonator pipes, allowing for more precise tuning of <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/musical-terms\/what-is-pitch\">pitch<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p> <ul class=\"wp-block-list\"> <li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/musical-terms\/perfect-pitch\">What does it mean to have perfect pitch?<\/a><\/strong><\/li> <\/ul> <figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube\"> <div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\"> <iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Emmanuel S\u00e9journ\u00e9: Attraction (short version) performed by Christoph Sietzen\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/ix-QW-BShPY?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen=\"\"\/> <\/div> <\/figure> <h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How much does a marimba cost?<\/h2> <p>Marimbas can vary widely in price, though you can expect to pay around \u00a33000-\u00a35000 for a decent instrument.<\/p> <ul class=\"wp-block-list\"> <li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/articles\/steve-reich-s-best-works-percussion\"><strong>Steve Reich’s best works for percussion<\/strong><\/a><\/li> <li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/artists\/who-are-the-best-percussionists-today\"><strong>Who are the best percussionists today?<\/strong><\/a><\/li> <\/ul> <h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How do you play the marimba?<\/h2> <p>Simple answer: by hitting the middle of the wooden bars with mallets.\u00a0<\/p> <p>But of course, that\u2019s much easier said than done, as learning to play with several mallets is a feat of multitasking. This video will take you through the basics.<\/p> <ul class=\"wp-block-list\"> <li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/jazz\/what-is-jazz\"><strong>What is jazz music?<\/strong><\/a><\/li> <\/ul> <figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube\"> <div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\"> <iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Percussion: Marimba Basics\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/m8R8UcHrI8o?start=13&feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen=\"\"\/> <\/div> <\/figure> <h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What are the best works for marimba?<\/h2> <p>Although its appearance in orchestral works is rather sporadic, the marimba has been steadily gaining a foothold in classical repertoire since the 1940s or so. Amongst its chief ambassadors was the composer <a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/composers\/pierre-boulez\"><strong>Pierre Boulez<\/strong><\/a>, whose innovative and unflinching 1955 chamber <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/musical-terms\/what-is-a-cantata\">cantata<\/a><\/strong> <em>Le marteau sans ma\u00eetre <\/em>gave the marimba a meaty role, alongside an alto singer and five other instruments.\u00a0<\/p> <ul class=\"wp-block-list\"> <li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/instruments\/hardest-instruments-to-play\">These are the 11 most devilishly difficult instruments (and 11 gorgeous reasons to learn them)<\/a><\/strong><\/li> <\/ul> <p>More immediately accessible, however, are the variety of marimba <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/musical-terms\/what-concerto\">concertos<\/a><\/strong> that have come our way in the last 50 years or so. Among the most popular of these are Emmanuel S\u00e9journ\u00e9\u2019s vibrant and melodically rich Marimba Concerto, written in 2015; and the Marimba Concerto\u00a0No. 1, written in 1986 by the Brazilian composer Ney Rosauro, which is awash with <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/works\/brazil-music\">Brazilian<\/a><\/strong> motifs and rhythms and catchy melodies.\u00a0<\/p> <p>The marimba has also appeared in other genres, including the traditional music of various Latin American nations such as Mexico, Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala, where it is a symbol of culture. It\u2019s also used in jazz and pop music, not least Frank Zappa\u2019s The Mothers of Invention and the Rolling Stones 1966 song \u2018Under My Thumb.\u2019<\/p> <ul class=\"wp-block-list\"> <li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/composers\/best-latin-american-composers-of-all-time\">Best Latin American composers<\/a><\/strong><\/li> <li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/works\/best-classical-music-from-latin-america\">The best classical music from Latin America: composer Gabriela Ortiz selects seven personal favourites<\/a><\/strong><\/li> <\/ul> <figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube\"> <div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\"> <iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Rolling Stones - Under My Thumb video\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/yBdKMv9_vPE?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen=\"\"\/> <\/div> <\/figure> <\/body><\/html>\n<hr class=\"no-tts wp-block-separator\"\/>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By Published: Monday, 11 November 2024 at 10:13 AM The marimba is a percussion instrument consisting of wooden bars that, when struck by a mallet, produces a soft and mellow sound, not dissimilar to a woodwind instrument. Like a xylophone, piano or glockenspiel, the marimba is a tuned instrument, with the wider, longer bars producing […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":49284,"template":"","categories":[1,17],"acf":{"readingTimeMinutes":"4"},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/11\/the-marimba-all-you-need-to-know-about-the-flutey-sounding-percussion-instrument.jpg",1200,800,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/11\/the-marimba-all-you-need-to-know-about-the-flutey-sounding-percussion-instrument-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/11\/the-marimba-all-you-need-to-know-about-the-flutey-sounding-percussion-instrument-300x200.jpg",300,200,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/11\/the-marimba-all-you-need-to-know-about-the-flutey-sounding-percussion-instrument-768x512.jpg",768,512,true],"large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/11\/the-marimba-all-you-need-to-know-about-the-flutey-sounding-percussion-instrument-1024x683.jpg",800,534,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/11\/the-marimba-all-you-need-to-know-about-the-flutey-sounding-percussion-instrument.jpg",1200,800,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/11\/the-marimba-all-you-need-to-know-about-the-flutey-sounding-percussion-instrument.jpg",1200,800,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcmusicmagazine\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"By Published: Monday, 11 November 2024 at 10:13 AM The marimba is a percussion instrument consisting of wooden bars that, when struck by a mallet, produces a soft and mellow sound, not dissimilar to a woodwind instrument. Like a xylophone, piano or glockenspiel, the marimba is a tuned instrument, with the wider, longer bars producing…","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcmusicmagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed\/49283"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcmusicmagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcmusicmagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/rss_feed"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcmusicmagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcmusicmagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/49284"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcmusicmagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=49283"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcmusicmagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=49283"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}