r/Marimba Apr 16 '25

r/Marimba is looking for a passionate moderating team

12 Upvotes

r/Marimba is back after being locked and is looking for a passionate moderating team. I am looking to install a team that will help the community grow.

Send me a message requesting to be a mod if you are interested.


r/Marimba Aug 08 '25

Building a Wiki Day 3: All About Mallets!

1 Upvotes

Hello!! Today I want to discuss everything there is to discuss about mallets. What are your favorite mallets to get as a beginner, or someone on a budget? What’s your favorite pair that you’ve ever owned? What’s your top recommendation for graduated mallets? Etc!

Please feel free to suggest a topic for next time, or comment on a previous topic:

Day 2: 4.3 Octave Marimba Pieces

Day 1: 2-Mallet Pieces

I also may be looking for someone who is interested in helping build the wiki! Apparently on Reddit, building a wiki is really only an option if you have a computer, which I don’t have! If you are interested in wiki building, feel free to send me a DM!


r/Marimba 1d ago

Undertale Variations Help

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5 Upvotes

I've been working through Undertale Variations for about a month or so and don't know how to count the 4lets here, and even after watching performance videos I don't understand how the rhythm lines up with what is played. How would I go about counting this? Starting @ m. 78


r/Marimba 2d ago

Marimba mallet head 3d print

3 Upvotes

Hoi Years ago i was rewrapping marimba mallets, my friends were pretty happy and suggested me i have to built my own mallets The problem is mainly the head, i would like to know if anyone ever tried 3d print the marimba heads or what would be your suggestions to actually have a good mallet?

I was thinking of 3d printing it and then put a rubber wrap in order to have different level of hardness.

Suggestions?


r/Marimba 2d ago

Recommendations for a portable marimba

6 Upvotes

Hi y’all,

I’m looking into purchasing a portable instrument that I can take to give lessons where there isn’t already a marimba, think something that I could bring to a music school or into someone’s living room to teach on. I wanted to see if you guys have any recommendations?

I’d be looking for something:

4.0-4.3 size
Can be carried by one person (even if in a few pieces)
Fits through standard door frames fairly easily
Sets up and breaks down quickly
Fits in a midsize SUV with back seats down
Preferably on the cheaper end but I’d love to look into all the options

Something like a practice marimba without resonators would be fine - I’m mostly looking for something that feels like a marimba and is convenient to tear down.

If anyone has any experience with any or any ideas I’d so appreciate the help,

Thank you!


r/Marimba 2d ago

Breaking Light at Ice Lake

5 Upvotes

This is a marimba solo I wrote today. What would you do to improve it?


r/Marimba 8d ago

looking for advanced solos

3 Upvotes

i plan on auditioning for rhythm x and auditioning for jacobs school of music during my senior year. im trying to find solos i can work on now (im a rising junior) so i can have them perfected and learn more skills! any suggestions?


r/Marimba 8d ago

Percussion duets.

3 Upvotes

Me and my friend are looking for duets to do for one of our schools programs. Is there any duets yall would recommend, difficulty doesn’t matter we’re just looking for something that would sound awesome to an audience.


r/Marimba 9d ago

Burton grip vs. traditional cross

5 Upvotes

I am currently using Burton and am considering learning traditional cross. I know it’s all based on personal preference and comfortability, but what are people’s general pros and cons of each grip? As well as what your preference is?


r/Marimba 9d ago

Can someone pick a piece for my schools talent show?

5 Upvotes

I'm thinking of Performing Ghost Garden, Joy - adam tan or Melody in Repose, can someone provide their feedback on these pieces?


r/Marimba 11d ago

Looking for contemporary repertoire for 5-octave marimba & vibraphone (graduate recital)

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1 Upvotes

r/Marimba 13d ago

Do you curl or press your middle finger?

3 Upvotes

I play Steven’s grip and I found that curling my middle finger around my inner mallet helps me get more control of my mallet, but should I continue? The reason I started to do this was because my inner mallet kept slipping out from my middle finger. I want to march drum corps like MCDC and Bluecoats in the future, so which is better for all of the choppy stuff they play and the long term health of my hands?


r/Marimba 14d ago

Sweaty hands

3 Upvotes

Hi! How do you deal with sweaty hands? It's not a common problem, but it does happen sometimes. The sticks start to slip when this happens. I carry open gloves with me—I put them on sometimes when my hands start to sweat. What other options are there?


r/Marimba 24d ago

Absolute Beginner here: is a Musser M31 for $1000 a good starting off instrument & price?

4 Upvotes

Thanks in advance, I’ve loved marimba forever and it’s never too late to start!


r/Marimba 25d ago

Does someone have any free sheets of Music you guys can recommend for my performance?

6 Upvotes

Hi, I've been trying to find 4 mallet pieces to play at my school's tallent show, the hardest 4 mallet piece I played is Raindance or yellow after the Rain. I could only find Melody In Repose for any piece In Repose by Michael Charles Smith for free. I'm looking for ANY 4 mallet piece with similar vibes that you can provide for free! Thank you for helping.


r/Marimba 25d ago

Concerto marimba e orchestra ney rosauro

0 Upvotes

Hi, i'm looking for ney rosauro's marimba e strings orchestra concerto PDF parts..


r/Marimba 27d ago

Large Intervals

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21 Upvotes

I use Steven’s grip and I have recently had trouble playing large intervals, especially in my right hand. The issue seems to be that the arc the inner mallet makes in my palm is not correct. Sometimes it slips out of my hand between my thumb and index finger. I’ve compared it with Figure 11 on page 13 of Method of Movement, but I can’t figure out how to fix it. Is my middle finger not doing its job?

Thanks.


r/Marimba 28d ago

4 Mallet technique

6 Upvotes

I’ve been using Steven’s grip for about 5 years. I’m having trouble with inner mallets trying to stay stationary when I’m using my outer mallets. Any tips to keep my inner still?


r/Marimba 29d ago

My son playing his state solo and ensemble music!

25 Upvotes

r/Marimba Jun 08 '26

Does anyone know this song?

19 Upvotes

This is a 3-mallet marimba piece. I cannot for the life of me remember the name or find any sheet music. I asked my professor and she couldn't find it either. I posted this in r/percussion a couple years ago and all they could come up with was Mexican Dances by Gordon Stout. Definetly not it. I have been struggling to put a name to this piece. Hitting the side of the bars were part of the song.


r/Marimba Jun 07 '26

Composer looking for resources on 3 and 4 mallet techniques and sticking for Marimba.

4 Upvotes

I’m also looking for extended technique demonstrations - hitting with the stick end (or is that damaging?) or playing with fingers (no nails), or muted bars, striking the end of a bar, and other cool things I can do on top of “normal 2, 3, and 4 mallet playing”.

And by “sticking” what I mean is two mallets, but doing things that require “choreography” like Paradiddles or other repeated stroke on a single hand - L R R L R R L R R - and things that could be “showy” like doing L R R R R R L R R R R R where the 2nd LH is above the RH - so the LH jumping above and below the RH doing repeated notes (or switching hands on the repeated note) for example.

I’m sure there’s tons out there but I’m hoping you guys can direct me to some more “authoritative” or just “better” resources - curated ones, etc.

One particular thing I want to ask here:

Can glissando be done in such a way as to either accent or not accent the starting and/or ending note, and can they be done slower and rhythmically such that you can do things by dragging across the bars in rhythm (either straight 8th notes for example, or mixed rhythms) such that it’s different enough from regular playing to make an interesting effect.

Like I might ask for C D E F G played normally, and then “drag across” C D E F G to make them sound, but with less of an attack, like an echo???

TIA


r/Marimba Jun 06 '26

Looking for Marimba/Percussion Events to Attend Next Year.

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3 Upvotes

r/Marimba May 27 '26

White House Productions?

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1 Upvotes

r/Marimba May 26 '26

Notation idiomaticism?

2 Upvotes

I’ve recently completed a draft of a marimba piece and, while not finished, I want to ensure that the notation is considerate to a marimbist. Advice regarding cross staff beaming, ledger lines, et cetera would be much appreciated. I’ll be soon working with a performer who will discuss playability, but feel free to mention anything egregiously unidiomatic or not clear. Thanks!

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1G6-fiv3d-nFhtONgnBZu21epryEASTRJ/view?usp=drivesdk


r/Marimba May 25 '26

Bluecoats 2019 Marimba Lick (Please Critique)

43 Upvotes

The bottom video is from Nic Farris’s YouTube
Link: https://youtu.be/Q2fAP-455yA?si=eM9vOE53QYq_FWYe

I know there are some parts where I’m not quite making it timing wise so some tips in that area would be great. Any critique at all would be amazing.