Flam Master Flash
Tiger Talk Pro
Reged: Nov 17 2005
Posts: 325
Loc: France
|
|
Hello everybody,
I am a drummer who is interested in basically getting my feet wet playing the marimba. I feel that it would be great to work on some of the keyboard scales and phrasing related to the piano, but to stay in the realm of percussion. The one thing I have noticed is that marimbas are quite expensive. My question is this: is there a practice marimba that has the octaves of the piano but is more affordable to start out with? Thank you! On checking the audition requirements for jazz drumming in many of music schools in the U.S., I notice that knowledge and skill of mallet playing is required. Well, I guess that opens a whole different world to work on.....Thanks!
|
eldocvibra
Tiger Talk Trainee
Reged: Mar 27 2005
Posts: 12
Loc: Puerto Rico
|
|
Hi, you can check ebay and see the marimba they make in Guatemala, for around $150,so you can practice,also check the auction that are going on right now. Tha electronic one like malletkat goes for around $2000 plus,like the Rush drummer use.Their are beginning book you can check on ebay and malletworks that our moderator is very knowledgable. Hope this will help you.
|
James Walker
Tiger Talk Pro
Reged: Mar 18 2002
Posts: 1283
Loc: Connecticut
|
|
Hi, Flam,
IIRC, the Vancore mallet instrument company makes a chromatic "practice xylophone" that is 2-1/2 or 3-octaves in range, which isn't really designed as a performance instrument, but it has wooden bars, and the bar spacing is wider (closer to what's usually considered a "professional" instrument) than on many older "student" mallet instruments.
In the US, many students' first experience with mallet percussion is via a "bell kit" - a basic set of orchestra bells. If possible, however, I'd suggest that you look for some sort of a xylophone or marimba to start out - it'll be easier to find a piece to play on such an instrument, versus bells, when the time comes to audition for University study.
If you don't have any success with the Vancore practice instrument I mentioned earlier, your best bet is to look for a "used" instrument, rather than a brand new one. If there are any conservatories, or universities with music departments, near where you live, contact the percussion departments. Sometimes, it is during their University tenure that students upgrade from their own "student" instrument to something more serious, and you may find that one of these students is looking to sell their introductory instrument to help finance their own purchase of a newer (larger, etc.) instrument.
You might also wish to contact a mallet instrument manufacturer in the Netherlands, named Nico vanderPlas (http://www.vanderplas-perc.nl). Nico tends to make instruments designed for professional use, but he may be able to direct you towards mallet manufacturers in Europe (like Vancore, I believe) who may offer instruments suitable to someone, like you, who is just starting out with their mallet instrument studies.
|
Flam Master Flash
Tiger Talk Pro
Reged: Nov 17 2005
Posts: 325
Loc: France
|
|
Thank you both for the info! ![[Wink]](/ubbthreads/images/icons/wink.gif)
|
|
Copyright
© 1998-2006 by TigerMix.com,
Inc.
Previous
Index
Next
Threaded
Edit
Reply
Quote
