Get different sounds with different mallets.
Like with many percussion instruments, it is possible to achieve very different sounds from the marimba. Marimba mallets are made out of different materials and create different tones on the instrument. Choosing the right mallet for you depends on what sound you want to get. An experienced, adaptable percussionist wants to have all sorts in his collection.
Marimba Basics
A marimba is considered a keyboard percussion instrument. It is cousin to the vibraphone, xylophone, chimes and glockenspiel and distantly related to the piano. Like the xylophone, a marimba is made out of hardword. The tone is configured differently, though. The xylophone is very staccato and bright, while the marimba produces a richer, more resonant tone. Metal tubes below the instrument help create that sound. Marimbas are great instruments for solos, but they are also used in orchestras.
Rubber Mallets
Rubber mallets come in three different varieties. They are made from hard, medium or soft rubber. This hardness affects the quality of the sound. The harder the mallet, the brighter and sharper the sound. A medium or hard mallet will make a very "woody" tone, reminding all that the instrument is made out of wood after all. A softer rubber mallet creates a richer, quieter and more resonant tone. All three are commonly found at music stores.
Yarn Mallets
Yarn mallets are even softer than soft rubber mallets. A yarn mallet is created by taking a rubber, wood or plastic base and then covering it in yarn, making the mallet pillowlike. A yarn mallet excites a different quality than harder mallets, resonating much more with the lower tones than with bright, woody ones. The sound achieved is dark and rich. The softer touch also blends well with other instruments without drawing much attention to itself.
Plastic Mallets
The hardest mallets are plastic. Plastic mallets are commonly used for glockenspiels as well as xylophones, creating a very brilliant, ringing tone. Unlike yarn or soft rubber mallets, plastic mallets connect best with the brighter, higher tones of the marimba's bars. Use plastic mallets when you want to create a loud, sharp sound. Plastic mallets also work well for solo pieces or featured parts in orchestra composition because they really grab an audience's attention.
