Mallets and Music

Book excerpt: Mallets & Music: A Guide to Four Mallet Marimba is a new method book designed to help you get started with playing four mallet marimba. It uses a combination of straightforward explanations, high resolution pictures, an easy to access video library, and a collection of music commissioned specifically for the developing marimbist. The guide features straightforward step by step instructions for learning the Stevens technique along with each of the different stroke types. Over 65 exercises will help you develop your skills to play any of the ten new pieces commissioned for this book. Mallets & Music features original music by world renowned performers and composers (Michael Burritt, Blake Tyson, Ivan Trevino, Aaron Staebell, Elliot Cole, Robert Honstein, Jennifer Bellor, Baljinder Sekhon, Matthew Curlee, Drew Worden) that were commissioned specifically for this book. Each composer has a unique style that will present you with new challenges, ideas, and experiences. The music is suitable for those who are just getting started using four mallets as well as musicians that have years of experience. Each piece of music is also accompanied by exercises that were inspired by their corresponding solo. These exercises will help you learn the technical aspects of each piece of music in order to help you learn them quickly and efficiently. In addition to music composed by world renowned composers and performers, Mallets & Music features over two hours of easily accessible videos. Using the camera on your smartphone or tablet, you will be able to use a QR code scanner to instantly access videos from the Mallets & Music YouTube channel. In the early chapters, the videos feature explanations and demonstrations of the techniques found within the corresponding chapter. In the later chapters, each piece of music has a corresponding video. These videos consist of a complete, live performance of the piece along with a brief lesson discussing techniques, practice strategies and musical considerations. You'll never have to search for a recording and you'll always have some help getting started.