Board 8 > Being a marimba player is the worst some times

(+) Yeah! (+)

Oh hey, this would be a cool piece of music to arrange or a cool arrangement to play... if I had a full 5 octaves.

I realize this likely means nothing to just about everybody, but the struggle of missing out on a G2 is real.

---

My harmonica has 3 and when I liked tormenting people in college with a recorder without properly learning how to play it, I had one octave with no accidentals. Could be worse

---

Most all serious marimba repertoire requires a 5 octave marimba. But that's a few extra grand from a 4.3 octave, which is the standard size.

---

I had to google what a marimba was. Looks pretty cool.

---

i'm finally in the range to get a vibraphone which i've been saving up for (my main instrument was vibraphone / i was primarily a jazz vibraphonist for a very long time, but hadn't had access to one really in years, eager to get back to it)

but i'm worried about exactly this, that i'm going to regret getting this early and on the cheapest end, because of low octave range or something else i hadn't considered (though octave range difference between higher-cost / lower-cost models seems to be less a factor with vibraphone than marimba. for me i think it's about "how important is a motor to me?" and stuff like that)
---

Toxtricity posted...

i'm finally in the range to get a vibraphone which i've been saving up for (my main instrument was vibraphone / i was primarily a jazz vibraphonist for a very long time, but hadn't had access to one really in years, eager to get back to it)

but i'm worried about exactly this, that i'm going to regret getting this early and on the cheapest end, because of low octave range or something else i hadn't considered (though octave range difference between higher-cost / lower-cost models seems to be less a factor with vibraphone than marimba. for me i think it's about "how important is a motor to me?" and stuff like that)

I've seen so many posts in the Facebook band director's group about "help, our vibraphone motor isn't working, anyway to fix this or do I just need to buy a new vibraphone" and of course, everybody responds with "nobody ever uses the motor in a band setting".

Obviously your situation is different, but when it comes to motors and vibraphones, I would typically drop the motor. If you want to add cool effects to your vibes, there are much easier options, like wrapping bars in aluminum foil to create distortion effect.

---

HanOfTheNekos posted...

I've seen so many posts in the Facebook band director's group about "help, our vibraphone motor isn't working, anyway to fix this or do I just need to buy a new vibraphone" and of course, everybody responds with "nobody ever uses the motor in a band setting".

Obviously your situation is different, but when it comes to motors and vibraphones, I would typically drop the motor. If you want to add cool effects to your vibes, there are much easier options, like wrapping bars in aluminum foil to create distortion effect.

that's what my leaning is luckily, tbh i never had a working motor when playing vibes in high school or college or any jazz vibes scenario outside of that (did not grow up in a rich enough place). it's more just like "this is a thing this instrument is known for and is 'supposed to' have, am i going to regret not getting it?"

still it's good to have reassurance that i'm not crazy for considering getting a cheaper one with no motor at all, especially since my current use is not going to be in a live setting (literally just adding effects digitally will probably be just as cool, if not cooler)
---

I saw a post the other day pointing out that a big enough leap is asking the marimba player to jump two feet to the side. As a composer, please don't give me that much power.

Also I don't mess with marimba much but my main instrument I play is piano and almost everything else I know how to play halfway decently has like an octave and a half range, so I understand the adjustment.

---

Tom Bombadil posted...

I saw a post the other day pointing out that a big enough leap is asking the marimba player to jump two feet to the side. As a composer, please don't give me that much power.

Are you sure the post wasn't written by a T-Rex? Playing the distance of 4 octaves is just extending your arms out to the side.

That said, yeah, make sure it's ergonomic. You'd be surprised at the amount of professional band arrangers who have no idea how a marimba works.

---

My workplace occasionally has a marimba player with what I presume is a standard setup, judging by size! Much props to you (and apologies for the struggle.)

---

davidponte posted...

I had to google what a marimba was

---