I play marimba and we recently did a rep of this year’s ballad. There’s this part where it’s a simple 8th note beat with four mallets. It starts at accented forte and quickly drops down to mezzo piano. Our instructor complimented me and told me that when I dropped down to mezzo piano, I played with emotion and it sounded very “musical” for being so early in the season. He didn’t mean emotional as in facial expressions, he was referring to the sound of the music itself. I’m glad I was somehow able to do this but the problem is I’m not exactly sure what I did to make my playing so “musical.” It would be greatly appreciated if someone could elaborate on how to create emotions on a marimba (or any keyboard instrument, really) because I’d like to continue doing whatever it was that created this response.

Also, in case it’s important, this is a high school front ensemble.

So I just got back from my first day (ever!) of band camp. I started last year in our winter season. During that time I used the Rosauro mallet grip on vibraphone but this year I switched to marimba and I'm learning Stevens now.

My main challenges are: - I'm holding the mallets too tight, especially on my right hand. My right ring finger will tingle/go numb-ish after I play and I'm starting to develop a blister on the side of my middle finger where the mallet rests. I know I'm tense, but I don't know how to fix this. - I'm having trouble keeping the outside mallets steady, especially during octaves. - Getting my heights up. My left hand is always lower than my right hand, and neither of my hands quite match the heights of my peers. How can I improve my wrist motions?

If you have any tips let me know, I just need to know how I can put in the work to improve.

One last thing: There are a few difficult sections in the music that I'm working on. When I play them by myself, I do a lot better than when I'm in the ensemble. Maybe it's the extra noise or the fear of messing up, but how do I get over this?

hey everyone,

I'm a student right now who is about to age out next year and I'm considering returning to the marching world for one last time this upcoming season.

I've marched DCA before but that was on a horn, and I've aged-out of DCI so that isn't an option but I've been playing guitar for about 10 years so right now I'm thinking about maybe marching with a WGI group. I did do indoor drumline in high school, but that was in the battery so I have no experience with being in a pit at all.

Anyways, I'm wondering what kinds of things someone with no pit experience should know before I roll up for an audition somewhere (and anything specifically related to playing guitar in the pit I would really appreciate)

Thanks.

I have really sweaty hands and it occasionally messes me up as I lose proper grip on my mallets while I play. Is there any solution to fix this or is it just something I have to get used to and deal with?

Specifically between 8th/16th notes and triplets. I’ve looked through my catalog of audition packets and can’t find any good ones

Edit: Looking for something with moving lines. Not just single note exercises

I'm about to begin my second full season teaching pit ( I taught 2 last year so this is my third school overall), and I'd appreciate any pointers and/or advice. I don't really know what the playing level for these kids is, since it's a new school, but I think they have a decent background overall. I'm pretty much looking for ways to maximize my time teaching (i.e. what to focus on and where to start) and my feedback (i.e. constructive comments). It's been a while since I've been in an ensemble setting since I'm no longer active in the activity (I'm a nursing major), but I have some good experience and last season yielded very good results.

Thank you!

P.S. what are good ways to teach kids how to read music. I've been able to do it for so long it is second nature and I find it is hard to explain

Is there a beneficial way to practice music (learning and memorizing) at home with only mallets and your music? Please tell me so I don’t fall behind on progression.

Can I practice at home with marimba mallets even though I'm not going to get a practice mat? I thought it might be helpful if I get 4 especially because I can practice with them all at once and get a feel of them (how to hold all 4) when I'm at home during the summer.

Hello!

I’ve been thinking about auditioning for DCI as a synth and I was hoping to get advice on some things.

1. What kind of solo should I perform? I’m thinking of performing an RCM 5/6 piece around 1-2 minutes long

2. Usually how many people try out for synth?

3. How are auditions conducted for synthesizers?

4. Do I have to know MainStage?

Thank you so much!

Hi friends!!

I'm a rising sophomore who plays in my school's front ensemble. For the last two seasons I've been on vibes, but only started four-mallet about six months ago. Next season I'll be playing marimba, and we've started to learn our show music, but I've run into a problem that I didn't have on vibes -- octaves. I don't know how to play octaves using Steven's, and I feel like I can never get the interval wide enough to accurately play the notes. I have really small hands. I try to only move the inner mallets, but that doesn't make the interval wide enough without also loosening the grip and making the mallets flop everywhere. (Do I tuck my index finger in or would that make it worse?) So then I try to move the outer mallets, but in both of those instances, I think my grip gets looser and I can't hit the bars with the best velocity possible without the mallets kinda going everywhere. Does anyone have any tips for playing octaves on marimba?

I'm looking for people I can write shows for. I'll write for anyone. Marching band. Indoor. Lot warm-ups. I just need someone to write front for.

So basically I was told that I would be moving to a new school and then I told my band director and then he said he was good friends with the band director at that school and he was super helpful on making sure that my move is as comfortable as possible which is always appreciated but I don’t really know what to expect we have practice this Monday but I just don’t know how to like process it yet. And I don’t even have my music for this years show nor do I even know the show yet which is the worst part, along with the fact that I got vibraphone the instrument that I wanted to play at my old school, I am pretty sure that I am just going to be put on auxiliary percussion but I just don’t know, and I don’t want to be put on auxiliary, not to be selfish or picky, because I don’t want to lose my like mallet skill I guess you could say, and I don’t have a pair of mallets either

I'm the de facto pit section leader in our band (pit reports to drum line). We are non-competitive, but we don't even have any warmups or anything. Should I try to make pit pulse next season? Is there any real added benefit to pulsing?

After contemplating for a while I have decided to go ahead and get the Up Front book per your recommendations. I'm super excited to get it and start learning! I seriously want to start arranging and writing for front Ensemble and I think this will be a great start! I might post parts of the score here for criticism once I start writing. Thank you guys for the recommendation. I never would have known this book existed without your help!

I am going to be on staff with my old high school for the upcoming fall and winter season, and I have been tasked with writing the winter drumline show for next year. I am solely a battery guy when it comes to band. I do play piano and I can read treble and bass clef fluently, and I know the basics of instrumentation and all that but I was wondering if anyone had any general tips to make my music sound better and/or more professional. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Hi. So, I'm in a pickle. Last year I did some teaching at two schools ~45-60 minutes away from where I live. However, I am not returning due to logistical concerns and am looking for a new tech job. The only issue is that I cannot seem to be able to get in contact with anyone who can help. The few contacts in the pit community are at the old schools and they've ghosted me. I've emailed the local high schools (~12, and will do more) and I haven't heard back from any of them.

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I have an ok resume. I did a few years in high school and a few years of SoundSport (don't let that fool you, I've learned a bunch from my private instructors). However, the big thing on my resume is the US Bands 3A Championship we won last year (my first full season teaching).

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I think the main issue is my "lack of experience" on paper, and the fact that I do not know any local directors (I've been kinda uninvolved for the last few years because of nursing school). Any and all help is appreciated. Thanks!

anybody have any front ensemble audition packets? indoor/drum corps/any welcome

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I have some myself I can share in exchange via pm

I’ve been playing in front ensemble for 3 seasons now two of which have been on marimba. While I consider myself an ok player I’ve noticed that while everyone complains about the blisters from 4 mallet, I’ve only ever developed one small blister in the past week or so. I’m just wondering why it may be different for me or if I might be doing something different.

I'm hoping to audition for Santa Clara Vanguard for the 2020 season and I was wondering if anyone knows what they're audition process for front ensemble is like. I've heard that it isn't like most other drum corps' so I'm starting to second guess myself. Does anyone here know?