hi, i`ve been learning to play 4 mallets for about a month or two now. any one have any tips, tricks, warm-ups, pieces that would help? thanks

just practice scales first. then try making up your own warmups. becareful not to cramp your fingers. it hurts like a biotch!

thanks for all of the help guys

hey i helped ok? s`all i can think of.

have you played any good 4 mallet pieces? i know of yellow afterthe rain but that`s about it...gracias

not really. i play the stuff the mallet players get for drumline and some of the crappy stuff for concert.(we make up our own drumline stuff usually). But "Happy Together" sounds fun to play so i dont know if you try it tell me.

i agree cramped hands hurt...but i been play 4 mallets for a year now...it just take practice and cordination.

do you have any tips for rolling with 4 mallets? i tend to pulsate. any help?

Practice a lot...Practice in a pillow..

I have the lead mallet part in my Winter Drumline/Percussion Ensemble..And I`m a Freshman...So all that tells you is..You need to practice..I have been doing 4 Mallets since August (2004) And I am told I am doing the best people have seen in a long time (for my age)..just practice...A lot..

Rolls too..Work on Independent Rolls..They ROCK when they are clean...(Can do Independent Rolls with right hand)

Rhythm Song is a great solo to play....its so much fun....it is just repeditive....and long...

just like anything, learning a technique for any instrument is time consuming and takes patience. be sure you have a very good understanding of what each finger is doing(im assuming you are using an independent grip like stevens) and what their role is. get comfortable with playing independent strokes with all mallets (1-4). move on then to play 8th note and 16th note phrases with each of 2 or 4 mallets. for instance, play 1+2+3+4+ 1e+a2e+a3e+a4e+a with this sticking:1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1212121212121212 3 4 3 4 3 4 3 4 3434343434343434 1 2 4 3 1 2 4 3 1243124312431243 and so on. parctice this at tempos you are comfortable with then crank it up only by 3-5 clicks faster. strive for consistent sound in every stroke with every mallet while maintaining tempo control with the rhythms you are playing. good luck.


SCV
"ur presence dictates the judgments made on you"

Hey, try a cramatic (I probably spelled that wrong) with for mallets and "Yellow After the Rain," as the one person suggested.
I love 4 mallet! I got to play 4 in our Winter Drumline show and it rocked! I`m hoping to move up to 6 one day! That`d rock! Well, good luck w/ your show! :}

if you have the sheet music for yellow after the rain can you send it to me?

six mallets are pointless, you cant get the independant mallet to move to different intervals.

Just work on moving the outter mallet without the inner one moving and vise versa. twist your wrist ALOT
....wrist no arms try this exercize.


Top Mallet (1St row)
Bottom Mallet(2nd Row)
Different Doubles

GGGGGGGGGGFEDDEFGGGGGGGFEDEFG
CCDEFFEDCCCCCCCCCDEFEDCCCCCCC

first with right hand alone then left alone then both together.

I suggest the book method of movement because it
explains all different grips and why you need to put your finger in certain spots and the importance of it. or the inner game of music

If anybody knows the mcba im from South lyon hs flight one.


Good luck with your music studies!!!

Hello,

maybe you would like to play some other original music with four mallets. There are several books for a player who starts to play with four mallets with a lot of music in different styles.

For example:
- Funny Marimba, Nebojsa J. Zivkovic
- Marimba-Musik, Manfred Menke
- 13 pieces for Marimba, Gerhard Stengert & Felix Holzenkamp

Best, M. (http://www.manfred-menke.de)