MUSIC

THE INCREDIBLE STORY OF THE MARIMBA

New Notes for a New Age

By Enzo Segovia

The Man Who Heard The Future

The marimba is an instrument you have definitely heard, but one you probably have not heard of. Simply put, it is the big sibling of the xylophone, one with more range and a fuller, less piercing sound. It is one of the oldest melodic instruments in the world, widespread in Asia and Africa. It dates back to ancient times, and yet it is still widely used today. As the marimba travelled from place to place, culture to culture, it evolved through many adjustments to optimize the sound quality, eventually becoming the modern marimba. Even though the piano is the most flexible of the keyboard instruments, in structure, expression, and sound, the marimba can create effects that are truly unique and amazing.

Similar to the piano, a key needs to be hit for a note to resonate. However unlike a piano, the mallet creates a disconnect from the hand to the keys. Hitting keys using mallets lets the player experiment with sound in a more direct way. For example, the type of mallet drastically changes the sound of the marimba. Flexibility in sound is a valuable trait in percussion. Recently, marimbists have been exploring the tonal possibilities of the marimba in orchestral settings as well as a solo instrument.

A beautiful instrument

Even as little as 30 years ago, marimba design and playing technique was radically different than it is today. During its development, many did not see its potential as a solo instrument because of its similarities to the xylophone, which to some, has a piercing, sharp sound. The advancements of marimba design transformed the instrument from brittle and clanky to rich and resonant. Closely following the development of the instrument, people aimed to optimize the playing technique. Initially, marimbists used the two-mallet technique. However, due to a simple misunderstanding, one mistaken musician changed the entire trajectory of marimba playing.

Leigh Howard Stevens started out as a drummer, but learned about the marimba in High School. He entered Eastman School of Music in 1971, one of the top music conservatories in America. He quickly shifted his focus from the drumset to the marimba when people took notice of his unique technique. It was unique to everyone except Stevens who thought what he was doing was correct.

The grip that changed the sound

Stevens was using four mallets instead of two. While he wasn’t the first person to to do this, his particular technique opened up a world of possibility. His grip was key: the way he held the two mallets in each hand allowed him to play powerful independent notes, one handed rolls, and trills. By freeing and allowing for a more adaptable hand, he revolutionized the emotive range of the marimba. Previous grips, such as the traditional cross grip or burtons grip, crossed the mallets in each hand. While this is a natural way to hold them, it is less efficient for changing intervals and the mallets that cross each other hit on impact, creating an undesirable clicking sound. Basically, the major uses were for chords and simpler pieces, while being a hindrance for complex and difficult passages.

Along with his innovation and skill, a part of his success and influence can be linked to his luck and timing. While studying at Eastman, he attended the very first PASIC, short for “Percussive Arts International Convention” which was actually hosted at his school. He performed a demonstration piece, which showcased a number of new techniques in front of many prestigious musicians and teachers. It not only helped his career, but also changed perceptions of the marimba.

When he realized what he could do, he also realized how underutilized the instrument was. Nobody really knew about the marimba and that there were hardly any solo pieces for it. Stevens saw this as an opportunity to commision, transcribe, and write pieces for the new niche market. He also took advantage of his new techniques to write very challenging pieces with a mixture of alternative techniques and mallet rotations. Solo percussion was rare during the ‘80s, but Stevens quickly gained popularity, as did his compositions.

One of his most famous pieces is called “Rhythmic Caprice.” It showcases his unique and fresh take on solo marimba. He starts off with a single bright chord, then begins to use the handles on the edge of the keys. That creates a crisp, hollow sound, as opposed to the warm sound of the soft mallets. The airiness of the handles emphasize the full mallet notes and add extra flavors to the sound that you might normally hear. Also, the way that the mallets are shaped lets Stevens hit the keys with both the mallet and the handle at the same time, capturing the fullness of the former and the sharpness of the latter. Another layer of difficulty comes from the complex permutations that are in the piece. Stevens took that idea and ran with it, playing independent musical phrases on each hand, similar to how a piano is played.

The second part introduces an unconventional technique, laying the mallet flat on the marimba and hitting the keys in a similar fashion to a rim-click on a snare drum. However, the notes that he hits are harmonious to the key that he plays in and adds a colorful splash. The polyrhythms, which are simultaneous but different rhythms that he uses in this piece takes a strong focus and requires experienced hands to play independently. The second part however has a more relaxed tempo and moves along at an easy pace. It takes its time to explore the sound of the crisp wood, which complements the lush drops of the ascending and descending melody.

The third and final part of the piece bounces back to the driving force that begins the piece. Taking the motifs of both the first and second part, the third part amplifies it to a more intense level of energy. It throws down powerful double note strokes relentlessly. While the first part is smooth and has a constant groove, the finale is expressive and does not let the tempo inhibit the player’s emotion. The bursts of speedy runs and pauses evolve into a barrage of notes, and while also very difficult, creates tension and keeps listeners on their toes. Completely unrestricted, the full mallet sound changes the sound of the piece drastically, and gives a satisfying conclusion. The complexity along with the skill needed by this demanding music make the piece a huge benchmark in marimba aesthetics.

In the media today, the marimba has a very modest presence. It is not a well known instrument, but almost everyone has heard the sound. The first thing people would recognize is the famous “marimba” and “opening” ringtones on the iphone, which has been a part of the iphone’s ringtone list since its launch. The marimba has a commercial friendly sound that works well for many different media and genres. The marimba even appears in mainstream music, from Ed Sheeran’s “Shape of You,” which has a very simple and prominent 4 mallet part, to the Rolling Stones’ “Out of Time,” (the video above) which has 2 mallet runs. The inclusion of marimba in mainstream music shows that the marimba sound travels well.

More than anything else, Stevens influenced marimba playing in the marching band, DCI, and WGI scenes. DCI and WGI stands for Drum Corps International and Winter Guard International. Different from solo and classical marimba settings, these groups focus on uniformity, almost in a militaristic way, to form as many as 5 or more marimbas into a single, clear, and powerful instrument. These groups unanimously prefer Stevens’ grip as the default, which helps them play to the sound preferences of this style of music. Without Leigh Howard Stevens, these groups would have completely different music.

The Marching Marimbas

The success of the marimba as a solo instrument and a mainstream sound can be linked to Leigh Howard Stevens and his career as a solo marimbist, composer, and entrepreneur. The marimba lived in the shadow of percussion instruments, waiting to be popularized by the right people and through the development and design, it became something that people wanted to listen to. Stevens revolutionized the 4 mallet technique and expanded the possibilities of of technique and sound to become the instrument it is today.

©Enzo Segovia and the CCA Arts Review