Build your Own Marimba

Make your Own Marimba - a Professional 5 octave concert marimba. Intro to the P524 building guide - suitable for other ranges as well.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• marimba
• marimbas
• building
• making
• make
• build
• construct
• DIY
• xylophone

[nathanpiazza]

I think you could make something that looks like a marimba rather easily, but to make something that really sounds professional, like an instrument, would be much more difficult. It would require much trial and error (like any craft)... I'd rather not spend thousands of dollars (even $2,000) on an inferior-sounding instrument. To make a marimba with consistent tone throughout the entire range requires a LOT of rosewood!

[percussionclinic]

Thanks for the praise. I think so also - I made it that way. I am a bass marimba specialist and have never truly been happy with the low end on traditional concert marimbas.... so I use wider than average bars in the bottom octave... and not too thick and long - this keeps them sensitive and responsive and you don't need to overplay them to get the volume. The widths I use are more in keeping with the FM loudness level curves. There is also coupling adjustment to the resonators.

[Capcoor]

About how much wood would you need for a five-octave marimba,ballpark?

[percussionclinic]

Well usually it depends a little on how much wastage there is, both from plank sizes that don't work out efficiently or have flaws that you have to cut around etc. And of course sometimes you simply have a bar you make a mistake on... that gets better with practice and experience! :) Bare minimum on last one I built was five planks of 100mm x 3m (10ft x 4") - use 4/4 planks - after finishing they should be between 3/4 and 4/4 thick - about 23mm is perfect. Email me if you want more details!

[Bogandrummer]

what was the piece you played for the middle range. i'd really love to know!

[percussionclinic]

The excerpt in the middle range was from a well known piece for marimba by Paul Smadbeck called "RhythmSong"

[LeahRayMendez]

Sounds really beautiful. I love to sound quality! I am playing Zimbabwean Marimba music and would love to build a simple marimba with my Dad, who is quite handy. Thanks for the info and inspiration!

[ZubinHathiPercussion]

@cpatlynch (2/2) on tuning the bars, and I got very prompt and helpful responses. You should definitely try it!

[ZubinHathiPercussion]

@cpatlynch (1/2) I know it sounds too good to be true, but trust me, it is NOT. I'm building a 5 octave rosewood marimba using this guide, and it is AWESOME. The instructions in the guide are really easy to understand, and making the marimba itself really isn't as difficult as it seems. I've made all the bars, and I have suspended them on the rails, so the marimba is playable. I haven't gotten started on the frame or the resonators yet, but I will soon. I e-mailed Jim a few times with questions

[scifidrummergeek]

Is it me, or does that low end sound gorgeous?

[the09conradz]

@percussionclinic what if you're using your brother's computer and he has to pay for it? Is there inexpensive way to download the instructions so he doesn't have to pay for them?