Choosing the right type of marimba mallet is crucial for those who play the instrument. Marimba mallets are classified the type of shaft they have and the style of head they have. Flexible or rigid shafts are available, and the choice is based on the musician’s playing style. The sound produced the mallets is affected the weight and type of wrapping on the mallet heads.
The rounded stick that a musician holds when playing the marimbas is the shaft of a mallet. The shaft of a marimba mallet is typically made of birch wood or rattan, though cheaper mallets may have plastic shafts. Rattan shafts are flexible, and musicians who play marimbas with multiple mallets in each hand appreciate them. When the marimba is struck, the rattan shaft creates a rebound effect, resulting in distinct tones.
Mallets with birch wood shafts, on the other hand, are much more rigid and have a stiffer feel in the hands of the musician. Many marimba players believe that a stiffer shaft allows them to play with more precision. Players also believe the strike produces a sharper, richer tone because the birch has little rebound. Plastic shafts are also rigid, with only a smidgeon of flexibility, but they are generally disliked experienced musicians, who claim that the plastic degrades the tone quality. Nonetheless, many beginners prefer the plastic shafts to the more expensive birch or rattan styles.
Marimba mallets are distinguished the type of head they have in addition to the shaft. The part of the mallet that typically makes contact with the instrument is the head. The weight of the mallet, as well as the type of material that wraps around the head, are used musicians to determine the type of sound it can produce. In general, the louder the strike, the heavier the mallet. Similarly, the sharper the contact tone, the harder the head.
The weight is mostly determined the core of the head. Cores made of dense rubber are typically the heaviest, while those made of plastic or wood are typically the lightest. The heads of some mallets are wrapped in a soft yarn or a thicker cord, while others have no wrapping at all. Typically, yarn wrapping produces the softest head, while cord has a much harder feel depending on how tightly it’s wrapped. The hardest mallets are those that aren’t wrapped.
A sharper contact sound, or the sound made when the mallet strikes the instrument, is usually produced a harder head. A muted, rolling tone is produced using a softer mallet. The volume of the tone is determined the weight of the mallet, so this does not necessarily imply that it has less volume. Marimba mallets with yarn-wrapped heads, for example, can have heavy cores, and vice versa.
The size, weight, and material of marimba mallets sold in most music stores vary. The price of mallets varies as well, depending on the quality of the mallets. There is no right or wrong choice when it comes to marimba mallets, and picking the right one is a personal choice based on the player’s tastes and preferences.