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{{about|the struck percussion instrument|the plucked percussion instrument|Marimba (lamellophone)}}
{{other uses}}
{{Infobox instrument
|name                  = Marimba
|names                 =
|image                 = Marimba-Antonko-AMC12.jpg
|image_capt            = Classical marimba, model Antonko AMC-12
|background            = percussion
|classification        = Percussion
|hornbostel_sachs      = 111.212
|hornbostel_sachs_desc = Concussive idiophone or set of percussion sticks whose sound is generated by way of being struck by a mallet
|inventors             =
|developed             = Mexico in the late 19th century (modern marimba)
|range                 = [[File:Marimba Range.TIF|300px|center]]
|related               = [[marimbaphone]], [[xylophone]]
|musicians             = See [[list of marimbists]]
|builders              = See [[list of marimba manufacturers]]
|articles              =
}}
The '''marimba''' ({{IPAc-en|m|ə|ˈ|r|ɪ|m|b|ə}}) is a [[percussion instrument]] consisting of a set of wooden bars struck with yarn or rubber [[mallets]] to produce musical tones. Resonators or pipes are suspended underneath the bars to amplify their sound.  The bars of a [[Diatonic and chromatic|chromatic]] marimba are arranged like the keys of a piano, with the groups of two and three [[Accidental (music)|accidentals]] raised vertically, overlapping the natural bars to aid the performer both visually and physically. This instrument is a type of [[idiophone]], but with a more resonant and lower-pitched [[tessitura]] than the [[xylophone]]. A person who plays the marimba is called a ''marimbist'' or a ''marimba player''.

Modern uses of the marimba include solo performances, [[woodwind]] and [[Brass instrument|brass]] ensembles, marimba [[concerto]]s, [[jazz ensemble]]s, [[marching band]] ([[front ensemble]]s), [[drum and bugle corps (modern)|drum and bugle corps]], [[indoor percussion ensemble]]s, and [[orchestra]]l compositions.

== History ==

===Ancient===
{{See also|Xylophone#History|Music of Guatemala}}

[[File:Women with Water-Pots, Listening to the Music of the Marimba, Sansa, and Pan’s Pipes.jpg|thumb|240px|Marimba players in Africa]]

Xylophones are widely used in music of Asia and west and central Africa. In Latin America, enslaved Africans recreated them in the 16th and 17th centuries. The name ''marimba'' stems from [[Bantu languages|Bantu]] {{lang|bnt|marimba}} or {{lang|bnt|malimba}}, 'xylophone'. According to some Western sources, the word {{lang|bnt|marimba}} is formed from {{lang|bnt|ma}} 'many' and {{lang|bnt|rimba}} 'single-bar xylophone,' however the use of the term marimba and/or derivative terms is not present in any West African language.<ref name="Vienna">{{cite web|url=http://www.vsl.co.at/en/70/3196/3204/3209/5771.vsl|title=Marimba > History|publisher=Vienna Symphonic Orchestra}}</ref><ref>{{cite dictionary| url=http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=marimba&searchmode=none |title=Marimba |dictionary=Online Etymology Dictionary}}</ref> The instrument itself is present, but is called [[balafon]] or heri in Mali and/or Guinea, while it is known as [[gyil]] among the Gur peoples in and around northern Ghana and Burkina Faso. The word marimba and derivative words is used widely in East, Central and Southern Africa.{{citation needed|date=April 2017}} A survey of the literature on the African marimba and related instruments, like the [[xylorimba]], [[likembe]] and [[ilimba]] indicate a relationship between the word marimba and the various [[lamellaphones]] found all over Central and East Africa. Other sources credit the creation of the marimba and the [[Mbira|kalimba]] to [[Queen Marimba]] of the Wakambi people, who lived south of Lake Victoria.<ref name="Indaba" /> In the [[Shona language]] {{lang|sn|imba}} means 'song'. {{lang|sn|Kuimba}} is 'to sing'.<ref name="Swahili Online Dictonary">{{cite web|title=Swahili—English Dictionary|url=http://www.goswahili.org/dictionary/|website=GoSwahili.org}}</ref> Marimba, is said to be the "mother of song" and the creator of all the instruments, including the marimba. {{lang|sw|Mama}} means 'mother' in [[Kiswahili]], so it is possible that the word mother would be combined with the word {{lang|sw|imba}} which is the unconjugated verb for 'sing'.<ref name="Mutwa">{{cite book|last1=Vusamazulu Mutwa|first1=Credo|title=My People, My Africa|date=1964|publisher=John Day Company|location=New York, New York|pages=21–32|edition=First American}}</ref> The karimba is also said to have been created by [[Queen Marimba]].<ref name="Indaba">{{cite book|last1=Vusamazulu Mutwa|first1=Credo|title=Indaba, My Children|date=1999|publisher=Grove Press|location=NY, NY|isbn=0-8021-3604-4|pages=95–96|edition=First American}}</ref> In much of East & Central Africa the karimba is seen as a hand-held version of the marimba.

[[File:The Marimba (1888).jpg|thumb|right|"The Marimba" from "The Capitals of Spanish America" (1888)]]

Diatonic xylophones were introduced to Central America in the 16th or 17th century. The first historical record of Mayan musicians using [[gourd]] resonator marimbas in [[Guatemala]] was made in 1680, by the historian {{ill|Domingo Juarros|es}}. It became more widespread during the 18th and 19th centuries, as Mayan and Ladino ensembles started using it on festivals. In 1821, the marimba was proclaimed the national instrument of Guatemala in its independence proclamation.<ref name=Garland>{{cite book |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ulLJUDmptFMC&pg=PA241 |title=The Concise Garland Encyclopedia of World Music |chapter=The Marimbas of Guatemala |date=11 January 2013 |page=241|isbn=9781136095702 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Rager|first=Daniel|date=2008|title=The History of the Marimba|url=https://engagedscholarship.csuohio.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1005&context=clmusic_facpub}}</ref>

===Modern===

In 1850, Mexican marimbist Manuel Bolán Cruz (1810-1863), modified the old bow marimba, by the wooden straight one, lengthening the legs so that the musicians could play in a standing mode, expanded the keyboard and replaced the gourd resonators by wooden boxes.

In 1892, Mexican musician {{ill|Corazón de Jesús Borras Moreno|es}} expanded marimba to include the [[chromatic scale]] by adding another row of sound bars, akin to black keys on the piano.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.noticiasnet.mx/portal/chiapas/fama/artes/99541-marimba-madera-que-tambien-cambia|title=La marimba, madera que también cambia|work=Noticiasnet}}</ref>

The name ''marimba'' was later applied to the orchestra instrument inspired by the Latin American model. In the United States, companies like [[J.C. Deagan, Inc.|J.C. Deagan]] and the Leedy Manufacturing Company company adapted the Latin American instruments for use in western music. Metal tubes were used as resonators, fine-tuned by rotating metal discs at the bottom; lowest note tubes were U-shaped. The marimbas were first used for light music and dance, such as [[vaudeville]] theater and comedy shows.<ref name=Vienna /> [[Clair Omar Musser]] was a chief proponent of marimba in the United States at the time.

French composer [[Darius Milhaud]] introduced marimbas into [[Western classical music]] with his 1947 ''[[List of compositions by Darius Milhaud|Concerto for Marimba and Vibraphone]]''.  Four-mallet grip was employed to play [[chord (music)|chords]], enhancing interest for the instrument.<ref name=Vienna /> In the late 20th century, [[modernism (music)|modernist]] and [[contemporary classical music|contemporary]] composers found new ways to use marimba: notable examples include [[Leoš Janáček]] (''[[Jenufa]]''), [[Carl Orff]] (''[[Antigonae]]''), [[Karl Amadeus Hartmann]], [[Hans Werner Henze]] (''[[Elegy for Young Lovers]]''), [[Pierre Boulez]] (''[[Le marteau sans maître]]'') and [[Steve Reich]].

== Construction ==
[[File:Marimba tlaquepaque.jpg|thumb|Folk and popular marimba]]

=== Bars ===
Marimba bars are typically made of either wood or synthetic material. [[Rosewood]] is the most desirable, while [[Padauk]] is a popular affordable alternative. Bars made from synthetic materials generally fall short in sound quality in comparison to wooden bars, but are less expensive and yield added durability and weather resistance,<ref>{{cite web|title=Marimba Bars|url=http://www.pearldrummersforum.com/showthread.php?125662-Marimba-bars&p=1850977670&viewfull=1#post1850977670|access-date=16 July 2011}}</ref> making them suitable for outdoor use; marimbas with wooden bars are usually played inside because the bars are susceptible to pitch change due to weather. [[Bubinga]] (''Guibourtia demeusei'') and [[mahogany]] have also been cited as comparable to rosewood in quality for use as marimba bars.<ref name=craftyTeachers>{{cite web|title=Making the Bars|url=http://www.craftymusicteachers.com/bassmarimba/bars.html|publisher=Crafty Music Teachers|access-date=16 July 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110902102642/http://www.craftymusicteachers.com/bassmarimba/bars.html|archive-date=2 September 2011}}</ref> The specific rosewood, ''Dalbergia stevensonii'', only grows in Southern Guatemala and Belize, formerly the British Honduras.<ref>{{Cite book|title = Acoustics of Bar Percussion Instruments|last = Moore|first = James|publisher = Perums Publications|year = 1978|location = Columbus, Ohio|pages = 17}}</ref> This wood has a [[Janka hardness test|Janka rating]] of 2200, which is about three times harder than [[Silver Maple]]. The bars are wider and longer at the lowest pitched notes, and gradually get narrower and shorter as the notes get higher. During the tuning, wood is taken from the middle underside of the bar to lower the pitch. Because of this, the bars are also thinner in the lowest pitch register and thicker in the highest pitch register.

In Africa, most marimbas are made by local artisans from locally available materials.

Marimba bars produce their fullest sound when struck just off center, while striking the bar in the center produces a more articulate tone. On chromatic marimbas, the accidentals (''black keys'') can also be played on the extreme front edge of the bar, away from the node (the place where the string goes through the bar) if necessary. Playing on the node produces a sonically weak tone, and the technique is only used when the player or composer is looking for a muted sound from the instrument.

[[File:Contra Bass Marimba from Emil Richards Collection.jpg|thumb|left|Contrabass marimba: range of G<sub>1</sub>–G<sub>3</sub>]]
[[File:Bass Marimba from Emil Richards Collection.jpg|thumb|left|Bass marimba: range of C<sub>2</sub>–F<sub>3</sub>]]

=== Range ===
There is no standard range of the marimba, but the most common ranges are 4.3 octaves, 4.5 octaves and 5 octaves; 4, 4.6 and 5.5 octave sizes are also available.

*4 octave: C<sub>3</sub> to C<sub>7</sub>.
*4.3 octave: A<sub>2</sub> to C<sub>7</sub>. The .3 refers to three semitones below the 4 octave instrument. This is the most common range.
*4.5 octave: F<sub>2</sub> to C<sub>7</sub>. The .5 means "half";
*4.6 octave: E<sub>2</sub> to C<sub>7</sub>, one semitone below the 4.5. Useful for playing guitar literature and transcriptions.
*5 octave: C<sub>2</sub> to C<sub>7</sub>, one full octave below the 4 octave instrument, useful for playing cello transcriptions, e.g., [[J. S. Bach]]'s cello suites.
*Bass range (varies, but examples range from G<sub>1</sub>–G<sub>3</sub> or C<sub>2</sub>–F<sub>3</sub>)

The range of the marimba has been gradually expanding, with companies like Marimba One adding notes up to F above the normal high C (C<sub>7</sub>) on their 5.5 octave instrument and marimba tuners adding notes lower than the low C on the 5 octave C<sub>2</sub>. Adding lower notes is somewhat impractical; as the bars become bigger and the resonators become longer, the instrument must be taller and the mallets must be softer in order to produce a tone rather than just a percussive attack. Adding higher notes is also impractical because the hardness of the mallets required to produce the characteristic tone of a marimba are much too hard to play with in almost any other, lower range on the instrument.

The marimba is a non-transposing instrument with no octave displacement, unlike the [[xylophone]] which sounds one octave higher than written and the [[glockenspiel]] which sounds two octaves higher than written.

[[File:Marimba resonators.jpg|thumb|PVC resonators]]

=== Resonators ===
Part of the key to the marimba's rich sound is its [[resonator]]s. These are tubes (usually [[aluminum]]) that hang below each bar.

In the most traditional versions, various sizes of natural [[gourd]]s are attached below the keys to act as resonators; in more sophisticated versions carved wooden resonators are substituted, allowing for more precise tuning of pitch.  In Central America and Mexico, a hole is often carved into the bottom of each resonator and then covered with a delicate membrane taken from the intestine of a pig to add a characteristic "buzzing" or "rattling" sound known as ''charleo''.<ref>{{cite book |last=Chenowith |first=Vida |title=The Marimbas of Guatemala}}, quoted in {{cite news |last=Squyres |first=Danielle |url=http://mmd.foxtail.com/Archives/Digests/200201/2002.01.09.04.html |title=The Marimba, Xylophone and Orchestra Bells |publisher=Mechanical Music Digest Archives |date=2002-01-02 |access-date=2006-12-06}}</ref> In more contemporary-style marimbas, wood is replaced by [[polyvinyl chloride|PVC]] tubing. The holes in the bottoms of the tubes are covered with a thin layer of paper to produce the buzzing noise.

The length of the resonators varies according to the frequency that the bar produces. Vibrations from the bars resonate as they pass through the tubes, which amplify the tone in a manner very similar to the way in which the body of a guitar or cello would. In instruments exceeding {{frac|4|1|2}} octaves, the length of tubing required for the [[bass (sound)|bass]] notes exceeds the height of the instrument. Some manufacturers, such as [[DeMorrow]] and [[Malletech]], compensate for this by bending the ends of the tubes. This involves soldering smaller straight sections of tubes to form "curved" tubes. Both DeMorrow and Malletech use brass rather than aluminium. Others, such as [[Adams Musical Instruments|Adams]] and [[Yamaha (manufacturer)|Yamaha]], expand the tubes into large box-shaped bottoms, resulting in the necessary amount of resonating space without having to extend the tubes.  This result is achieved by the custom manufacturer Marimba One by widening the resonators into an oval shape, with the lowest ones reaching nearly a foot in width, and doubling the tube up inside the lowest resonators—a process known as [[Haskell organ pipe construction|"Haskelling"]], originally used in pipe organ resonators, and named for its inventor, [[William E. Haskell]].

Resonator tuning involves adjusting "stops" in the tubes themselves to compensate for temperature and humidity conditions in the room where the instrument is stored. Some companies offer adjustment in the upper octaves only. Others do not have any adjustable stops. Still some companies (Malletech and DeMorrow) offer full range adjustable stops.

On many marimbas, decorative resonators are added to fill the gaps in the accidental resonator bank.  In addition to this, the resonator lengths are sometimes altered to form a decorative arch, such as in the Musser M-250. This does not affect the resonant properties, because the end plugs in the resonators are still placed at their respective lengths.

=== Mallets ===
The mallet shaft is commonly made of wood, usually [[birch]], but may also be [[rattan]] or [[fiberglass]]. The most common diameter of the shaft is around {{cvt|8|mm|in|frac=4}}. Shafts made of rattan have a certain elasticity to them, while birch has almost no give. Professionals use both depending on their preferences, whether they are playing with two mallets or more, and which grip they use if they are using a four-mallet grip.

Appropriate mallets for the instrument depend on the range. The material at the end of the shaft is almost always a type of rubber, usually wrapped with yarn. Softer mallets are used at the lowest notes, and harder mallets are used at the highest notes. Mallets that are too hard will damage the instrument, and mallets that might be appropriate for the upper range could damage the notes in the lower range (especially on a [[padouk]] or [[rosewood]] instrument).  On the lower notes, the bars are larger, and require a softer mallet to bring out a strong fundamental. Because of the need to use varying hardnesses of mallets, some players, when playing with four or more mallets, might use graduated mallets to match the bars that they are playing (softer on the left, harder on the right).

Some mallets, called "two-toned" or "multi-tonal", have a hard core, loosely wrapped with yarn. These are designed to sound articulate when playing at a loud dynamic, and broader at the quieter dynamics.

== Mallet technique ==
Modern marimba music calls for simultaneous use of between two and four mallets (sometimes up to six or eight),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1305339778/marimba-from-0-8-mallets-cd-and-vinyl-album |title=Marimba from 0-8 mallets: CD and vinyl album by jane boxall ~ marimba — Kickstarter |publisher=Kickstarter.com |date=2012-03-28 |access-date=2012-11-24}}</ref> granting the performer the ability to play chords or music with large interval skips more easily.  Multiple mallets are held in the same hand using any of a number of techniques or ''grips''. For two mallets in each hand, the most common grips are the [[Burton grip]] (made popular by [[Gary Burton]]), the Traditional Grip (or "cross grip") and the [[Stevens technique|Musser-Stevens grip]] (made popular by [[Leigh Howard Stevens]]). Each grip is perceived to have its own benefits and drawbacks. For example, some marimbists feel the Musser-Stevens grip is more suitable for quick interval changes and mallet independence, while the Burton grip is more suitable for stronger playing or switching between chords and single-note melody lines. The Traditional Grip gives a greater dynamic range and freedom of playing. The choice of grip varies by region (the Musser-Stevens grip and the Burton grip are more popular in the United States, while the traditional grip is more popular in Japan), by instrument (the Burton grip is less likely to be used on marimba than on a [[vibraphone]]) and by the preference of the individual performer.

Six-mallet grips consist of variations on these three grips. Six mallet marimba grips have been used for years by Mexican and Central American marimbists, but they are generally considered non-standard in the Western classical canon. [[Keiko Abe]] has written a number of compositions for six mallets, including a section in her concerto ''Prism Rhapsody''. Other marimbists/composers using this technique include Rebecca Kite (who commissioned composer [[Evan Hause]] to write Circe, a major work for six mallets, in 2001), Dean Gronemeier, [[Robert Paterson (composer)|Robert Paterson]], and Kai Stensgaard. Paterson's grip is based on the Burton grip, and his grip and technique have been called the Paterson grip, and even the Wolverine grip. Paterson states that his technique differs from others in that there is less emphasis places on block chords on the lower bank of notes (the naturals or white notes) and more emphasis on independence, one-handed rolls, and alternations between mallets 12-3 or 1-23 in the left hand (or 45-6 or 4-56 in the right hand, respectively), and so on. In 2012, Paterson released the world's first all six-mallet marimba album entitled [http://amzn.com/B009AFXUCG Six Mallet Marimba], demonstrating these techniques via works Paterson has written. Kai Stensgaards grip is based on the Stevens Grip describes in the method: The Six Mallet Grip. He has written a number of compositions for six mallets, among those Concierto Mexicano for marimba & Orchestra. He started playing this grip in 1985. Ludwig Albert published at first a work for 8 mallets and demonstrated the Ludwig Albert 8 mallet grip based on the traditional grip from 1995.

== Classical works ==
[[File:MarimbaPlayer.jpg|thumb|A marimba player ([[NDR Radiophilharmonie]], [[Hanover]], 2003)]]
{{more citations needed|date=June 2015}}
This list represents an incomplete selection of Western classical compositions for the instrument:
<!--STOP--Only notable entries with own Wikipedia article ++ PLEASE RESPECT ALPHABETICAL ORDER-->

* [[Keiko Abe]]: ''Dream of the Cherry Blossoms'' (1983), ''Frogs'' (1958), ''Michi'' (1978), ''Variations on Japanese Children's Songs'' (1982), ''Prism'' for Solo Marimba (1986)<ref>{{cite web |title=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/keiko-abe-mn0000059321/compositions |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/keiko-abe-mn0000059321/compositions |access-date=31 January 2020}}</ref>
* [[Bruce Adolphe]]: ''Self Comes to Mind'' (2009), ''Red Dogs and Pink Skies'' (2002), ''Reach Out, Raise Hope, Change Society'' (2011)
* [[Benjamin C.S. Boyle]]: ''Les bois du paradis'' (2012)
* [[Stephen Brown (composer)|Stephen Brown]]: ''Shadow of a Leaf'', soprano and marimba (2006), a ten-song cycle sung as one
* [[Howard J. Buss]]: ''A Day in the City'' (1986) – Brixton Publications
* [[Howard J. Buss]]: ''Rite of Passage'' (1995) Brixton Publications
* [[Howard J. Buss]]: ''Concerto for Marimba and Percussion Ensemble'' (2018) Brixton Publications
* [[Paul Creston]]: ''Concertino for Marimba'' (1940)
* [[Emma Lou Diemer]]: Concerto in One Movement for Marimba and Chamber Orchestra (1991)
* [[Jacob Druckman]]: ''Reflections on the Nature of Water'' (1986) commissioned by William Moersch, Leigh Howard Stevens, and Gordon Stout<ref name="digital.library.unt.edu">https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc4879/m2/1/high_res_d/dissertation.pdf</ref>
* [[Aisha Duo]]: ''Quiet Songs'' (2005)
* [[Safri Duo]]: ''Baya Baya''
* [[Joseph Hallman]]: ''Violencia'' for marimba and cello (2007), written for [[Alisa Weilerstein]] and Matthew McClung.
* [[John Harbison]]: ''Concerto for Bass Viol'' (2005)
* [[Hans Werner Henze]]: ''[[Five Scenes from the Snow Country]]'' for Marimba solo (1978) commissioned by Michiko Takahashi
* [[David A. Jaffe]]: ''The Library of Babel'', for two five-octave marimbas (2012)
* [[Anders Koppel]]: ''Marimba Concertos 1–4'' (1995–2005), ''Tarantella' (for violin and marimba) (2001), ''Toccata'' (for marimba and vibraphone) (1990)''
* [[Frederik Magle]]: ''[[Cantabile (symphonic suite)]]'' – The ''Cortège & Danse Macabre'' movement includes a marimba solo<ref>{{cite web | publisher=magle.dk | title=Cantabile – A Symphonic Suite by Frederik Magle |url=http://www.magle.dk/works/cantabile-symphonic-suite.html | access-date=2012-01-16 }}</ref> (2009)
* [[Linda Maxey]]: The Artistry of the Marimba (1994)
* [[Olivier Messiaen]]: ''[[La Transfiguration de Notre Seigneur Jésus-Christ]]'' ("The Transfiguration of Our Lord Jesus Christ"), large 10-part [[choir|chorus]], [[piano]] solo, [[cello]] solo, [[flute]] solo, [[clarinet]] solo, [[xylorimba]] solo, [[vibraphone]] solo, large orchestra (1965–69)
* Olivier Messiaen: ''[[Saint-François d'Assise]]'' (''Saint Francis of Assisi'', opera)
* [[Darius Milhaud]]: ''Concerto for Marimba, Vibraphone and Orchestra'', Op. 278 (1947)
* [[Luigi Morleo]]: ''Concerto per Marimba e Archi'' (1993)
* [[Thea Musgrave]]: ''Journey through a Japanese Landscape'' (1994)
* [[Clair Omar Musser]]: ''Etude in C Major'' 
* [[Lior Navok]]: ''Rosewood Staircase'' (2000)
* [[Robert Paterson (composer)|Robert Paterson]]: ''Komodo'' (2005), ''Piranha'' (2009) (both using six-mallets), ''Mandala'' (for two marimbas) (2012) (four-mallets), [http://www.billholabmusic.com/composers/robert-paterson/robert-paterson-works/ Forest Shadows], numerous works for marimba and other instruments
* [[Mitchell Peters]]: ''[[Yellow After the Rain]]'' (1971), ''Sea Refractions''
* [[Tarik O'Regan]]: ''Triptych'' (2005) originally for choir and strings, later arranged for choir and marimbas
* [[Steve Reich]]: ''[[Music for 18 Musicians]]'' (1976), ''Six Marimbas'' (1986), ''Nagoya Marimbas'' (for two marimbas) (1994)
* [[Richard Rodney Bennett]] After Syrinx II (1984), Concerto for Marimba and Orchestra (1988) commissioned by William Moersch
* [[Ney Rosauro]]: ''Concerto For Marimba and Orchestra'' (1986), Concerto No. 2 for Marimba and Orchestra (2001), numerous solo works
* [[Joseph Schwantner]]: ''Velocities'' (1990) commissioned by William Moersch, Leigh Howard Stevens, and Gordon Stout<ref name="digital.library.unt.edu"/>
* [[Emmanuel Séjourné]]: ''Concerto for marimba and strings'' (2006), Concerto for Marimba Quartet "Gotan"
* Adam Silverman: ''Carbon Paper and Nitrogen Ink'' concerto for marimba and wind ensemble or percussion ensemble (2013)
* [[Gordon Stout]]: ''Two Mexican Dances'' (1974)
* [[William Susman]]: ''Amores Montuños'' (2008) for flute & marimba, ''Marimba Montuño'' (2002) for solo marimba
* [[Tomáš Svoboda (composer)|Tomas Svoboda]]: ''Concerto For Marimba and Orchestra, Op. 148'' (1995)
* [[Josef Tal]]: ''Chamber Music'' (1982) for Recorder, Marimba and Harpsichord
* [[Andrew Thomas (composer)|Andrew Thomas:]] [http://community.pas.org/communities/community-home/digestviewer/viewthread?GroupId=667&MID=2361 Merlin] (1985) for solo marimba commissioned by William Moersch<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.perctek.com/index.php?title=Merlin|title=Merlin - TEK Percussion Database|website=perctek.com|access-date=2016-09-15}}</ref> 
* [[Augusta Read Thomas]]: ''Silhouettes'' (2004)
* [[Peter Togni]]: ''Lux Aeterna'' (2010) – Gamelan & six voices, later arranged for SATB and marimbas
* [[Andersen Viana]]: '' Grlashodibzntmev for Vibraphone and Marimba '' (2006), 3 Fugues '' (2010)''
* [[Alejandro Viñao]]: ''[http://www.vinao.com/KHAN%20VARIATIONS1.html Khan Variations]'' (2001), ''[http://www.vinao.com/Burritt%20Variations.html Burritt Variations]'' (2012), ''[http://www.vinao.com/Book%20of%20Grooves.html Book of Grooves]'' (for two marimbas) (2011)
* [[Charles Wuorinen]]: ''Percussion Symphony'' (1976), ''Percussion Quartet'' (1994),  ''Metagong'' (2008), ''Marimba Variations'' for five-octave marimba (2009)
* [[Takashi Yoshimatsu]]: ''Marimba Concerto'' ''"Bird Rhythmics"'' (2010)
* [[Alfred Reed]]: ''Concertino for Marimba and Winds'' (1993)

== In other music ==
[[File:GuatemalanMarimbaGourds.JPG|thumb|Folk marimba with gourds, Highland [[Guatemala]]]]

Traditional marimba bands are especially popular in [[Guatemala]], where they are the national symbol of culture, but are also strongly established in the Mexican states of [[Chiapas]], [[Tabasco]], and [[Oaxaca]]. They are also very popular in other Central American nations such as [[Honduras]], [[El Salvador]], [[Nicaragua]], and [[Costa Rica]], as well as among [[Afro-Ecuadorians]] and [[Afro-Colombians]].

There have been numerous jazz [[vibraphone|vibraphonists]] who also played the marimba.  Notable among them are [[Gary Burton]], [[David Friedman (percussionist)|David Friedman]], [[Stefon Harris]], [[Bobby Hutcherson]], [[Joe Locke]], [[Steve Nelson (vibraphonist)|Steve Nelson]], [[Red Norvo]], [[Dave Pike]], [[Gloria Parker]], [[Dave Samuels]], and Arthur Lipner.

Marimbist and vibraphonist [[Julius Wechter]] was the leader of a popular 1960s Latin-flavored band called [[Baja Marimba Band]]. [[Herb Alpert]] and his [[Tijuana Brass]] made frequent use of the marimba.

[[Brian Jones]] played a marimba in [[the Rolling Stones]]' songs "[[Under My Thumb]]" and "[[Out of Time (Rolling Stones song)|Out of Time]]". "[[Island Girl]]" by [[Elton John]] and "[[Moonlight Feels Right]]" by [[Starbuck (band)|Starbuck]] also prominently feature the instrument. [[Ruth Underwood]] played an electrically amplified marimba in [[Frank Zappa]]'s [[The Mothers of Invention]]. [[Art Tripp]] played the marimba on several of [[Captain Beefheart|Captain Beefheart & the Magic Band]]'s albums, most notably on ''[[Lick My Decals Off, Baby]]'' and ''[[The Spotlight Kid]]''. [[Victor Feldman]] played a marimba on several of [[Steely Dan]]'s early albums. It is played at the start of "[[Mamma Mia (ABBA song)|Mamma Mia]]" by [[ABBA]]<ref name="abbasite">{{cite web |title=Mamma Mia – The Song That Saved ABBA |url=http://www.abbasite.com/articles/articles/mamma-mia-–-the-song-that-saved-abba |work=ABBA – The Official Site |publisher=Polar Music International |access-date=25 September 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120105101547/http://abbasite.com/articles/articles/mamma-mia-%E2%80%93-the-song-that-saved-abba |archive-date=5 January 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and also played by [[Mike Mainieri]] in the Dire Straits track "[[Private Investigations]]".

"[[Vincent (Don McLean song)|Vincent]]" by [[Don McLean]] features a marimba. "[[Shape of You]]" by [[Ed Sheeran]] includes a marimba as part of the [[tropical house]] effects. [[The Psychedelic Furs]] 1982 song "[[Love My Way (song)|Love My Way]]" features a marimba, originally played by [[Todd Rundgren]], throughout. It is also featured on [[Toto (band)|Toto]]'s 1982 hit song "[[Africa (Toto song)|Africa]]". Percussionist [[Evelyn Glennie]] has collaborated with [[Björk]] and can be heard playing a marimba on ''[[Post (Björk album)|Post]]'' and ''[[Telegram (album)|Telegram]]'', as well as ''[[Björk b-sides#Homogenic era|Oxygen]]''. [[Thompson Twins]] included a marimba in their many 1980s works. [[Jack White]] played marimba on "The Nurse", a song on [[the White Stripes]]' album ''[[Get Behind Me Satan]]''. In 2003, Marina Calzado Linage recorded an album bridging the gap between academic and popular music, ''Marimba de Buenos Aires'', featuring music by [[Astor Piazzolla]]. In 2009, Canadian musician [[Spencer Krug]], working under the moniker Moonface, released a 20-minute continuous piece called ''Dreamland EP: Marimba And Shit-Drums'' with [[Jagjaguwar]]. The recording consists entirely of marimba, drums, and vocals and comprises many movements and recurring themes. [[Vincent Montana Jr.]] played the marimba on the 1970s song "[[People Make the World Go Round]]" by [[the Stylistics]]. The experimental band [[Coil (band)|Coil]] used the marimba in its later performances such as ''[[Selvaggina, Go Back into the Woods]]'' and studio albums ''[[The Ape of Naples]]'' and ''[[Black Antlers]]''. The song "Sweet Emotion" by Aerosmith features bass marimba as well, played by recording engineer Jay Messina.

The marimba sound has also become recognizable through its role as the default ringtone in Apple's [[iOS]] mobile operating system.

== Flapamba<!--'Flapamba' redirects here--> ==
{{Infobox instrument
|name           = Flapamba
|names          =
|image          = Flapamba (from Emil Richards Collection).jpg
|image_capt     = Flapamba (from [[Emil Richards Collection]])
|background     =
|classification = [[Percussion instrument]] ([[Idiophone]])
|inventors      =
|developed      = Brent Seawell
|range          = F<sub>2</sub>–C<sub>4</sub>, C<sub>4</sub>–C<sub>6</sub>
|related        =
|builders       = Chris Banta
}}
The flapamba is a [[musical instrument]] in the [[percussion instrument|percussion]] family. It consists of tuned wooden bars pinched on one side (over the [[node (physics)|node]]), and mounted over [[resonator]] boxes. Sliding the bars slightly forward or backward affects their tuning. Unlike marimba or [[xylophone]] however, the sound is not as focused tonally, as it is a bit more percussive (closer to tuned [[slit drum|log drums]]).

Part of what makes the flapamba's characteristic sound is the tuning; for instance, the resonators are not tuned to the bars as in other standard [[keyboard percussion]] instruments. Renowned studio percussionist [[Emil Richards]] bought his original flapamba from Professional Drum Shop in Hollywood in the late 1960s or early 1970s, and added it to his giant instrument collection, the [[Emil Richards Collection]].<ref name="Emil Richards instruments">{{cite web|title=Emil Richards instruments|url=http://www.emilrichards.com/biography/instruments.php|publisher=Emil Richards|access-date=14 August 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120317131353/http://www.emilrichards.com/biography/instruments.php|archive-date=17 March 2012}}</ref> The staff at the store convinced him to buy it, as they told him that they were getting out of the percussion rental business since Emil was dominating much of the work in town. Emil couldn't find any info on the history or maker of the flapamba when he purchased it, but nevertheless he started using it on recording sessions, as the [[chromatic]] layout of the instrument made it an easy transition from other keyboard mallet instruments. He used the softest mallets possible or the meat of the fingers to get a warm, resonant, wooden sound.<ref name="LA Percussion Rentals about Emil Richards Collection">{{cite web|title=LAPR website|url=http://lapercussionrentals.com/infopage_erc.html |publisher=LA Percussion Rentals|access-date=14 August 2012}}</ref> This original flapamba had a range from middle C (C<sub>4</sub>), up two full octaves.

In the 2000s, Emil decided that he would like the flapamba to have an additional lower range, so specialty mallet craftsman Chris Banta made new bars spanning F<sub>2</sub> to C<sub>4</sub>, and dubbed this the "bass flapamba". He also replaced the bars on the original set to maintain continuity of sound between both sets, and changed the finish to a blonde color from the original set's brown. Both sets combined have a range from F<sub>2</sub>–C<sub>6</sub>. Emil's flapamba has been heard on countless soundtracks and other recordings, such as on the television shows ''[[Lost (TV series)|Lost]]'', ''[[Daktari]]'', and ''[[Kung Fu (TV series)|Kung Fu]]''.<ref name="LA Percussion Rentals about Emil Richards Collection" />

[[Elmer Bernstein]] used it on his soundtrack for ''[[McQ]]''.<ref>{{cite book|last=Spencer|first=Kristopher|title=Film And Television Scores, 1950–1979: A Critical Survey by Genre|year=2008|publisher=McFarland|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Wz2dxDNaEDgC&q=Flapamba&pg=PA19|page=19|isbn=9780786452286}}</ref>

The beginning of the [[Steely Dan]] track ''[[Rikki Don't Lose That Number]]'' features [[Victor Feldman]] playing the flapamba, but his contribution was cut from the original [[ABC Records|ABC]] [[single (music)|single]] version.<ref>{{cite web|title=Best Miscellaneous Steely Dan Performances|url=http://somethingelsereviews.com/2014/12/28/best-steely-dan-miscellaneous-performances-steely-dan-sunday/|publisher=Something Else!|access-date=2015-03-05}}</ref>

==See also==

* [[List of marimbists]]
* [[List of marimba manufacturers]]
* [[Quadrangularis Reversum]]
{{Portal|Music}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Marimbas}}
* [http://faculty.smu.edu/ttunks/projects/merrill/MarimbaH.html Science of the Marimba]—Scientific aspects of its construction and performance
* [http://www.lafavre.us/marimba.htm The La Favre 5 Octave Marimba]—Physics and construction with images, sounds, animations and data
* [http://www.kalimba.co.za/old/marimbahistory.html Origin of Southern African marimbas, by Andrew Tracey]
* [https://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/29/arts/music/29schw.html New York Times article of the marimba]
* [http://www.michiko-noguchi.net/en/2019/08/10/tokyo-marimba-trio-e/ Tokyo Marimba Trio (Michiko Noguchi Official Website)]

{{Percussion}}
{{Music in spanish}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Keyboard percussion]]
[[Category:Pitched percussion]]
[[Category:Central American and Caribbean percussion instruments]]
[[Category:Stick percussion idiophones]]
[[Category:Guatemalan musical instruments]]
[[Category:Costa Rican musical instruments]]
[[Category:Salvadoran musical instruments]]
[[Category:C instruments]]