Marimba Resonator Upgrade - Demo Performance and Construction Steps
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 6 сен 2024
- Just wanted to share a little work I've been doing on my personal marimba. I built this instrument back in 2015 out of 1970's Kori marimba keys that I reclaimed and retuned, and then I extended the range down to the five octave. It features a frame that is made from all-Michigan hardwoods, a barn wood laminate main beam, end pieces supported by rocking chair spindles, and a lot of original hardware; the original version of the instrument had cardboard tubing resonators. I got a grant back in 2016 from the Hatching in Lansing, MI to purchase some aluminum tubing, and I just now got around to completing the upgrade. This video is a demo performance on the instrument and an overview of the construction process. Hope you enjoy!
Thanks to Justin Shaw for the soldering help and the Hatching in Lansing, MI for the funding support.
Music
"Wind in the Bamboo Grove" by Keiko Abe
![ARGENTINA vs. CHILE [3-0] | RESUMEN | ELIMINATORIAS SUDAMERICANAS | FECHA 7](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/De3AWmXzhuA/mqdefault.jpg)
This is an amazing project, Alex. Your skills in updating the instrument AND playing it are awesome!
Thanks for watching, John!
Whoa! I'm in awe of this project, and your performance is extraordinary. What a magical instrument you have there (and the skill to make it sing). Really hope I get to hear a live performance one of these days!
Thanks so much Antony! Awesome seeing you a couple weeks ago for the festival.
Wow, such an awesome project. I loved listening to the music, and seeing some live footage of your playing, while watching all the parts get created and assembled. Congrats and looking forward to seeing/hearing more on your channel!
Thanks so much, Janna! Hope to meet you soon.
hello, first of all congratulations for your work, the marimba sounds incredible. A couple of years ago I was looking for information on this subject and I came across your videos, they motivated me to build my own marimba, it is hard work but in the end it is worth everything. For now I use PVC resonators but I hope one day I will also change them for aluminum.
Hello! Thanks so much for your comment and the kind words. I checked out your channel and one of your marimba building videos; what a beautiful instrument! Congratulations. PVC works great! I used PVC on the two glass marimbas I made. After some experimentation with resonator construction, it doesn't seem like the material type matters as much as the shape. Though, aluminum does have a nice look about it, and it seems to be what the industry prefers. :)
Sorry for my delay getting back to you! I was moving into a new place the last couple weeks. I saw your comment about the resonator plugs. I will try to get a video up about that sometime. Thanks again and all the best!
Such great content! I didn’t know resonators had to be tuned. I was just looking for an option in case I wanted to upgrade my demorrow m2. Man but I found more inspiration through your playing!
Thanks so much for watching and for the kind words! And, good luck with your marimba upgrade project.
oh my gosh you made this! so awesome! I want to make one for my kids elementary playground now. Maybe I can use trex decking instead of wood and use aluminum keys instead of wood? I know how to weld and machine aluminum so that part is not hard. There are companies that make playground marimbas but they are $3600. what is a reasonable budget if I can get aluminum wholesale for about $3/lb where I live.
Hi Rolland, thanks for watching! Yes, I made this one back in 2015 and then upgraded over the summer. Aluminum keys will work great! That's kind of like how you would make a vibraphone. Glockenspiels are made from steel typically. I've always wanted to make a vibraphone but just haven't gotten around to it. I always imagined myself doing the tuning on a grinder, though. For the glass marimbas I made, I tuned with the belt sander while wearing a high-grade respirator. Hope this helps and good luck with your project!
@@AlexSmithMusic thanks for the reply. how does the thickness of the aluminum tube effect the sound? I think I have some 3" diameter aluminum tube with 1/16" walls would that be suitable or should I use something with thicker walls? any online resources you recommend or books on making?
@@rollandelliott No problem! The thickness of the tube shouldn't make too much difference, nor should the material; it's more in the quality of the bar in terms of where a lot of your sound quality is going to come from, then the resonator just needs to be tuned correctly so it will properly amplify the bar sound. In the 1940s they made marimba resonators with cardboard tubing which works surprisingly well and is super cheap. The shape of a resonator, on the other hand, does have an effect, and from my experience, Helmholtz-style resonators in particular sound a little more full. Here's a little resonator experiment I did a while back.
ruclips.net/video/GOkOvMiePfM/видео.html
The aluminum tubes I used for this project are also 1/16" thick so that should work great. You might think about your bar width in comparison to your tubes' diameter. Usually I leave 1/2" in between my bars. You want the tube diameter to be a little wider than the bar itself (the bigger the mouth of the resonator, typically the louder the amplification). But, it can't be so big that there isn't room for the tubes to be mounted under the keys; of course you can get creative with how you mount your resonators. There are lots of ways to do it!
Here is a link to a short video I made about 10 years ago when I learned to make my first instrument. The link will take you straight to the part that overviews the construction steps (please forgive the production quality :) ).
ruclips.net/video/kDqBIMFpWIA/видео.html
Also, Chris Banta has a book that I've heard is great. I've also seen that they have a lot of other resources out there online. Maybe check them out.
Good luck with your project and let me know if there's anything else I can do to help!
Thanks for uploading ! Really Nice Compostions/Performance - and the details in your video, help clarify important elements needed for attaining a FULL, Beautyfull, Marimba TONE ( DIY'ers must do the Math themselves though - ( Which can be very enjoyable)) I wonder if upper-register Bars could be made to produce more harmonics in their tonal-output, if designed with a gradual decrease in width - for say... one octave ?
Thanks so much Wilhelm! Yes, the keys on this instrument are graduated. So the lower the note the wider the bar and vice versa. That’s standard for most mallet instruments out there. In terms of tuning/sound quality, the higher the pitch the harder it is to hear the partials, and they fall off the instrument so they don’t conflict with the fundamental pitches being played. Bigger keys usually mean more volume too! Thank you again for watching!
What is poured into the forms to make the adjustable stops?
@@rickhugill8060 hi Rick, I believe this is what I used. You can also buy it in larger quantities:
www.amazon.com/Smooth-Silicone-Making-OOMOO-30/dp/B004BNF3TK?ref_=ast_sto_dp&th=1&psc=1