The glockenspiel is a popular tuned percussion instrument, commonly used in solo performances, orchestras, marching bands, jazz bands and more. Well-known around the world, there is an assortment of glockenspiel makers and brands to choose from, ranging from toys to professional-grade orchestra-ready instruments. With such a wide variety of glockenspiels on the market, knowing the…
The vibraphone is a prevalent tuned percussion instrument, often used in solo performances, orchestras, marching bands and jazz bands, though certainly heard in more than these situations. As a widely cherished and accepted instrument, there are now a variety of vibraphone makers and brands to choose from. With such a wide variety of vibraphones on…
The xylophone is a popular tuned percussion instrument, commonly used in solo performances, orchestras, marching bands, jazz bands and more. Well-known around the world, there is an assortment of xylophone makers and brands to choose from. With such a wide variety of xylophones on the market, knowing the top brands is useful. Of course, the…
The marimba is a popular tuned percussion instrument, commonly used in solo performances, orchestras, marching bands, jazz bands and more. Being such a beloved and accepted instrument, there are now a variety of marimba makers and brands to choose from. With such a wide variety of marimbas on the market, knowing the top brands is…
The glockenspiel. This seemingly childlike instrument is heard across many genres and is a staple in music production. I like to think of glockenspiels as higher-pitched metal xylophones. The instrument is fun to play (and say), and has a unique, shiny sound that can really stand out in orchestral settings and add value to musical…
The tubular bells (otherwise known as chimes) are an interesting tuned percussion instrument. Initially, the idea of tubular bells was to get a tuned church bell type sound in the music without the need of large belfries in the drum pit. Since then, the tubular bells have been a mainstay in many percussion pits of…
The vibraphone is a tuned percussion instrument with a very unique sound. Vibraphones have metal bars are tuned chromatically, like a piano. The bars, resonators, and rubber mallets of the vibraphone yield deep tones with a relatively dark harmonic profile (compared to other tuned percussion instruments). When recording the vibraphone, the microphone (transducer) is an…
When thinking of tuned percussion, the xylophone is often the first instrument that comes to mind. The instrument is fun to play (and spell), and has a unique, sharp sound that can really stand out in orchestral settings and add value to musical productions. But how do we best capture the sound of the xylophone?…
The marimba is a tuned percussion instrument with a very unique sound. Marimbas are tuned chromatically, like a piano, giving the marimbist access to all the notes of western music theory. The bars, resonators, and rubber mallets of the marimba yield deep tones with a relatively rich harmonic profile (compared to other tuned percussion instruments)….
