Xylophone how does it work

The mallets strike the bars and are constructed in such a way that they immediately spring back and so avoid damping the vibration of the bars. If the mallet head remains lying on the bar it is known as a dead stroke , which is used as a special effect. The mallets are held with the palm facing downward. This reinforces the sound of the note when it is struck.

To ensure that the bars vibrate freely, they are suspended on the frame of the xylophone by strings that run through each individual bar. Based in Virginia, Nichole Liandi has been a freelance writer since Her articles have appeared on various print and online publications.

Liandi has traveled extensively in Europe and East Asia and incorporates her experiences into her articles. Xylophone players use soft mallets, usually made of felt or yarn, to hit the wooden bars and create sound. Many percussionists play with two mallets; however, it is possible to play chords by keeping more than one mallet in each hand.

Bars The xylophone consists of anywhere from seven to 50 wooden bars that are struck with mallets to create sound. Xylophone bars are made from rosewood and give the xylophone a delicate, wooden sound. The longer bars produce a lower pitched sound while the higher pitched sounds consist of lower bars.

A percussionist is able to identify the pitches because the bars are set up on two rows. The first row includes the regular pitches in the musical scale from A to G. The second row consists of the sharps and flats. Resonators There are resonators which appear beneath each xylophone bar.

The resonators look like steel tubes and they catch the vibrations from the xylophone and amplify the sound. Without the resonators, the xylophone would not make a very large sound. The resonators must be kept free of dust, debris, and blockages; otherwise, the xylophone will not sound properly.

To achieve a muted effect, the percussionist can place cloth around the resonators, thereby muting the sound. Resonator The xylophone stand is an important part of the xylophone. Without the stand, the resonators would not be able to vibrate. The stand is made of steel to support the weight of the instrument and withstand the impact of up to two performers hammering away at the instrument.

The xylophone may be pushed between locations because of the wheels that are attached to the base of the legs.