A practice marimba doesn't need to be an expensive ordeal. One trip to the music store to see how much a store bought one costs will be a reality check.
Most student three octave marimbas will set you back at least $2,000 or $3,000 if you buy them new. You know that you are getting the right materials if you go this route. Unfortunately, most parents find that their investment doesn't get used that often when the "newness" wears off.
A poor quality instrument can be purchased for $400 or $500. But as the old saying goes "you get what you pay for".
The thought of building your own practice marimba may seem a little overwhelming. Just keep in mind that marimbas have been around for generations. They really weren't that sophisticated at one time.
Most of the xylophones that your kids will play in the classroom are about one and a half octaves. Performance xylophones are usually have a range of two and a half octaves.
Xylophones have been around for hundreds of years. The original ones were constructed with wooden bars seated on a series of hollow gourds. Guess what...the modern versions really aren't that much different!
Rosewood is the preferred wood for marimbas and xylophones. Oak and other hard woods produce a tone that is very similar. If you are building a practice marimba you can improvise and do very well with the finished product.
Skilled craftsmen are obviously always going to make a better instrument. The question is can you afford to go "in the poor house" to buy one? On average, you can build a very nice marimba or xylophone for less than $200. It just depends what kinds of materials you have in your garage or workshop.
Having the right plans makes all the difference in the world. They will ordinarily pay for themselves many times over. Whether your are making a homemade xylophone or your own marimba's having the best design ahead of time makes things so much easier!
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