There are times when make marimba plans really do come in handy. We often make the mistake of being "penny wise and pound foolish" don't we? Have you ever had one of those situations?
Percussion instruments are not nearly as difficult to make as you might think. PVC pipe works great for the frame of a marimba or xylophone. It doesn't look nearly as beautiful as wood but sometimes you have to "cut corners".
The history behind marimbas is pretty interesting. They are still made from "native" materials such as gourds and woods found in the forest. You will generally find those kind of instruments in Central America and some parts of Africa.
Rosewood is obviously the wood of choice. Unfortunately, it is extremely expensive! You have to use it wisely. You can usually get by with hardwoods such as oak. The difference between the sound is hardly recognizable by most folks.
It really is smart to make marimba instruments with the right plans. You will generally save yourself a lot of time by spending a little money here. You Tube and other free resources on the internet have their place. There are also times when you should spend a little money to do things the right way.
Having the right tools on hand makes things much easier. There isn't any need to out and spend thousands of dollars though. A table saw, drill press, and miter saw are things you may not have already. Try to borrow those things from someone if you can.
A quality tuner is simply a must. You can get by with a "cheapo" store bought model. If you can use a really nice one that helps tremendously. After all, you want your instrument to sound the right way don't you?
If you decide to make marimba projects be sure and have a fun time. After all, who wants to spend hours and hours on this?
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