Marimba Mojo Publications

Here you will find tips for mallet ensemble instruction that I have found effective for elementary age kids. First, some basic assumptions are held:  

• Children love to make music on barred instruments.
• Childrens ability to read notation is extremely limited at this age so rote learning is our primary teaching tool.
• Contact time with students is extremely limited. Most music classroom schedules have students attending music once or twice a week for 30 minutes a session.
• Modifying a piece and the lesson is necessary to accomodate the age and experience of the student. 
• These tips are designed for students ages 9 and above.

Teaching Tips:

• Keep music making fun.  Your primary goal is for children to have a positive experience making music.  Other academic music goals should almost always be secondary to this. 
• Avoid too much verbal instruction.  Keep students active and engaged as much as possible.
• Use a "Show then Tell" method of instruction. Show first, then tell.  For example, after demonstrating how to play a pattern ask questions like:
• What note did I start on?
• What note did I end on?
• Can you remember anything else about the pattern? 
• Did I play with both hands together or separate?
• Have a purpose and goal in mind for the conclusion of the unit. 
• Will the piece be performed or is it rather just for music making in the classroom? 
• If public performance is the goal then more careful attention to accuracy and readiness will be of concern.
• If the end goal is simply music making in the classroom then adjustments to the printed arrangement to ensure success is encouraged. For example, excluding parts and shortening the arrangement may help ensure success within the permitted time frame of the unit.
• Have a purpose and goal in mind for each rehearsal. Students need to feel like they are making progress and are being successful at music making every rehearsal. Have short-term goals that they can reach at each rehearsal. Celebrate these moments often. Motivation to continue work is strengthened by these moments of success.
• Avoid using traditional notation.  Instead, display patterns using alphabet letters. For example, Mary's Little Lamb would be displayed, E D C D E E E ..... Using traditional notation will in no doubt just add complexity to the learning, slowing progress, and defeating our primary purpose of keeping music-making fun, attainable, and engaging. However, I do use the alphanote notation parts after students are taught via rote. See sample lesson video of William Tell where both notation and icons are used together.
• Group/organize patterns into a form for easier comprehension and retension. For example, if a pattern in measure one is repeated in measures two and four with measure 3 being different, then an AABA form is created. Students can then just learn the two patterns that are different and play them in the order prescribed.
• Use an instrument such as cow bell or shaker to keep time during rehearsals. Students need to understand the relationship of their pattern to the beat to ensure success when combining their part with the ensemble.
• Begin learning the mallet parts using the simplest part first. As was already mentioned before, students need to exprerience success in music making.  This is especially important the first day you begin instruction. If you choose a pattern in the song that you know all students will be able to play successfully the first day, then they will be excited and eager to learn more.  The opposite is also true.  Begin too hard and they will feel defeated and inadequate for the tasks ahead.

Directing and Performance Tips:

•  While learning the piece incorporate directing signals to be used for later rehearsals and future performances.  These signals usually correlate to the form of the song indicating when a new section is to be played. Signals can also be used for other elements in the music too such as pattern changes, chord changes, phrases, repeats, etc. A friend of mine uses a whistle for his groups to indicate these changes.  I use a silent approach of finger numbers to indicate section changes, i.e. one finger for the verse section, two fingers for the refrain, a fist for the ending, etc.
• Teach and encourage ensemble skills.  Because students know how to play their part individually does not ensure success combined with the ensemble as all of you have surely discovered. Inexperienced groups will not have the listening skills required for this.  They are listening but not to the right thing. Teach them to listen to the ensemble, listen to the beat, watch the director, etc.  Let them know that adjusting their play may be necessary to keep the ensemble together. When you see them adjust you know they have listened correctly and you can celebrate and encourage them to continue with this kind of listening.

Additional Details

Tips for teaching specific pieces may be added here later.  Please let us know if this would be something you would like to see here.

Need More Information?

Please contact us using the contact form.