Post by Filip HoudekI'm working on a composition for which I was considering using a
marimba as the bass instrument in the group. There are nine
instruments in the group, and the piece is fairly quiet. I didn't
think a string bass fit well in the piece, and a marimba would be
somewhat "silkier". Would this be feasible? I know some marimbas can
go quite low, but the low tones seem to be rich in upper overtones,
which can obscure the fundamental note.
Any alternative suggestions?
Thanks
I have often used marimba for the bass part of songs. My ensemble
repertoire consists of tunes where I'll put melody on xylophone and
the upper end of the marimba, harmony on vibes and the middle of the
marimba, and bass on the lower end of the marimba and also on
timpani. The 4 1/3 octave marimba is a little limited for bass,
because it's more in cello range than true bass. The 5 octave marimba
gives you better bass range.
On whether it's too ringy, that depends as much on the instrument, the
room, type of mallet and your stroke. A softer mallet will be too
diffused a sound. A harder, smaller mallet won't give you the
fundamental pitch though it may be more articulate. You'll have to
experiment with several factors until you find just the right sound.
Timpani works well as a bass instrument if you have 1) the ability to
write for timpani bass 2) at least 4 good timpani with reliable
gauges, and 3) someone who knows not only how to play the instrument,
but also how to work out and play the tunings and necessary changes,
which would depend on the complexity of the piece you're playing. One
of my groups used to do Take Five and timpani handled the entire bass
line, though several tuning changes were necessary every time we got
to the B section. You'd be surprised at how much you can do with
timpani. Just listen to some of Jonathan Haas' music -- he plays bass
and also melody (for which he he uses 10 timpani, though I believe
only 4 are variably tuned). You can find him online -- look up Johnny
H. and the Prisoners of Swing.
You can use steel pan for bass as well, if you think it's the type of
sound that would work for your piece. And, of course, if you can get
your hands on a set of bass pans.
Good luck.
Rob