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The xylophone is a percussion instrument, made up of wooden strips arranged axially or transversely like the keys on a keyboard. It is played by hitting the blades with sticks or small mallets, the end of which ends in a wooden or plastic sphere, covered or not with rubber, leather or felt. The size of the xylophone can vary from thirty centimeters to over five feet. The number of blades can range from a few to thirty.
An ideal instrument for musical awakening and learning music
The xylophone is often confused with other instruments that resemble it.
The marimba looks a lot like the xylophone with its wooden blades but it has a larger keyboard that spans 5 octaves while the xylophone has 3 and a half octaves. The small instruments for children which have metal and colored blades, very appreciated for musical initiation because they allow to understand the music easily and to know how to play a melody quickly are called “chimes” or “glockenspiel”. In schools, the Orff xylophone range is used, which spans two octaves. Its blades are made of wood. It is an ideal instrument for the musical awakening of children, the learning of musical notes and rhythm.
But the xylophone is above all a full-fledged musical instrument that has its place in modern classical music orchestras .
The xylophone is a musical instrument with a rich history
The xylophone’s origins can be found in Southeast Asia, where its presence dates back to the 9th century. It is also found in Africa where missionaries and travelers describe this instrument in their accounts from the fourteenth century.
The name of this instrument under the name of “xylophone” was given in the nineteenth century in Europe by taking the Greek roots xylo : wood and phon : sound. It was also at this time that this instrument appeared for the first time in a classical symphony orchestra for La Danse macabre by Saint-Saëns.
New materials now enrich the manufacture of its originally wooden slats
The xylophone ‘s wooden blades are usually made from rosewood, maple, walnut or African padauk. Originally xylophones have wooden blades, but recently manufacturers can replace them with carbon fiber, fiberglass or composite material blades. In Europe, they are tuned according to a diatonic, pentatonic, heptatonic or chromatic scale .
The xylophone can be used in classical, traditional music, in film scores and in cartoons.
When the blades are made of wood, the matte tones, both soft and deep, can be joyful, laughing and very catchy. The natural and direct sound of wood resonates with you in an authentic and organic way, inspiring you with freedom of expression.
We offer in our store very beautiful xylophones for young and old from the Sonor and Bergerault brands with wooden blades. You can come and try them and buy them in our store or order them online.
In our Alain Boullard Music School, we offer introductory music lessons for children as well as individual lessons for adults. Do not hesitate to contact us, you are welcome!
Live the Music! And see you soon!