Build your Own Marimba

Make your Own Marimba - a Professional 5 octave concert marimba. Intro to the P524 building guide - suitable for other ranges as well.

[@TheGIN1986]

this is awesome and sounds great plus yyou play it so well

[@LeahRayMendez]

Sounds really beautiful. I love to sound quality! I am playing Zimbabwean Marimba music and would love to build a simple marimba with my Dad, who is quite handy. Thanks for the info and inspiration!

[@percussionclinic]

Thanks for the praise. I think so also - I made it that way. I am a bass marimba specialist and have never truly been happy with the low end on traditional concert marimbas.... so I use wider than average bars in the bottom octave... and not too thick and long - this keeps them sensitive and responsive and you don't need to overplay them to get the volume. The widths I use are more in keeping with the FM loudness level curves. There is also coupling adjustment to the resonators.

[@myrahill7490]

*A really useful and well made video. I will use it for my personal experience.*

[@chevap86]

Sounds great. Thanks for the info

[@yuberabreu3833]

hey ,if anyone else wants to discover how do you make a marimba try Jaffacter Instrument Builder Coach (do a google search ) ? Ive heard some super things about it and my co-worker got excellent success with it.

[@percussionclinic]

Hi - well build time for me was equivalent to about 15 day of full time work although I spread that out. Tuning the bars is not at all difficult but experience lays a significant part so I always suggest a few practice bars to get a feel for it. Yes the plans most certainly allow you to choose any range instrument you like, and yes yu could easily use alternative materials for the frame although you may have to make a few alterations to the way they are attached. Padauk would be my #1 choice.

[@percussionclinic]

Thanks! Yes - it is designed for quick and full dis-assembly and can ben transported in a reasonable family sedan even. Building cost depends on the range you choose to build, but this 5 octave cost around $1700 AUD with the Padauk bars - probably about $14-15 hundred USD in the USA

[@percussionclinic]

The excerpt in the middle range was from a well known piece for marimba by Paul Smadbeck called "RhythmSong"

[@hafizurrahman2721]

This video is easy to understand and very helpful....

[@percussionclinic]

@trend2kill Hi - The timber used for the bars is African Padauk. The resonators are made by me from scatch using PVC pipe. Instructions for this are part of the building guide package. Hope this helps!

[@percussionclinic]

Yes - it is possible. 5 octaves is considered the standard concert range though and bigger marimbas are rare for good reason. Firstly you simple can't reach both ends at once! Extending the standard range at the top is easy enough and requires virtually no design change except making sure your bar stock is thick enough. Extending down is tougher (but possible) as the bars and tubes become really big so you need to beef up the struts etc and do some serious plumbing for the resonators!

[@percussionclinic]

Hi - if you mean the graduations of the bar widths, then quite a lot. The top couple of octaves are the same, then the next one octave, then they get more frequent as you go down. The bottom octave has every bar different. This is fairly similar to commercial instruments.

[@anjelasfa2823]

very nice to watch

[@zubairansari9802]

Its very Useful, Thanks A Lots

[@percussionclinic]

Sure! Of course Girls can do it too. There are a couple of crucial sums for ther P524 - but not too tough and they instrctions lay it out very clearly. Most of the dimensions etc are given in tables so you just have to read them and measure them. The P524 guide is what you want for a big instrument.

[@anshadafi]

its nice to watch

[@renkupmiba]

really awsome man great job. But a few quick questions how much exactly did it cost you and can you dismantle it and move it to a gig or something

[@amelaalic9037]

Thanks, nice video

[@Jajouli]

Great work! How many diameters of bars do you have on this 5 octave?

[@percussionclinic]

Yes - the guides and videos etc are all in direct download format - hard copies are not available as they would make things quite a bit more expensive. Payment processing only takes a few seconds then you get immediate access to all the information materials for your chosen instrument.

[@percussionclinic]

Pretty much the same - yes!

[@percussionclinic]

From a specialist timber merchant - there are usually one or two that will carry padauk in most major cities around the world. :)

[@paulkamau1806]

I have spent months studying building marimbas and found a great resource at Delfords Magic Plan (check it out on google)

[@JonasWeckschmied]

Great video! Do you need any special expensive woodworking tools to build a marimba, like a bandsaw or something like that?

[@percussionclinic]

Hi Jonas. Well you don't NEED a lot no... but if you have more/better tools, some of the jobs become easier and faster definitely! Everything CAN be done with simple hand tools and a drill, but some extras like a belt sander can really make things faster.

[@percussionclinic]

Yep! That's correct!

[@percussionclinic]

Well usually it depends a little on how much wastage there is, both from plank sizes that don't work out efficiently or have flaws that you have to cut around etc. And of course sometimes you simply have a bar you make a mistake on... that gets better with practice and experience! :) Bare minimum on last one I built was five planks of 100mm x 3m (10ft x 4") - use 4/4 planks - after finishing they should be between 3/4 and 4/4 thick - about 23mm is perfect. Email me if you want more details!

[@daranjeri]

How many octaves is the plan for your vibraphone, 3 octaves? If I wanted to make a 4 octave vibe, do your plans allow for that?

[@Capcoor]

About how much wood would you need for a five-octave marimba,ballpark?

[@percussionclinic]

All the building guides are available at the makeamarimba website - cost depends on the instrument guide you choose. Definitely way cheaper than buying a commercial instrument!

[@trexquisite6823]

Is there a good free electronic tuner to use online? What the best way to tune the bars? What formula did you use to calculate the bar length and resonator length? I know the resonators are susceptible to end correction, but are the bars? (Also, mine is 19-tone equal temperament, instead of 12.)

[@jimmccarthy5162]

+TRex Quisite Hi there. Yes there are some good free tuners - both for computers and apps for phones etc that work pretty well. The biggest limitation of most of them is the audio hardware that feeds them - so it can help to use a controllable input of some sort and a good external mic - preferably a condenser type. There is no formula for bar length as such - they are a direct linear pair of sets - but modified from simple increments because of width graduation etc. It comes down to knowing what works and using a refined set of dimensions from much history. Bars - no end correction - they are simply tuned - it's a craft thing not a physics thing. Resonators CAN be worked out with formula - but also the best results are still obtained from actually tuning them. Marimba resonators are 1/4 wavelength so whatever frequency you use 1/4 of the wavelength minus the end correction. There are still academic arguments about the exact constant but my experience says the best version is 0.61R where R is the tube radius. Hope that helps.

[@trexquisite6823]

That's very helpful, thank you!

[@paulpapenfuss7059]

What kind of wood did you use?

[@ZubinHathiPercussion]

@cpatlynch (1/2) I know it sounds too good to be true, but trust me, it is NOT. I'm building a 5 octave rosewood marimba using this guide, and it is AWESOME. The instructions in the guide are really easy to understand, and making the marimba itself really isn't as difficult as it seems. I've made all the bars, and I have suspended them on the rails, so the marimba is playable. I haven't gotten started on the frame or the resonators yet, but I will soon. I e-mailed Jim a few times with questions

[@cpatlynch]

Hey Zubin, 5 years later and I am pretty sure I am going to go through with it! Do you have a recording of your marimba that I could grab off of you?

[@antonystabindcruz8321]

Not certain about the points made but ,if anyone else wants to discover how to build a marimba try Debuncar Incredible Instrument Aid (should be on google have a look ) ? Ive heard some amazing things about it and my colleague got amazing success with it.

[@Filip_R]

Not certain about the points made but ,if anyone else is searching for make your own marimbas book try Corbandy Simple Instrument Crusher ( search on google ) ? Ive heard some great things about it and my colleague got amazing success with it.

[@HRJAN-ki2dr]

interesting points ,if anyone else needs to find out about how do you make a marimba try Jaffacter Instrument Builder Coach (just google it ) ? Ive heard some pretty good things about it and my colleague got excellent success with it.

[@daranjeri]

thanks :-) Right now I'm trying to decide between building a vibraphone or a marimba. can you tell me some pros/cons or differences (ie availability of materials, effort level, cost) etc?

[@percussionclinic]

Well there is no doubt at all that a marimba is the easier project - by a lot! Working with wood bars is easier for a start but of course you also have the damper bar/pedal to contend with not to mention fans and motor on vibes. On both, bar material is the main thing to consider - for marimba you really want a decent timber like Honduras rosewood or padauk - maybe purpleheart etc - for vibes you need to get bar stock aluminium - preferably 2024 in 1/2" thick.

[@MalikEmmanuel]

percussionclinic i've heard that the musser and deagan bars from the 60's used a different alloy with silver in it. do you know anything about that?

[@percussionclinic]

MalikEmmanuel As far as I know the alloy that Musser uses is essentially the same as it always has been - and that is 2024 - which has a high copper content most notably. WITHIN the specification though there still can be differences - also the temper which always was a T3 originally but these days is more usually a T351 or T4. There DOES seem to me to be a slightly sweeter sound to some of the older instruments - like my Century is one of the original ones - sounds better than the newer ones I think - but SO slight. Hope this helps!

[@MalikEmmanuel]

i had noticed a definite difference between the older mussers the deagans and the newer yahmahas and mussers. i had heard something about silver before and the bars seem to be different alloys just comparing them here. thanks for the response!

[@schoolsource310]

Culd i get the book free

[@geoalesolo]

Do the plans have options for making it height adjustable ?

[@percussionclinic]

Not specifically - but the design is such that there is a single measurement for the vertical leg pieces which you can simply alter to suit if you like. It also means that if you want to incorporate an adjustment system it is relatively easy to do and it will not affect any other parts of the frame design.

[@amazingblob1018]

How easy is it typically to sell one. Im looking into building them. This is my main concern.

[@percussionclinic]

That's a tough question. Essentially there are so many factors. The two biggest are the quality of your building/final result... then of course where you are located. Marimbas are tough to ship so really sales tend to be local - so if you live in a big city with a healthy marimba culture, then you have a customer base.

[@lillyyyrose]

sounds like thomas newman on the low end there

[@philgifford6292]

Is this still updated and available? Or is it too old now.

[@philgifford6292]

Just don’t wanna buy the plans and not get contacted by anybody.

[@jimmccarthy5162]

Still up and running Phil! Many successful builds around the world!

[@mattthiessen9807]

I saw in a comment that you do pickup in Saskatchewan? Is that where you are based out of?

[@percussionclinic]

Hi Matt. Yes I'm Originally an Aussie, but now based in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. So if you are around this area you are very welcome to come visit! Best to get in touch via email - [e-mail]

[@michelsbeats7522]

I'm so gelous I hope I have one percussion keyboard that has more notes just like that

[@percussionclinic]

Hi Zaichi - indeed! A 5 octave marimba is a lot of fun to build and even more fun to play. My current personal marimba actually has a couple more notes again in the bass - it's a 5.2 with Bb1 as the lowest note. I built that one a few years ago.

[@McKenzieTVentertainment]

Is that Stevens grip your doing?

[@jimmccarthy5162]

No. I pretty much always use Burton grip. That's the grip I'm using in this video here! ☺️

[@McKenzieTVentertainment]

I've never heard of it but ill look it up :D

[@cpatlynch]

I am sorry to be very skeptical, but I can't find many reviews on your making a marimba book, and also for you showing us what we can make from your book, it would be nice if there is a location that I can get a good recording of your homemade marimba... again sorry for being skeptical, but it just seems too good to be true.

[@cpatlynch]

Well, after a while I decided to make one. It actually works! I used padauk for the bars and maple for the frame. I used his book as a guide, and I think it is a good starting place. I then invested a decent amount of time into research... www.lafavre.us/marimba.htm is another great starting place to learn how to make a marimba

[@arishuzaimi]

Hello. I'm Aris from malaysia. I have a problem to get the proper equipment to make this project. Is it possible if you make the marimba bar for me and ship it to Malaysia? If possible how about the price?

[@percussionclinic]

Hi there Aris. Well this IS possible - I make custom bars etc all the time. It might be that after shipping etc though that it is easier and cheaper for you to go through local channels. Your best bet is to email me with the specifics of what you need and I can write up a quote for you. Cheers - Jim

[@santoshkumar-ck6rl]

sir i think that price is very high

[@maynulhasansaykot9932]

Aris Huzaimi Hi, I really love this this video. This will help to make your own marimbas book. I have really liked this.

[@nabin306]

+Aris Huzaimi I like your video, particularly your tips for build a 4.5 octave marimba . It also means that if you want to incorporate an adjustment system it is relatively easy to do and it will not affect any other parts of the frame design.

[@user-ld6jg2mp4w]

+Aris Huzaimi yes that is possible

[@daranjeri]

how many octaves is this marimba?

[@percussionclinic]

Hi Dee - this one is a standard 5 octave (C2-C7) But the P524 design is such that you can build any range you like - 4, 4.3, 4.6, 5 - or even just as a bass - say C2 to C4 or F4. I am even building an extended one now that goes down to Bb1

[@mmahmudulhasan2520]

I could easily do it, very easily.

[@JackTdrums]

Where can you buy one of these

[@percussionclinic]

Hi Jackson - if you want to buy the building guide use the website shown in the watermark at the bottom of the video screen. If you want to but an actual instrument - email me - they can be done on commission her in Central Canada

[@JackTdrums]

percussionclinic Well what I meant was where could I buy a pre-made one. I'm probably going to get a new 5 octave in the beginning of summer, and I'd rather buy one of these instead of a $14000 yamaha or malletech.

[@percussionclinic]

Well I can build one for you easily enough - pick up or delivery is from Saskatchewan, Canada though. Whilst I do deal in retail it is not my main aim - so I do not yet have worldwide distribution network or anything - sorry.

[@dieusofiianos5412]

Great video thanksyou so much ,you are a artiste and you can know how pro make your own marimbas convert it should be on google if you need it

[@zolcix]

2nd mexican dance by g. stout :D

[@andre.lourenco028]

Isn't the specie of the wood isn't crucial for a sound like this ? where can I get this kind of wood ?

[@percussionclinic]

Hi there Andre - yes - there is no dounbt that the type of timber you use for the bars plays a VERY big part in the final sound you get from the instrument. Traditionally marimbas are made from Honduras rosweood - Dalbergia Stevensonii - but it is impossible to get now in some countries and even in those where you can it is definitely expensive. This one is made from African Padauk - a common alternative that is a lot cheaper but still sounds great. It needs a little extra care though as it is also softer. I also sometimes use purpleheart as a cheaper alternative where durability is a priority. There are online stores but I always prefer to visit a specialty timbers store to select the planks I want in person.

[@andre.lourenco028]

Thank you very much ! Your answer was helpfull ! I hope that the marimba I will build sound as good as yours !

[@mohamadazrirazali4263]

***** Traditionally marimbas are made from Honduras rosweood - Dalbergia Stevensonii - but it is impossible to get now in some countries and even in those where you can it is definitely expensive

[@kuneeyakanna9041]

I\'m not sure but ,if anyone else needs to find out about build a marimba try Corbandy Simple Instrument Crusher (just google it ) ? Ive heard some super things about it and my buddy got amazing results with it.

[@milankastanojkovic1015]

hey ,if anyone else wants to learn about how to build a marimba try Corbandy Simple Instrument Crusher (should be on google have a look ) ? Ive heard some incredible things about it and my co-worker got great results with it.

[@JacobDaltonLindsey]

Don't yell in the comments please.

[@nathanpiazza9644]

I think you could make something that looks like a marimba rather easily, but to make something that really sounds professional, like an instrument, would be much more difficult. It would require much trial and error (like any craft)... I'd rather not spend thousands of dollars (even $2,000) on an inferior-sounding instrument. To make a marimba with consistent tone throughout the entire range requires a LOT of rosewood!

[@Capcoor]

It's not (just) you.