Marimba vs. Xylophone vs. Vibraphone vs. Glockenspiel (Idiophone Comparison) Musser M500 M75 Jenco

[@janakassem838]

2:46 glockenspiel 6:35 Xylophone 12:05 Vibraphone 17:47 Marimba

[@InventorZahran]

Most children's glockenspiels are marketed as "xylophones", probably because that word is commonly used to represent the letter X in alphabet-learning books...

[@girlscouttroop1345]

Still a bad excuse us percussionists have to deal with people laughing when we say we play the xylophone

[@Fahrenheit4051]

Easy solution: Rename "glockenspiel" to "xlockenspiel".

[@DisturbedVette]

I was kinda thinking that.

[@liam_er]

@@girlscouttroop1345 trueeeee

[@alexscott1257]

I thought another possible explanation or contributing factor to this naming in English speaking countries is that xylophone is a English word while glockenspiel is Germanic and so could sow confusion amongst children learning the English language. The X in the alphabet sounds more probable though.

[@noobsandwich4598]

I just learned i have gone my entire life calling glockenspiels xylophones.

[@themetr0gn0me]

Common error, Noobz. That's often how they're described to us as kids, regardless of what they're made of.

[@badideabearcub2747]

Well, in my case, I have what I thought was a two octave marimba that now I learned is really a Xylophone. Or is not?

[@6butterflywings6]

@@badideabearcub2747 does it have resonators? I think that’s a big distinction.

[@tommc290]

If it helps anyone remember the difference, “xylo-“ comes from the Greek word for wood. “Glocken” is German for bells.

[@moubhattacharyya1141]

Thank you for the input. The last part 'spiel' made me believe that it should be of German origin. Spiel can be play or instrument from German related languages.

[@АнтонКузнецов-и8ю]

@@moubhattacharyya1141 "Spiel... mit mir" ))

[@okey7261]

Oh

[@lil_weasel219]

well but chimes are RohrenGLOCKEN xD

[@sanablue]

@Hal Martin No that's wrong. It is in fact Glockenspiel. The german word is the same, just like it's written in the video's title. Please do not spread false information. The word Glocken (=bells) is the plural form of Glocke (=bell). None of these contains any ö's. ;)

[@oceanusprocellarum6853]

11:35 the smile on his face was so genuine and I had that exact same reaction to the vibraphone. God I love music and it never fails to inspire me when other people love it too.

[@mattmilford8106]

It may be a bit too technical for this type of video, but having built one of each I can tell you that the most important difference between a xylophone and a marimba (apart from the xylo transposing an octave higher) is the way the overtones are tuned. The overtones of bars do not follow the normal harmonic series that wind and string instruments follow. Overtones can be tuned to almost anything the builder likes mainly by adjusting the shape of the arch cut into the bottom of the bar. If you place your finger in the center of a xylophone bar and strike half way between there and the string, you will hear that the second partial is the quint, an octave and a fifth above the fundamental. This pitch happens to also be the second partial of a closed resonating tube. Doing the same experiment on the marimba will produce a pitch two octaves above the fundamental, which while still being consonant, is absent from the harmonic series of the closed resonator tube, and thus is not amplified. This is part of what gives it a more pure or mellow sound.

[@bradleydoyle6752]

Wow, I've been learning about overtones, and that is a fascinating bit of info!

[@s90210h]

Perhaps you could make a video on this?

[@susanmeertens606]

@@s90210h Agreed! That would be awesome Matt! :D

[@moosuch1]

play the iphone ringtone !

[@craig_z]

So... if I'm following you correctly... would that imply that common chords on stringed instruments and piano might not sound "good" on the marimba due to the different spectrum of harmonics muddying up the chord?

[@DeadWhiteButterflies]

I have never anyone so genuinely hyped to play a marimba before. This is wholesome.

[@proverbalizer]

Oliver Cant why not, it's one of the best sounding instruments in the world and extensive use of Marimba sounds/samples is part of why Afrobeats is taking over the world

[@lauralong6616]

I had no idea the marimba was so different from the xylophone. When I was a child my parents bought me a xylophone which actually was a glockenspiel, you're right they use to call them by the wrong name. Enjoyed your video, thanks for the education.

[@88kryptokid]

The title on the thumbnail I saw was Marimba vs. Xylophone vs. Vibraphone vs. Glock... So I clicked

[@АнтонКузнецов-и8ю]

...and I was surpised that Marimba is not a name, and Xylophone is not an alien race.

[@1978garfield]

This is what my Glock 17 sounds like. It doesn't have much of a range but it is way louder than the other instruments.

[@thezosokid]

@@1978garfield did you ever saw that video where the guy makes music by shooting metal targets?

[@thezosokid]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/nGibY5uDg9qimJY

[@matty-ww]

literally my elementary school music teacher had glockenspiels and she called them xylophones and we all thought that they were xylophones, like she was the MUSIC teacher and she didn’t even know

[@tekanova7480]

Maybe she didn't like the German word Glockenspiel, it is quite a mouthful.

[@lil_weasel219]

same haha

[@Boccaccio1811]

@@tekanova7480 - I always just called them "bells"

[@sounddude177]

Love the sound of the Marimba - except for that damn iPhone ringtone

[@MentabytesChill]

Sound Dude lol I like both

[@doritobandito_1323]

lol I learned how to play the ringtone to annoy people in the band room

[@Rio_1111]

That's damn right!!

[@arturogonzalez6019]

The marimba is the national instrument here in Guatemala. Only it is made of two big instruments. One, smaller is called a "tenor" and the other is the bass. they usualy add a four string bass and a reduced drum section. three people play the tenor and four play the bass. it is a nine person orchestra. Sounds beautiful.

[@danielsolanos]

Very educational. Thanks for taking the time to teach us about these instruments.

[@ThePianoforever]

So glad you enjoyed it.

[@richard7crowley]

I wonder what the vibraphone would sound like if the pulsator disks were arranged at varying angles instead of all being "coherent". It might create an other-worldly "shimmering" sound.

[@zmanwithfire]

Make one!

[@spenceralger3600]

mstalcup I think the Marimba One Vibes disk will always stop vertically

[@morganahoff2242]

I'd like to hear the speed of the pulsator disks controlled by an expression pedal, so the player could vary it throughout the song.

[@mfb5642]

it would sad bad.

[@3deeguy]

Interesting. Probably a similar effect to a brass or a wind section. If you added a micro-controller you could program it dynamically. Manual adjustment would be tedious. (The added circuitry might add another 20 lbs.)

[@AnaisIsAce]

You are so knowledgeable and it's wonderful seeing how passionate and excited you are by these instruments!!

[@lynnlobliner3933]

Yes, I was in a toy store and found a "xylophone" with metal colored bars and a clear sound and my friend bought it for me. I still have it, can't actually play it but and rarely will get it out and play Mary Had a Little Lamb. I've had it 35-40 years.

[@paulaboynton8299]

I have my marching band glockenspiel from the 70’s. I played it through junior high and high school. Love it.

[@educostanzo]

Those bass notes are simply beautiful... hearing such low tones coming from "just" pieces of wood is so cool.

[@secondwindmusicproductions]

The amplitude modulation on a vibraphone is technically "tremolo" not "vibrato" as it is a modulation of volume. Vibrato is a modulation of pitch. But the terms are often used incorrectly as on guitar amps. It is a lot harder to produce vibrato electronically than tremolo.

[@alesewilliams4554]

I have no idea why I just watched a 20 minute video on idiophones when I play the French Horn XD

[@danielracovitan9779]

for your musical culture

[@alexraphael6534]

Yep, guitarist here... but it's fascinating stuff! Great company to keep!

[@vmbearbrown]

It's the same reason I recently read an article on everything you need to know before buying a flugelhorn.

[@notanotherjamesmurphy5574]

Cuz they’re cool!

[@TimEssDub]

If you make music, learning about any instrument is fun

[@gregcrabb3497]

Our marching band used a glockenspiel like that one for marching but it may have been a little larger (it's been over 30 years). It was quite heavy but I enjoyed playing it. The mallets were BRASS...talk about loud! But it could be heard all over the football field.

[@sixty2jeff]

You really send out good vibes !!

[@poss420]

ha ha !

[@depressedtiger677]

So hilarious

[@Pickleeeee]

Pun intended?

[@anonanon6456]

“The plastic mallet is a bit annoying to listen to” yeah I had to play glockenspiel with brass mallets. I think I have hearing problems now.

[@gweedomurray9923]

They now have ear plugs that are designed to lower decibels while accurately, as possible for such devices, to maintain the sound spectrum unlike shop ones which simply dull the sound coming to your ears. Mr. Townshend and others would have benefited greatly had they been available years ago.

[@robertcamiller]

Felix Bosquez in band we have 2 glockenspiels and we always want the plastic ones not the copper ones We used to have 3 mallets (1 copper) but the other plastic one went to the vibraphone so i agree

[@Ralph2]

I have that problem now. It's very annoying.

[@jasonzurlo1543]

Don't forget about the pedal glockenspiel! It's like a glockenspiel but with resonators and a pedal to control the sustain.

[@mal2ksc]

Should put discs on it too. Vibraglock!

[@noobsandwich4598]

3:08 So THIS is how ringtones are made.

[@Friedegg224]

: Plays the glockenspiel Me: IIIIIIIIIIIHHHIIIIII DONT WANT A LOT FOR CHRISTMAS

[@member-berry-bonbons1124]

THEEEEREEEE IS JUST ONE THING AAHHH NEED

[@jukeboxheros9820]

I DONT CARE ABOUT THE PRESENTS

[@Nick-bv7ul]

Really informative! And never lose your passion. Great video! Thanks!

[@rogerdat7807]

Thank you so much for sharing your joy in making simple music with these forgotten masterpiece instruments!

[@frankortega4280]

Amazing video James. Thanks for the thorough explanation and examples of the differences between these wonderful instruments. The vibraphone tone is my favorite.

[@virgo47]

No wonder glockenspiel and xylophones are confused. In our country glockenspiels were often referred as xylophones and most kids see metal bars when they imagine a xylophone. I also learned how it should be many years later. Nice instruments, btw. ;-)

[@FrankBlissett]

Thanks - can confirm that growing up in the 70s & 80s, it seemed like every idiophone was called a "xylophone".

[@lil_weasel219]

same for 2000s tho

[@JimVanVerth]

Nice presentation! A few comments from a mallet player: * I don't think you mentioned this, but the glockenspiel and xylophone are transposing instruments -- the xylo plays an octave higher than what's written and the glock two octaves higher than written. So a concert xylophone (which runs F4 to C8) would match the pitch of the top 2.5 octaves of the marimba, and another octave above that. Not sure how the Jenco matches up, but I'm guessing the highest C on it matches the highest C on the marimba. * Musser's low-end xylos and marimbas use a fiberglass and resin mixture for their bars, so technically they're glass idiophones. :-) * If anyone used metal mallets (or even hard plastic) on my xylophone I'd never speak to them again.

[@johncoyle8551]

Just to add to what you said. Most companies have a synthetic bar for their marimbas and xylos, each one has a different type and gives it their own name. Musser's called kelon, Adam' called zelon, and then Yamaha's called Acoustalon. And then on the other end of your mallet comment, its highly advised to never use yarn on xylophone because it can easily ruin your mallet, but if the xylo you're using has synthetic bars, a harder plastic is an option, I just wouldn't use it if I was using a rosewood or even padouk xylo. In that case, I'd lean towards a soft plastic or hard rubber.

[@Leo-mu8kn]

What happens with the mallets? Do they degrade the instrument over time?

[@pyrumid5673]

Look at that bright smile while playing! Watching you having such fun is a pleasure. You're sharing good vibrations... in every way you can read it ;) Thank you!

[@RijackiTorment]

Gorgeous tones. Thank you for explaining the comparisons. I love the idiopone instruments. They're my favs, but I haven't really known much about them.

[@michaelwhite6614]

Great video mate. I was here for the vibes, love them.

[@seeonedoone]

I don't know who you are but anyone that can make me watch at 20min video on instruments I have never played, and will never play, earns a subscriber. Thank you!

[@yuan554]

I was taking my AP music theory quiz and the question asked: "what is the xylophone doing in this excerpt?" and the excerpt had xylophone and some kinds of bells (maybe chimes) in it. For some reason, I thought that the bells sounded like the marimba lol. Then I found this video, it really helped me to separate out which is which. Thanks a lot!!

[@passijsurkit]

Thank you! Wonderful comparison of these beautiful instruments, that I previously knew very little about! Now I'm inspired to learn more! Thank you for the explanations and demos. You are very well spoken and knowledgable and loved hearing the different sounds each instrument produces! Thanks so much!

[@Skejtboard]

Thanks for taking the time and spread knowledge to us!

[@MickeySmithVerified]

This video is fantastic for those of us who never knew. Great Job man!

[@RodieOsc]

Damn 17:47 now thats amazing !

[@HouseofKhaine]

I wonder what it was. Did he just make that up?

[@ThePianoforever]

House of Khaine, Yes, I made that up on the spot, haven't played it before or since.

[@Croatiauefaeuro]

Bridg It (Sunlight island)

[@nogosnoqt]

I've never seen anything about instruments like this. Very interesting.

[@ottolettuce]

omg i literally dont have any knowledge about music theory and stuff like that but this is really coolllll gosh I wanna learn more about this !!! i listen to some music that have these sounds specially from marimba and i really enjoy them, and this video just made me want to maybe learn more and even playing it !!! nice video :)

[@5argetech56]

This person is a prodigy doing what he loves, you can see it, feel it. ❤❤💖❤😊

[@ThePianoforever]

Not really a prodigy, but I do love music.

[@davidcmatt]

Thank you for making this video. I was “today” years old when I finally learned the differences.

[@57629589]

Not a musician but i really enjoyed this. I learned a lot, thanks.

[@MrInterestingthings]

I love this channel . I'm currently writing some preludes for solo violin . Now i want to write abook for vibraphone and violin . You hear vibes in a lotta jazz now it's time for me to do ssomething in serious contemporay "classical " music . Thanks so very much for this introduction . The range and variety of mallets on some of these instruments is staggering !

[@HaliPuppeh]

Thank you for this demo. I can't say I blame you for loving the sound of that marimba. Those bass notes are silken and sexy. One of the most gorgeous tone colors.

[@fortheloveofnoise]

The video I did not know I needed, but needed.

[@mawalls2001]

Thanks so much for making this comparison! I'd always confused the terms. Now I can properly identify them.

[@josephpurdue7583]

Wow that marimba truly sounds amazing.

[@DanielinLaTuna]

Very interesting. Vibraphone sounds like 1960's Twilight Zone, or some StarTrek episodes. Sci-fi sound.

[@megelizabeth9492]

Reminds me a bit of a hammond Organ actually.

[@Xanderall]

Such a wonderful energy from this guy! And so talented and knowledgeable! Just a little note: The name of the last instrument is MAH REEM BAH, not a MAH ROOMBA! Have a great musical journey!

[@Kaoson73]

You are doing the same mistake that Leo fender did. Well not exactly the same because he called a vibrato mechanism a tremolo and you are calling a tremolo mechanism (On the vibraphone) a vibrato. A vibrato is a change in pitch. A tremolo is a change in volume.

[@lawabidingcitizen5153]

I was about to point that out too, it's a very common mistake

[@jussikuusela7345]

The vibraphone was named that without thinking and the name stuck, I imagine. Tremophone would be closer to truth. The disks adjust volume but also cutoff frequency and possibly resonance. Often Hammond and some other electric organs, less often guitar, even vocals or choir sounds, are played through the Leslie or similar rotating speaker, and this tends to cause a tremolo effect, but especially in a large room this also imparts a vibrato effect because it constantly alters the signal path length between the speaker and the listener/microphone.

[@neiliusflavius]

It really should have been called a tremolophone. Although, I think the rotating disks may give a slight pitch bend - I can't really hear it but @wintergartan did a video about it recently.

[@tomleahy5383]

Didn't some amps have a tremolo function? Too long ago to remember.

[@HBSuccess]

He’s not making a “mistake” a Vibraphone is not modulating volume and it IS modulating pitch. It’s true vibrato, and it does it via the Doppler effect. It is exactly the same thing as a Leslie rotating speaker connected to a tone wheel organ. Each of the spinning disks is like a mini-Leslie, and the change you hear IS in pitch as the wave moves closer and farther from your ear- only a few cents difference , but pitch nonetheless NOT volume. Next time do some homework before making a public fool of yourself.

[@marcelofunicelli3471]

one of the greatest music videos i've ever enjoyed on this whole site, no kidding. very passionate and informative.

[@yourjawness]

This is so interesting! I've always wondered the difference between these beautiful instruments. I know very little about music from the point of view of a musician and this video was perfect. I learned much more than I anticipated but was not left confused by too much technical jargon. Thank you for learning me up!

[@ThePianoforever]

Thank you so very much!

[@johntaliaferrothompson6052]

Hey James could you introduce the Chimes(Tubular Bells) & Timpani these 2 tuned percussion instruments?

[@stevewright4576]

What an awesome nerd you are, I watched the entire video and I have no idea interest in this thing but you nare so enthusiastic about this instrument.....

[@meadowlarkgreen]

I've heard these instruments so many times throughout my life, but never knew what they were. I feel like my third eye just opened

[@Evangelionism]

When he played that marimba bass, my heart rate started oddly increasing.

[@ThePianoforever]

It happens to me everytime I play the Musser M500. It's the greatest Marimba ever made for sure.

[@happymembranophone]

Good to see a video explaining the differences. I always found articulating the difference between a xylophone and marimba hard when talking to young students or non musos but the biggest difference to me is that the marimba is tuned to even order harmonics while xylos are tuned to odd order harmonics giving them the brighter tone.

[@maisey2363]

I love your vocabulary on describing the various sounds 👍🏼

[@valcat8249]

Definitely not me watching this video at 4am the day of my musical instruments exam xd

[@MichaelFenley]

Very helpful, informative, and interesting channel you have here. Thank you.

[@saladstrongsoprano9625]

I played Lira in a drum band for a few years. You hold it facing the metal bars, "White keys" on the right, lower keys low, higher keys high. My mallets were wooden, and to practice I would cover them with handkechiefs, as to avoid difficulty with the neighbours. ;-)

[@suegiesige8320]

Your smile at 18:51 will inspire my grandsons! Thanks for the great information.

[@bscross32]

The marimba produces this... like shockwave of bass that swells after the note, that is so cool.

[@eewag1]

You changed my life. I thought I owned a xylophone but I just found out it’s a glockenspiel.

[@amritabanerji6506]

Thank you! Very well presented! I found your video after doing a google search on marimba and vibraphones - as i really enjoyed listening to Bobby Hutcherson play these in Jazz. Now i understand! 👍🏼🙏🏻

[@gedionsamuel2256]

The sound of a vintage Jenco Xylophone is amazing

[@victornunez6354]

I love the Marimba sound...You should play a real Marimba from Guatemala...you will fall in love with it. Don't take wrong, you made nice and interesting videos.

[@LongshotRecordsTV]

Great video, I always used to wonder about the differences between this family of instruments. I played the glockenspiel in middle school.

[@jimanianortonified7015]

I used to tune church organs and some of the deep bass pipes were curved over twice to fit the chamber. St. Pat's cathedral set its longest pipes horizontal in the triforium.

[@davidkellymitchell4747]

For many years the hits that were recorded in Nashville had a slow rotating vibraphone. It wasn't featured but just hid down in the rhythm track to really fill up the track. Average listeners were not aware of it but if you removed it they would say "What the heck happened to the music?"

[@McSynth]

You are a truly stunning talent. Thank you for the vids.

[@Wolfe911]

In elementary school we had music class where everyone played a "xylophone." Well looks like we were mislead as they were glockenspiels.

[@316Minecraft]

I just wanted him to break into the Wintergatan Marble Machine song!

[@FishSnackems]

I did too!

[@HungryGuyStories]

Yeah! That would be awesome!!!

[@tgchism]

Thanks so much for sharing these instruments! Your passion for your music is very apparent!

[@jeremytrees7266]

8:20 why does a smile just appear on my face?

[@keyshialee1585]

Dang I forgot how good the M500 sounds. Lovely tone! The vibraphone is pretty sweet too, the resonator discs really add a lot to the sound. Love these instruments.

[@aaronedvalson104]

I learned so much. The only thing that would make this better is if he was playing the background track to his own lecture.

[@WalterMangandid]

Thank you for your explanation. Very interesting. I'm from Guatemala and the Marimba is our national instrument. Our most famous song is called "Luna de Xelajú" (Xelaju's Moon). It is a vals. Cheers!

[@frankpeck1448]

After all these years, I believed that the keys on a Xylophone were metal, while the Marimba had wooden keys. I'm a hobby keyboard player...thank you, for clarifying this ancient (!) mystery! Great, informative video. 🎶🎹

[@FlockofAngels]

That is fascinating, these instruments have synth counterparts but one does not get the tactile feel and look of the real instrument from a synth so this is very helpful! 😉

[@michaelarthur6271]

Great video. I played a glockenspiel in an LOL band in early 70's. Held upright, metal post , lyre type frame with belt cup support for marching... striker hard plastic. Lots of fun and distictive sound with drums and bugles in full march. Now playing trombone..... its a blast. Thank you

[@xirknight]

Have no idea how I got here but I found this very interesting! Thank You.

[@margaretjaeger2064]

Wonderful...long ago...not so far away...a Sr. Girl in my high school was an expert...to us..in playing the marimba and xylophone...At every assembly,, any time left over provoked the audience to shout...Kate,Kate, Kate,....Miss Kate Newport ...would have help rolling one of these instruments onto center stage to play up any time left. Howbeit,,if the bell rang before the musical piece was done...No One Moved...until it was finished..! There was Never a sound while Kate was Playing...and...Never a complaint from Any teacher, pricipal nor student either. Sometimes complete silence when it was time to move the student body out of the auditorium. It seems we waited until we got outside in the hall to...Cheer and applaud loudly. She somehow made the auditorium sacred. Thanks for the memory of these mesmerizing instruments.

[@kawada1]

Awesome video explaining these beautiful sounding instruments. All similar but yet very different.

[@TempoDrift1480]

I really wish I'd a played with these in school. Never knew how cool they are.

[@tallakbertin]

Glockenspiel can be used with brass mallets

[@mal2ksc]

Yes, because the mallets dent instead of the bars (mostly, the bars still deform over time).

[@davidrenz1534]

And with glass. One time I shattered my mallet while playing and glass shards flew across the room.

[@Coastal_Cruzer]

Imagine replacing the sticks with handguns. Now THATS a GLOCKenspiel

[@kylereifeldelvillar9734]

In the Philippines, we call those glockenspiels as lyres, and I've been playing that in a marching band for years before I found out what it was actually called. Also, we called those mallets "beaters". Hahahahaha

[@Littleton3513]

We had one Glockenspiel in elementary school. No one wanted to play it because you needed to be more accurate for the songs we played. So I played it and loved it.

[@loshomusic]

Thank you for that demonstration. It was the first time in my life that I understood the difference between those instruments :)

[@Wyldfyre.84]

My very curious 7-year-old son and I enjoyed this video and learning about the different instruments. Thank you!

[@ThePianoforever]

Thank you both for the visit.

[@brianmi40]

Wonder if some artists have rigged the pulsator speed control to a pedal on a Vibraphone so that they can vary the speed by foot control?

[@ThePianoforever]

Interesting idea.

[@brookstarkington]

Yes. Malletech vibraphones can do that.

[@ArcticKoopa]

It's great to see someone informing everyone that a marimba, in fact, is NOT a xylophone.

[@bladestormX]

Find yourself someone who looks at you the way this guy looks at a marimba.

[@BarryH54]

Thank you for this video. I enjoyed your knowledge, skill and enthusiasm.

[@AriKona]

Great presentation and explanation of the similarities/differences between these instruments! They have such a broad spectrum of use in a variety of genres. Love their sound when played in tiki lounge music and jazz. If you haven't already heard him, check out Mike Mainieri's album "Wanderlust" and particularly the song "Crossed Wires". A blend of vibraphone and marimba with complex chord structures. Again, thanks for another wonderful and edifying video.

[@bradleydoyle6752]

Zappa got me into marimba/percussion (as well as orchestral music). Inca Roads and St Alphonsos Pancake Breakfast had some cool marimba/xylophone parts