To Ripple or Flop? Rolling on the Marimba by Mark Ford

This video describes and demonstrates a marimba rolling technique developed by Clair Omar Musser. The roll is often called the Musser, Ripple or Flop roll. All of these names refer to the same technique. From generation to generation, Clair Musser taught this technique to University of Michigan Percussion Professor James (Jim) Salmon in the mid 1930s. Jim Salmon taught it to Harold Jones in the late 1950s and Harold Jones (Percussion Professor at East Carolina University) showed it to me in my undergraduate years. I have taught this technique to my students during my career and now I'm passing it on to you!

[@NaokoTakada]

I love you included the history of it. Thank you, Mark!!!

[@markfordmusic]

Thank you Naoko! We are all connected through our history. We contribute and pass it on as best we can.

[@Dynasty62752]

Thanks for this video, Mark. Your entire series has been a great benefit to our studio, especially during "quarantine times." It's always good to get a history lesson, too! Thanks for sharing.

[@markfordmusic]

Many thanks Chal! This means a lot coming from you! I'm glad that your students have enjoyed the videos.

[@StuartGerber]

Thanks for posting. My teacher, Mike Rosen, showed me this way back when. I don't know when/where he learned it, but I remember he had me use it on a few pieces in lessons. It was great to learn. I play it slightly differently, though: because I play more of a "palms down" musser-style grip the inside mallet hits first and the outside mallet flops. The effect is the same. I also remember MR showing me a variation that he called the "Rosen roll" for single line melody rolling. If you use 3&4 to flop, but add 2, all on the same not, you can create a really nice sound for a melody (it has a bit of a "theme from the Godfather" sound). This is similar to what you show when you add the left hand in your video at 2:20, but with all three mallets on the same note. It gets a little cumbersome (the LH has to be angled up, and 3 does the flopping in this case), esp on the smaller notes, but its a nice sound. Thanks for posting this, I've showed the ripple to students over the years, but haven't seen anything on line about it before.

[@markfordmusic]

Thanks Stuart! You are correct that the Musser "Ripple" roll is not taught often like in the past. I think this may be because percussion teachers thought that the double lateral and ripple roll were the same thing. I hope that this video and players like you can help bring awareness to the ripple roll and its potential for expression on the marimba. All the best!

[@edwardfreytag]

I learned this roll many moons ago exactly the way you are illustrating this. We all called it the "Musser roll" and found it to be so effective when playing lower dynamics and wanting something very legato. I've discovered (like you said) that not many are teaching it any more...I think that should be corrected and this technique should be required training for marimbists. Good stuff, Mark!

[@markfordmusic]

Thanks so much Eddie! Yes, it is easier to teach the double lateral roll than the Musser roll. But really you need both. So I hope this video might inspire students and teachers to experiment with the Musser roll for more expressive options on the marimba.

[@edwardfreytag]

@@markfordmusic Absolutely!

[@JohnSturino]

Really well done! Excellent.

[@markfordmusic]

John Sturino - Many thanks!

[@jjmarigold2120]

Ney Rosauro teaches this with extended cross grip in his Vic Firth series

[@giovanniperin]

Thanks Mark for sharing this valuable contents! Your lessons are really valuable and well explained! Now i have to practice this old (but new to me) technique.

[@markfordmusic]

Thank you Giovanni! I'm glad that this information on the Ripple Roll helped. I find it invaluable in my playing! Best wishes for your music!

[@spencerperilloux9961]

Thank you for such an informative video!

[@markfordmusic]

Thank you Spencer! Thanks for checking it out!

[@jjmarigold2120]

thanks for the true kung fu lineage!

[@t.skitty]

Thank you, this is really helpful and I will be trying this soon!

[@markfordmusic]

Thank you so much! Let me know how this Ripple roll works for you! Good luck!

[@keyrod1000]

Thanks for this !!

[@markfordmusic]

Key Rod - Thanks Rod! I hope you are well!

[@henrywu3736]

Thank you so much for these videos!!! Can you do a video on how to improve sight reading on mallet instrument? I find it especially hard on mallet instrument.

[@markfordmusic]

Thank you Henry! I'll think about a sight reading video. Thanks for the suggestion.

[@mutantbananas1]

So, traditional roll is #1 and musser/ripple roll is best suited for soft, legato, end of phrase playing; so, does the double lateral roll lie in between those two? When is it acceptable to use it?

[@markfordmusic]

Diego, to be honest I rarely use the double lateral roll for chorale playing. I feel that the traditional roll is best to create a constant texture with legato 4-mallet rolling. The double lateral roll is really a rhythm and this takes away from a consistent tone for a chord. Think about a cellist playing a long legato tone. The bow is always on the string moving consistently and steadily. Now consider that bow moving in a rhythm and slightly losing touch with the string. This second example would not have a consistent tone. To me, this is what the double lateral roll does for marimba rolls. For me the traditional roll is better for creating a consistent texture and tone.

[@jsnbloom]

Resolve!!! haha

[@markfordmusic]

Some things just don't..... ;-)