Virtual Marimba Choir
Performance Notes
Here are Joby’s tips on how to perform Eric Whitacre’s ‘Sleep’ as part of the Virtual Marimba Choir.
General
Roll all notes.
Slow roll speed is preferable, keep it even for a round and warm sound.
Legato phrases, follow the phrase marks and connect notes together.
Ensemble
Watch my conducting carefully, there is much rubato.
Listen to the demo track and learn how your part fits into the ensemble.
Look out - there are several significant pauses.
The Final Two Bars
The final two bars are repeated 3 times. ‘Marimba 1’ rolls all 6 bars.
If you are playing ‘Marimba 2, 3 or 4’ play only 5 bars, leave the last bar silent.
Hold your final position until I relax, don’t break the spell.
Mallets
Mallets should be soft or medium yarn mallets.
Balter Mallets Model 84 (Marimba 1-3) and Model 86 (Marimba 4) work well.
Alternative Instruments
Vibraphone, perform without pedal or motor. Use soft or medium mallets.
Xylophone, use soft or medium, yarn or rubber mallets
Glockenspiel, use soft or medium rubber mallets. Perhaps try chopsticks!
Electronic Mallet Controller (i.e. Xylosynth), find a sound to complement the marimbas. A short plucked or struck sound which you can roll will work. DO NOT add reverb or echo, we will do this in the final mix.
Steel Pan, use soft mallets or fingers. In part 1, there is a single low Bb. Please play bar 4, beat 4 ‘C, Bb, C’ up one octave, then play ‘loco’ (as written) from bar 5, beat 3 ‘the Eb’ onwards.
None of the above. Try making a Bottlephone using glass bottles filled with water, play with chopsticks!