I'm finally trying to learn to bend notes on the vibraphone. I'm using some old rubber mallets to do the bending technique, but I wonder if anyone has recommendations for specific rubber mallets to use for this technique. Any clues?
YES use mallets for glockenspiel, then it will work easily!!!!! super hard mallets.
i wouldn't think rubber can work but maybe I'm wrong. when i did it, i used the glock mallets and it bent the notes.
for me it was a drag to have a mallet in my hand that was only good for a specific thing, know what i mean? i could use it in a chord with the other mallets.
Some of the settings in which I play make it very useful to have a hard mallet (or sometimes two) just to provide the option of having different timbres in a line without having to switch up what I'm holding. It works well if you can get used to playing lines primarily with two of your four mallets (either the inside or, as Gary Burton often did, inside left and outside right). If you are already doing that, then bending becomes a viable option.
The real issue for me is that I find there are precious few settings where bending makes musical sense. Most settings where it does, it would make far more sense for the note to bend up (as guitarists frequently do) than to bend down. While bending up is an option on vibes, it is really difficult technically and often results in a dead stroke clunk sound if you don't get it just right... in a space where one was hoping for a nuanced pitch inflection. NOT pretty. :)
A Malletech Becker 9834 mallet works well--except the first one I used, the rattan shaft broke under the pressure. The other part of the pair works well so maybe it was just a flawed rattan handle--it did leave me a bit disappointed with Malletech, I must say! The head is perfect for bending.
Comments
YES use mallets for…
tonymiceli Sun, 05/12/2024 - 17:29
YES use mallets for glockenspiel, then it will work easily!!!!! super hard mallets.
i wouldn't think rubber can work but maybe I'm wrong. when i did it, i used the glock mallets and it bent the notes.
for me it was a drag to have a mallet in my hand that was only good for a specific thing, know what i mean? i could use it in a chord with the other mallets.
useful in some very limited settings for me...
Randy_Sutin Tue, 09/03/2024 - 15:58
In reply to YES use mallets for… by tonymiceli
Some of the settings in which I play make it very useful to have a hard mallet (or sometimes two) just to provide the option of having different timbres in a line without having to switch up what I'm holding. It works well if you can get used to playing lines primarily with two of your four mallets (either the inside or, as Gary Burton often did, inside left and outside right). If you are already doing that, then bending becomes a viable option.
The real issue for me is that I find there are precious few settings where bending makes musical sense. Most settings where it does, it would make far more sense for the note to bend up (as guitarists frequently do) than to bend down. While bending up is an option on vibes, it is really difficult technically and often results in a dead stroke clunk sound if you don't get it just right... in a space where one was hoping for a nuanced pitch inflection. NOT pretty. :)
ps my x was a…
tonymiceli Sun, 05/12/2024 - 17:30
ps my x was a chernikoff from vineland new jersey. not a very common name I think.
Your ex
Larry Chernicoff Fri, 08/30/2024 - 21:13
Small world. Thanks for the tip Tony.
Mallet for bending
Vince H Tue, 09/03/2024 - 13:39
A Malletech Becker 9834 mallet works well--except the first one I used, the rattan shaft broke under the pressure. The other part of the pair works well so maybe it was just a flawed rattan handle--it did leave me a bit disappointed with Malletech, I must say! The head is perfect for bending.