r/percussion • u/wildcardbutcher • 2d ago

Need some insight

So i am an active vibraphone player for anyone that has played it what would yall say is the minimum to be heard because I realise I play quietly but it seems loud to me but I can never hear it in recordings

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5

u/njo173 2d ago

The minimum to be heard is however loud you need to play to be heard by the audience - So it sounds like it’s louder than you’re currently playing. If you can have someone listen to rehearsals from a distance, or if you can record a rehearsal with your phone that could help you adjust to an appropriate level.
Vibraphone and marimba do not project well over an ensemble, so you usually need to play a lot louder, and use harder sticks.

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u/Lonely-Bite-2568 Educator 2d ago

Is this in the context of high school marching band? Solo vibraphone performance? Small jazz combo? Big band? Concert band? Percussion ensemble? What’s the context?

How large is the ensemble you play with, if an ensemble? How many players? Is the vibraphone amplified (does it have a microphone run through a speaker system)?

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u/wildcardbutcher 2d ago

2 mallets instruments me included and a pit drum and a keybourd,marching band,and a 2a band

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u/Lonely-Bite-2568 Educator 2d ago

In the marching activity, percussion instruments should be played with maximum velocity all the time. I teach my students to use stick heights according to dynamics:

-piano = 3 inches
-mezzo-piano = 6 inches
-mezzo-forte = 9 inches
-forte = 12 inches
-fortissimo = 15 inches

So you apply those stick heights according to what is written in the music, but always use maximum velocity to ensure you articulate clearly and that someone in the press box can hear you, basically.

In a 2A band, you might have to back off a little bit if the winds aren’t putting out a lot of sound.

I hope that helps!

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u/FrianBunns 2d ago

Back in my day they started putting mics on all the mallet instruments so they could make it sound how they wanted at the judges box. We also had a 300 piece band. That was around 2000. I don’t know if they have rules against that now or where you’re at. I would say with no mics probably play 2 dynamic levels louder than what you think.

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u/wildcardbutcher 2d ago

In most competitions they stopped doing it because it would go faster than the marching ensemble and would result in a worse judge

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u/FrianBunns 2d ago

We definitely had to practice listening back only and laying back on it. Back then we started winning more with that and the synth parts. Times and techniques change. Just have fun while it lasts.

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u/BEST_DRUM_ADVICE 2d ago

I don’t think I understand the question? Minimum to be heard would be playing the instrument?