The Vibraphone and Glockenspiel

Both the vibraphone and glockenspiel are constructed with metal bars, also known as notes or keys. Using metal instead of wood allows the bars to sustain their sound with pleasant ringing tones. They have a bell-like quality that is very beautiful to hear. While the glockenspiel is primarily used in symphony orchestras and marching bands, the vibraphone is widely used in jazz ensembles. Read on to learn more about each of these wonderful musical instruments.

Vibraphone

The vibraphone has become the most versatile of all the mallet percussion instruments. It is used extensively in Jazz and Popular music. Because of its smooth transparent sound it can be blended with any instrument, so it can be used in many different ensembles.

In the past 40 years vibes players have invented new techniques for playing the instrument and have expanded the roles it can have. Playing vibes with 4 mallets, (2 in each hand), has become the standard. Modern vibes players approach their instrument in a contrapuntal way, and can combine melody and harmony together just like a piano or guitar. In an ensemble this means that the vibes can play the lead line, chord textures, or both!

Composers are finding surprising new uses for vibes in their pieces. The instrument is going through a period of real growth as musicians find more and different uses for it.

Jazz has, of course, been the primary home for the vibes, and many virtuoso players have established their reputations in this musical arena. Chronologically, a list of important jazz vibes players would include Lional Hampton, Red Norvo, Milt Jackson, Bobby Hutcherson, Cal Tjader, Gary Burton, and Mike Manieri. There are many lesser known players who have made records and contributed to the development of the vibes. David Friedman, Joe Locke, Dave Samuels, Steve Nelson, and Ed Saindon would all be on this list.

There is a bounty of recorded material out there that features some great vibes playing. Start with some Gary Burton records. He has turned out many stunning CDs of jazz vibes and beyond. A few of my favorites would include:

• "Native Sense", (with Chick Corea)
• "Real Life Hits"
• "Benny Rides Again", (with Eddie Daniels)
• "Duster", which was Gary's first album as a leader. It was recorded in the 1960's and has recently been re-released on compact disk.

Another excellent choice would be recordings with Bobby Hutcherson and Harold Land. This collaboration of vibes and tenor saxophone turned out a number of great records.

In the past 10 - 15 years a number of new players have been emerging in the public eye. Two of my favorites are Joe Locke and Steve Nelson. Both of these fine new vibes players are creating new and unique approaches to playing vibes and marimba. Both have worked as sidemen with other musicians as well as producing great recordings as leaders. Another excellent vibist who is lesser known is Ed Saindon. He has been honing his craft for the past 30 years and is probably one of the most original vibes players ever. You can find video clips of him on YouTube. This site will soon be offering links to purchase recordings of Ed and all the musicians mentioned.

Glockenspiel

The glockenspiel (German, "play of bells", also known as orchestra bells and, in its portable form, bell lira or bell lyre) is a musical instrument in the percussion family. It is similar to the xylophone, in that it has tuned bars laid out in a fashion resembling a piano keyboard. The xylophone's bars are wooden, while the glockenspiel's are metal, thus making it a metallophone.

The glockenspiel, moreover, is much smaller and higher in pitch. When used in a marching or military band, the bars are sometimes mounted in a portable case and held vertically. In orchestral use, the bars are mounted horizontally. A pair of hard mallets is generally used to strike the bars, although if laid out horizontally, a keyboard may be attached to the instrument to allow chords to be more easily played.

The glockenspiel's range is limited to the upper register, and usually covers about two and a half to three octaves. In sheet music, the notes to be played by the glockenspiel are written two octaves lower than they will sound when played. When struck, the bars give a very pure, bell-like sound.

Glockenspiels are still quite popular and appear in almost all genres of music ranging from hip hop to jazz.

One classical piece where such an instrument is used is Mozart's Die Zauberflöte (although the part has most often been played with a celesta in modern times). A modern example of the glockenspiel is Steve Reich's 1974 composition Drumming, in which the glockenspiel becomes a major instrument in the 3rd and 4th movements.

Here is a short video of the Glock playing a charming little version of Greensleeves:

Downloads include great mp3 piano accompaniments!