WHERE TECHNOLOGY AND SPIRIT MEET
Portland, Oregon
(503) 233-4372 marimba@teleport.com
Eventually I realized that the marimba frame itself could serve
as the rack. The Type 4 design allows you to stack an entire set
of marimbas for storage and transportation. The bird's eye maple
endpieces protect the keys -- no weight is placed on the suspension
cord, and nothing touches the key surfaces. No need for cases or
racks. And the slotted profile allows easy mallet access to the
key's sweet spot.
Sopranos and tenors.
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The Type 4 marimba design evolved from years of marimba ensemble playing. I wanted a way to get the marimbas to the performance and back without damaging the surfaces of the keys and the frames. Over the years, we took different approaches to this problem- stacking the instruments in a big pile in a van (we told ourselves that the wear and tear would add to the rustic authenticity of our sound). We tried using racks built into the band van. This worked until the racks collapsed under the heavy use. We saw some bands that used padded cases, custom made for each instrument. We tried this for a while, but it's tough with tenors and baritones.
Options include adjustable legs. Change from sitting to standing playing position in seconds. Great for players who use wheelchairs