Xylophone for a long time was used exclusively in folk music, but after external transformations the boundaries of its application expanded significantly. Today, the sound of this musical instrument adorns the works and repertoire of symphony, wind, pop orchestras and big bands. The unusual self-contained sound allows you to feel the beauty, understand what a xylophone is, and appreciate the instrument.
The history and origin of the instrument
Instruments of the simplest form, like a xylophone, have ancient roots. The exact origin is unknown, but they were found among African, Latin American peoples, residents of Asia. The first mention of xylophone in European countries dates back to the 16th century. Arnolt Schlick talks about what a xylophone is, describing a similar musical instrument hueltze glechter. The instrument itself remained primitive until the 19th century and was popular among strolling European artists.
The instrument underwent its first changes only in 1830, when a musician of Belarusian origin M. Guzikov amended its appearance and design. He arranged the wooden plates in 4 rows. Such a model will exist in the coming century. Previously, a xylophone was used for the musical development of children. The history and description of toys of this kind is found in literary sources.
The concept and meaning of the word
The meaning of the word "xylophone" comes from the Greek xylon - "wood, wood", and phone - "sound". It is constructed of a number of different-sized wooden plates attached to a stand in 2 or 4 rows. The plates are tuned to a specific sound and notes. To extract sound, it is necessary to hit the plates with wooden sticks and hammers of a spherical shape, which are popularly called "goat legs". A wooden instrument for musical creativity, self-sounding, from a shock group - that's what a xylophone is.
Description of the design of a modern tool
The tool should be made only of high quality wood. That is why the cost of the tool is usually quite high. Xylophone has a fairly simple design. It consists of a support frame and two rows of plates (bars) fixed on it, which are laid on special soft foam lining like piano keys.
They are tuned to a specific pitch, which depends on the length of the plate. The longer, the lower, the shorter, the higher the sound. The xylophone range is from 1st to 4th octave. A modern instrument for professional performance is located on a special movable stand and looks like a movable table. Musicians usually play while sitting or standing, so the stand is adjustable in height.
Xylophone keys are made of the following types of wood:
- alder;
- rosewood;
- maple;
- nut;
- pink tree.
The wood is aged for at least two years and then processed. The keys are cut out in standard size:
- width - 3.8 cm;
- thickness - 2.5 cm;
- length is selected from the required pitch.
Then they are laid out in a certain order at a distance from each other, fastened with a cord between each other, mounted on a frame. Below the keys are placed special resonators - metal tubes to increase the volume, add volume, color, and richness to the sound. Resonators are processed, tuned to the tone of the wooden plate.
Xylophone requires periodic adjustment, as wood is prone to aging and reacts to humidity.
For the game, the artist uses two thin sticks of wood, similar to small mallets or spoons with rubber, wooden or plastic tips. Depending on the professionalism of the xylophone player, there may be 3, 4 sticks. The sticks and tips are selected in accordance with the nature of the music for the intended sound mood.
Sound
The number of keys affects the volume of the instrument. The standard range is from the small octave from the note “fa” to the 4th octave of the note “to”. The main principle is the game with both hands and the exact alternation of strokes.
The notes for the xylophone part are written in the treble clef below the actual sound per octave. The arrangement in the score is usually under a batch of musical bells. It perfectly reproduces double notes, arpeggios, wide jumps in intervals, gamma-like passages.
A simple instrument has a distinctive sound. The tone may be spasmodic or soft. The jerky, quickly fading sounds are prolonged with the help of special musical tricks.
Many musicians form ensembles that consist only of a drum group, including a xylophone. Interesting facts and various stories tell about the uniqueness and originality of the instrument, which is present both in classical music and in Latin America, ragtime, jazz, musicals, even rock. A tool similar in type and design to a metallophone has long been used for creative development. They teach children the basics of musical literacy, explain what a xylophone is, and teach them the features of the game.