Marimba: Technique Through Music

Mark Ford

Marimba: Technique Through Music is a marimba method book comprised of 16 etudes that are designed to help the intermediate four-mallet marimbist focus on specific stroke techniques. Students have the best chance for building technique and musicality by working on short selections in a variety of different musical styles. This text guides the student through several etudes that focus on different musical applications of one specific technique. Each section of the book begins with a brief introduction to a specific stroke followed by graduated etudes that utilize that stroke. In this manner, the student will become confident with these basic strokes and their application to musical expression. The guidance of an experienced teacher will be invaluable to the student during the study of these etudes.

All of these etudes are original compositions written for this book. The titles come from the names of streets where I have lived during my life. I have composed these etudes to fit on a low-A marimba with only the final etude, Stoneman, requiring a five-octave marimba.

I hope you enjoy Marimba: Technique Through Music!