Music Ensembles Welcome a New Sound!

by mingler | Sep 20, 2021 | High School, Middle School

by Rich Armstrong | MS & HS Music Faculty

It’s been a long-standing dream to find a vibraphone and find a way to challenge the students to play this instrument.

Ever since I saw Stefon Harris play at the SF Jazz Center, I’ve been amazed by the vibraphone – a member of the mallet family that has been adopted fully into the jazz idiom. He composed cutting edge new music on his vibraphone for him and his band and it was life changing to see his expertise and virtuosity on an instrument I knew nothing about and have rarely ever heard.

Our new vibraphone is completely acoustic, but you’ll notice a plug connected to it… what’s that for?

Well, there are two motors that spin metal rods with little dampeners in the sound tubes, creating a variable vibrato. There’s a control box that can spin them faster and more slowly, depending on how much vibrato you want. And similarly to a piano, there’s a mechanical sustain pedal, making it more of a chordal instrument. Yes, chords can be played utilizing three to six mallets.

The vibraphone has a mighty acoustic tone that can be either a solo instrument in front of the band or an accompanying one, playing chords with the rhythm section.

Some famous players of the vibraphone are the aforementioned Stefon Harris, and the greats Lionel Hampton and Milt Jackson. Gary Burton is another famous vibraphonist.

My hope is you’ll get to hear this amazing instrument featured prominently in the next WSP concert. Many thanks to our Grandparent donor who made it happen for us with a donation directed towards the purchase of the instrument.

The WSP music department welcomes instrumental donations to help foster our winds and strings programs. If you have an instrument lying around unused, please consider contacting one of us music teachers to see if it can be used in the program.