Notes On A Keyboard Instrument
Holding Single Mallets
Step 1:Fulcrum
Step 1:Fulcrum
Step 1:Fulcrum
The fulcrum is the first curve of your index finger. Your mallet should rest on the fulcrum and the middle of the thumb should rest directly above that area
Step 2:Grip
Step 1:Fulcrum
Step 1:Fulcrum
Now that we have the fulcrum established, wrap your other three fingers around the mallet
Step 3:Tic Tac
Step 1:Fulcrum
Step 3:Tic Tac
To offer more stability and control, we want to make sure that we have a tic tac's amount of the mallet stick out, past the hand
Step 4:Repeat
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Step 3:Tic Tac
Repeat with other hand and then turn hands over. Your thumbs should be facing inwards, towards one another
Step 5: 90 degrees
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Online Lessons Available
Align your mallets so that they form a right angle
Online Lessons Available
Online Lessons Available
Online Lessons Available
Good job, you just learned how to hold your mallets!
Single Mallet Playing Technique
- DO NOT use your arm DO use your wrist
- Make sure that our fulcrum is intact and that the index finger and thumb are directly opposite of one another on the fulcrum
- Make sure that our middle, ring, and pinkie finger are always wrapped around our mallet, it is easy to let go of them
- When striking the keys with a mallet, you'll notice a natural rebound. Try it yourself by playing a note with only gravity helping the mallet fall. You'll see it bounce upward after striking the note. Adding more energy to the strike amplifies this rebound, causing the mallet to return to its starting height. This bounce-back should happen effortlessly, as we're not using extra energy to lift the mallet. Leveraging this natural rebound reduces the energy needed to play
- Make sure that when we before we play a note, our mallets never lower than a 3-inch starting height and typically max out at a 12-inch starting height. After each note, our mallet should naturally rebound to that starting height
