Michael Greiner, a neighbor and good friend, asked me to upload several Marimba videos for him (that’s him on the left in the middle row). He currently teaches in the after school music program ‘Smile A While’ at Aveson Charter School aveson.org and constructs musical instruments in classes with students’ participation. Michael Greiner created this set of plastic pipe marimbas. On this clip are three generations of prototypes designed to be low cost for use by childrens’ programming. The middle row were built with the help of the music class (the performers in this video) The top one (bass version) costs around $200 in materials. The mallets are home made using foam flip-flops mounted to paint stirring sticks. The music is a Michael Greiner original titled Caribbean Fantasy. This recording was of a practice during the school year. The performers had about 4 months practice with this piece along with 12 Bar Blues, Ice Cream, a piece played on Wine Glasses and the Ukrainian Carol (Carol of the Bells) played on another created metal instrument. Filmed at Norma Coombs primary school in Altadena CA in 2007. *** Edited to Add **** Wow, it looks like this video’s hit YouTube’s front page. Thank you for all the wonderfully kind and supportive comments!
Tags: Caribbean, Children's, marimba, Orchestra
@oudbrakkenstein especially when brought together by music
@PlayHanghang HAHA! i bet! must be fun! haha
I am going to say they must have had a lot of time on their hands, and i am sure when you did this it attracted the neighbor’s lol.
@Jeepnut78
)))))))
Thank you it has ment a lot to the students to have positive feedback. Responce has been great since YouTube featured us. Quite unexpected, our 15 minutes of fame…
Thanks, Best Bass pipes are cheap Home Depot 4″ drainpipe. The slight corrigation gives it a really nice tone envelope. Best midrange I’ve found is 3″ PVC the heavy stuff not the airated lightweight foamed kind. Check the end for bubbles, makes a big differance.
Thank you, but he’s got to wait a really long time
I’m not going quietly, or soon!
I am still teaching in the afterschool program at Aveson Charter School. The newest thing we are doing is glass harmonica, tuned singing wineglasses. We have 130 glasses in all. Check out my live clip at the Alex theater for an idea of the sort of thing we are playing. Positions of notes are the same as piano on both marimbas and glass harmonicas I build but I add accedentals as we need them starting with F# and bB Thank you all for your comments and support, this has been a fun and wild ride!
Just tubes, PVC pipe, ABS pipe and two types of drainpipe available at Home Depot. Instruments cost next to nothing but the time to build. Mallets are cut from foam floormat squares available from Costco. I use an electric meat carving knife for the job. Hardest is the handles as I make my own multi layer 1/4 in plywood but you can buy the good stuff and use that. UHMW I think it is called. I tune the pipes with a chopsaw and a stack of electric tuners. Fun. Thanks for asking!
Muuuuito bom!
Great Stuff!!! Go Michael!
love the one in gray on the left he is geting in to it lol.
I am.
=)
It’s quite an experience!
how’d ya like to be that guy’s neighbor…
check our movies plzz
I liked the clapping part where they clapped their paddles together. Gave it some variety and made me smile.
Wow this is very funny lol i like it :p
From the description on the top left corner:
“The mallets are home made using foam flip-flops mounted to paint stirring sticks.”
what the frig!! what r these!! i mean its a good sound, but i play marimba but the sticks are creeping me out!! what kindaof marimba r these!!
did good realy good !
so cool keep it up guys
You guys make a good team to play marimbas your Awesome!
Greiner, when you die, God is REALLY going to enjoy you!!
nice
is it just down pipe? if it is it just like the blue man group, still good job