xylophone beginners questions

manuel

Junior Member
Hello everyone!

I hope I can ask some xylophone questions on this forum.
I am a guitar player, I do like to play songs around the campfire. I would like to learn xylophone for the same purpose. When I am looking for an instrument some questions are arising.
There are the wooden alt xylophones like this:
http://www.thomann.de/gb/sonor_axp_11_alt_xylophon_primary.htm
Is it worth buying (I will look for a seconds hands) this?
Are there enough songs for the alt xylophone to play solo?
Is this uberhaupt to play on yourself or in a band? Or will I get bored quickly?
Or would you rather recommend a bigger 2,5 or 3,5 xylophone?
Thanks in advance

Manuel
 
I think you'll be much more satisfied with your guitar around a campfire than a melodic percussion instrument.

First, there is a significant investment in building the skills necessary to effectively play such an instrument.

Second, you can play anything on a melodic percussion instrument that you might play on your guitar. There is no transposition. The only difference is how the notes are produced. I've played lute music on marimba, for example.

Finally, a one-octave instrument such as the one to which you linked is musically unsatisfying. You really need at least 2.5, preferably more than 3 octaves to actually have an instrument worth listening to. When that happens, your happy little portable xylophone becomes something like this:

1107578_33865_large.jpg


Which, while still somewhat portable, isn't as easy as just tossing your guitar case in your car.

I'd love to be able to tell you you're on the right track. Unfortunately, I think you're not going to find what you want.

Cheers,

Bob
 
All right :(
I was suspecting that it would be more complex …
I will reconsider… or I want to make the effort of learning the xylophone…
Thank you for the replies!!!
 
That instrument is meant for a primary school ensemble. As a musician, you will probably want a chromatic instrument, at least 2 octaves, but 3 if you can swing it. I mean, would you be happy playing a guitar that only played in one key with only an octave's worth of notes?

As far as portability, the xylophone is not typically a "throw in the back of the car and take to a campfire" kind of instrument. The closest you could get would be a "pit xylo" which is a smaller, more portable instrument, sometimes with foldable legs, sometimes without resonators, etc...

Or, something like this would actually be your best bet:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B005FPXM0U/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?qid=1409674565&sr=1-2&pi=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70
 
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