Q&A for How to Play a Glockenspiel

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How do I stop hitting the plastic bits?

Community Answer

Memorize and get extremely comfortable with the piece you're playing. That way, you'll be able to look down at your hands when you're playing and not rely on your sheet music. By looking at your hands, you can see where you're playing, and avoid the plastic bits.

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Question

How can play without looking down?

Community Answer

It takes practice. If you keep your mallets positioned right over the keys at all times, striking the keys with a very controlled motion, you'll have a feel for where your hands are positioned. You could try placing a piece of cardboard in front of your hands so you are forced to look up at the musical notation instead of your hands.

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Question

Why does my glock have different keys from your diagrams?

Community Answer

Note ranges vary between different models. Some glockenspiel sets start with a low F, others with G, A, or C (above). Most purchase descriptions say how many octaves of range it has (the number of keys on the instrument) and a picture can tell you the lowest and highest notes.

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Question

It is hard to read music and play at the same time. How can I play without looking down?

Community Answer

Memorise the piece! I have the same problem but I think the best solution is to memorise the tune.

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Question

Why do the top row of keys have a # sign?

Community Answer

They're accidentals, similar to black keys on the piano. That is a sharp sign, which indicates that the note is a half-step higher than the key to its left.

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Question

I am a first timer, how do I read the notes?

Aphem101

Community Answer

If you are in treble cleft (the one that doesn't look like a C) then the line note will be E,G,B,D,F (from bottom to top) and the space notes would be F,A,C,E(from bottom to top).

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Question

Where is the line for a glockenspiel in an orchestral score?

Community Answer

It'll be among the pitched percussion section. Scores usually start with the woodwinds and brass instruments. The percussion section comes next. Keep in mind though that there's no definitive rules for scoring, and scores will vary depending on what instruments are in the orchestra. Some instruments will even have multiple lines.

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Question

I play but I don't develop. How do I develop?

Community Answer

Keep practicing. Focus on your weak areas. First, memorize the keys. Do you play slowly? Try playing scales to get into the rhythm of alternating hands. Master basic techniques and songs and move up to more complicated things. As you get better, you can try using chords in the songs you've learned.

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Question

How do I play the key of F on the glockenspiel?

Aphem101

Community Answer

The F would be the bottom key after the top key that only has one row.

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Question

When I strike the glockenspiel, it doesn't always produce a crystal-clear sound. What can I do?

Kim G

Top Answerer

The quality of the tone depends largely how you strike the bar. Try to hit in in the center.

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Question

What kind of music do I need to read to learn glockenspiel? Piano seems most apt, but I have fewer mallets than fingers.

Community Answer

It uses the same notes as piano and percussion octaves are the same.

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Question

How do I become more comfortable using my left hand to play, and what do I do if I find that way of holding the mallets uncomfortable?

Montie Mann

Community Answer

Hold the mallet in your hand almost like a pencil -- you should have about 1-2 inches of space from your pinky to the butt of the mallet. Just look up a video oh how to hold a mallet -- you may just be holding it wrong, which would explain your discomfort.

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Question

How early should I start crossing hands?

Ruby

Top Answerer

Once you are completely confident with playing with one hand and can play well with two hands not crossing over, then you can start crossing hands.

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Question

My mallets are bent, how do I fix them?

Community Answer

If you have plastic mallets you can just bend them the other way. If they are wood, you probably have to replace them.

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