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vibraphone
Sign in to saveAlso known as vibraharp, vibes, Vibes, the Vibes, V-phone
The vibraphone (also called the vibraharp) is a percussion instrument in the metallophone family. It consists of tuned metal bars and is typically played by using mallets to strike the bars. A person who plays the vibraphone is called a vibraphonist, vibraharpist, or vibist.
Key facts
- Instrument.name
- Vibraphone
- Instrument.image
- Vibes joelocke koeln2007.jpg
- Instrument.image_capt
- A Musser vibraphone
- Instrument.background
- percussion
- Instrument.classification
- Keyboard percussion
- Instrument.hornbostel_sachs
- 111.222
- Instrument.hornbostel_sachs_desc
- Sets of percussion plaques
- Instrument.inventors
- Herman E. Winterhoff
- Instrument.developed
- 1916
- Instrument.range
- 200px|center
- Instrument.musicians
- See list of vibraphonists
via Wikipedia infobox
Wikidata facts
- Image
- Vibraphones.jpg
Show 2 more facts
- Commons category
- Vibraphones
- Hornbostel-Sachs classification
- 111.222
via Wikidata · CC0
~24 min read
Article
28 sectionsContents
- History
- Invention
- Use
- Characteristics
- Range
- Mallets
- Construction
- Bars
- Resonators
- Damper mechanism
- Motor
- Technique
- Two-mallet style
- Four-mallet style
- Damping
- Extended techniques
- Five to six mallets
- Bowing
- Pitch bend
- Repertoire
- Classical
- Concertos
- Solos
- Manufacturers
- References
- Bibliography
- Further reading
- External links
The vibraphone (also called the vibraharp) is a percussion instrument in the metallophone family. It consists of tuned metal bars and is typically played by using mallets to strike the bars. A person who plays the vibraphone is called a vibraphonist, vibraharpist, or vibist.
The vibraphone resembles the steel marimba, which it superseded. One of the main differences between the vibraphone and other keyboard percussion instruments is that each bar suspends over a resonator tube containing a flat metal disc. These discs are attached together by a common axle and spin when the motor is turned on. This causes the instrument to produce its namesake tremolo or vibrato effect. The vibraphone also has a sustain pedal similar to a piano. When the pedal is up, the bars produce a muted sound; when the pedal is down, the bars sustain for several seconds or until again muted with the pedal.