Mallets

[_Wrathchild_]

I need to make a massive mallet purchase sometime in the next few months before I go off to music school in the fall. I will mostly be studying drumset, but I will be playing percussion in the symphonic band as well so I imagine I will need my own mallets. The only problem is, I'm not entirely sure which ones are essential for me to have.

I'm guessing I'll need timpani mallets, brass bell mallets, some sort of hard rubber mallet for xylophone and maybe bells, some sort of yarn mallet for suspended cymbal and maybe vibe/marimba mallets.

Can you use certain mallets for multiple instruments? For example, would you be able to use the same mallets for suspended cymbal as for marimba?
Also, which timpani mallets am I better off getting? I usually see people with cartwheel mallets, but in our school band we use round ones which I've read are supposed to be more versatile or something.

If anyone has any idea of what kind of things I should be looking at buying that would be greatly appreciated. Input from anyone who studies percussion in university would be especially helpful.

[We_Love_Lime]

Malletech mallets are awesome for xylophone/vibe/marimbas.

I wouldn't use the same mallets for suspended cymbal as marimba, I suppose you could.
But when you're buying 30-40 dollar marimba mallets, I wouldn't risk it, that's why.

For Timpani mallets I'd probably start off with Vic Firth T1 Generals, which have the round tipped. I actually use those for cymbal rolls as apposed to my Malletech marimba mallets, which I don't dare using on anything besides marimba. But it's probably good to get your own pair of yarn mallets for cymbal rolls ultimately, but I don't think it should be something of a top priority.

I'd go with Malletech mallets for keyboard stuff, except they are REALLY expensive, but the best, and well worth it.

Something Medium-Medium Hard for Marimba, I like the Burritt signatures, Sammut is good as well.
For xylophone I love these. http://www.mostlymarimba.com/bin/mallet.php?pid=47
With the band for soft playing, and then take them off, and they're loud as hell.

[_Wrathchild_]

Thanks

Do you use the same mallets for marimba and vibes?
I'm such a n00b about this kind of stuff. Our school is crappy and poor so the only keyboard percussion we have are bell kits. I never get to play any cool instruments :(

[billdrum]

Can't go wrong with Balter keyboard mallets. Malletech are a bit high end if you're not going to be a concert marimbist. I personally hate VF timpani mallets, but for your use they should be fine. I'd get 3 sets....General, Staccato, and Ultra-staccato. That'll set you up for most anything. Brass bell mallets are obnoxious. Better would be hard phenolic, which can also be used on xylophone.

I'd recommend NOT using timp mallets for suspended cymbal....the felt wears out faster than yarn does. Get some Zildjian suspended cymbal mallets for that if you don't want to use your marimba mallets.

[We_Love_Lime]

I don't use the same mallets for marimba and vibes.
Actually I don't even play vibes...
But If I did, I'd had different mallets probably.

Oh.
Yeah Bill..
But as you said, Malletech are a bit high end, so I'd rather not use them on something that they're not supposed to be used on, thus the T1 Generals.

[billdrum]

Agreed there. Zildjian sys cym mallets FTW.

[Undisco Kidd]

brass mallets are only good on bells when you're playing very powerful notes. anything past medium quarter notes sounds gross with brass. Vic Firth M141 and M142 are both great for bells and xylo.

for vibes, I use Promark Joe Lockes as my soft mallets, and some old pro marks for everything else.

[Charlie Daniels]

Er, there's no problem using marimba mallets on cymbals. I mean look at 'cymbal' mallets and then look at 'marimba' mallets and you'll see they are pretty similiar...

It's like a pair of football boots and a piar of soccer boots... they are the same damn boots!

[billdrum]

I think the issue is wear and tear Charlie, not suitability. Lime is saying he doesn't like to use his Malletechs on cymbals because it contributes to faster wear of the yarn.

[We_Love_Lime]

Yeah.
That's exactly what I'm saying.

I wasn't under the impression that I made my argument that hard to comprehend.

[_Wrathchild_]

Thanks guys.

Do you think I'd be able to find any of this stuff in music stores, or would I have to order it online? I live in the middle of nowhere so I'm not going to find it here, but the next time I'm in Winnipeg or Calgary or something I'll check out the mallet selection at some of the bigger stores.

[Surtr]

Yo, I'm in the same boat. I think I'm going to probably order all my Mallet gear online. I don't think any of the music stores I've ever been to really had much for sick proper mallets. I'm going to Uni. either at UPEI (PEI lol) or MUN (NFLD). I'm just waiting on the reply about how my audition went.

As for what mallets you'll need.

-Snare sticks
-4 Yarn Vibes/Marimba Mallets
-A few different kinds of plastic (Hard, soft etc.) for Xylo and Bells
-I'd suggest 2-3 different kinds of Timpani mallets. Go for the series that has Vic Firth Ultra Staccato in 'em..I forget what its called at the moment.

And yeah, I'm sure there's more but I'm extremely lazy at the moment :p But if I feel less lazy in a while I'll come back and post some more stuff.

[We_Love_Lime]

Thanks guys.

Do you think I'd be able to find any of this stuff in music stores, or would I have to order it online? I live in the middle of nowhere so I'm not going to find it here, but the next time I'm in Winnipeg or Calgary or something I'll check out the mallet selection at some of the bigger stores.

Probably online. Is your best bet.

And Surtr brought up a good point.
You want concert snare sticks.
Something like SD Generals, with the big tips.

http://www.vicfirth.com/products/symphonicsignature.html
Quelque choses comme ca.
For concert snare solos, they make all the difference, as apposed to using like your 5As or osomething.

[Senseless Apprentice]

I suggest trying to contact someone that is in charge of the department you are going into (percussion performance, jazz performance?) And ask them if they have a list of required mallets.

When I took lessons from the percussion director before I went to music school, he gave me a printed paper with a list of mallets that are required by he program.

Something like that might be good for you so your not wasting money on stuff you don't need, and getting the stuff you need instead.

Good luck with school!

[We_Love_Lime]

where do you go to school Senseless?

[Senseless Apprentice]

where do you go to school Senseless?

University of Utah. Jazz Performance major. Supposedly it's one of the best jazz programs in the nation...but I don't know about that. I don't have much to compare it to. Meh...as long as I get 5 hours a day to practice drums, I am happy with it. What about you?

[We_Love_Lime]

oh
I'm still a sophmore in high school.

But Just looking at Universities and stuff though.