Jesse Monkman - “Parody” for Solo Marimba

Notes from Matthew Cook, Los Angeles Percussion Quartet

Mallet Recommendation

This etude is mostly about groves, quick shaping, and having fun. There aren’t really any lyrical or subtle moments. Because of this, you can use a harder mallet with quick attack for clarity throughout the piece. The exact mallet choice is dependent on the marimba you’re playing on. I was able to use my Yamaha YM5100 Rosewood Marimba. An instrument like this is easy to produce a warm sound regardless with any of the choices I listed below. If you’re playing on an Acoustalon or synthetic instrument like in many marching ensembles, I’d lean toward using the NJZ6 because they have the weight you need to produce a good sound your instrument without sounding harsh.

IP504 – William Moersch Series - Hard Marimba Mallets – Charcol Yarn - Birch

NJZ6 – Nebojsa Zivkovic Series - Hard Marimba / Silver Sharp – Rattan

IP300 –Medium Hard Marimba Teal Yarn – Birch

Feel

This piece is fast with many quick little ideas thrown in. Experiment feeling most of this piece in half time.

• Even though the tempo is fast, this shouldn’t sound frantic. • Try to keep it light and show personality during performance. • Practice along with the click track I created to ensure that your timing is accurate.

o You can load the track in to free computer programs like “Audacity” that will slow it down to whatever tempo you are practicing.

o Each file has two bars of “count in” before you start. o You technically can also use this click track to make your recording (though not

allowed in live auditions). Recording with the click track will not necessarily lead to a better result, but it is certainly a powerful practice tool. It is a good idea to record yourself playing to the click track to listen back to your tendencies with timing.

o Be able to play it to the click track, then make artistic choice to push or pull different moments to make your performance unique.

Rolls

The rolls in this piece all contain the marking “sfp”. During a “sfp”, like Measure 26 and 32, consider attacking the note as a loud blocked chord without a roll. (Remember this is just an artistic choice I made in Part A. You can feel free to interpret differently. I showed you the other option in Part B.)

• Start rolling softly on the next 8th note (which is beat 1 of the next measure in both of these cases). This will ensure you can jump down for an extreme dynamic contrast.

• It is also a good idea to end the roll on Beat 3 to get ready for the next phrase because the tempo is so fast.

• End the roll with your Right Hand to prepare to move with your left.

Groove Sections

The “groove” sections are difficult and a lot of fun. Remember to try to lock in to a tempo and keep it from feeling frantic.

• Start by practicing the shift up from mallet 1. Then add the other notes. The hardest part is aligning that first note in mallet 1 while keeping the proper interval spacing in the right hand.

• Go slowly. • Repeat each cell at least 4x. • Build the same exercise with Measures 37 - 38, Measures 170 - 171 and Measures 172-

174. As soon as you are comfortable with each of the “grooves” individually, make an exercise that alternates between them.

• Do 8 times per chord • Do 4 times per chord • Do 2 times per chord (as written)

Here is an example from Measure 170 – 174:

Then, make an exercise to practice all difficult transitions. It doesn’t even have to be in the same time signature. The purpose is to practice these quick movements and to connect ideas through isolated practice.

Measures 169-171 in a Transition Exercise (Do each cell several times):