While anyone can pick up a mallet and start hitting a xylophone, it takes practice and muscle memory to actually play a xylophone correctly and with good technique. To strike a keyboard properly, start with the mallet up above the keys (the height varies according to dynamics and directions) and bring it down to strike the keyboard. Obvious you might say, but a major part of this stroke (the piston stroke) is to bring the mallet back up to its original height with twice the speed. This allows for a fluid and connected style which enables mallet players to quickly shift between different notes. This, along with the default right-left-right-left sticking (starting with your right hand you proceed to play each note with alternating hands-unless otherwise directed), is especially important at higher speeds and allows for excellence. Another major part of playing a keyboard instrument is chop building. Starting slower and working up to greater speeds builds wrist muscles. At a certain point, muscle memory will take over and an experienced mallet player can easily recall and play past exercises. This is one of the most efficient methods to memorizing music.
Everything from stance to technique can determine a good musician. Typically, a mallet player stands feet shoulder-width apart and stands in the middle of where they are going to be playing to allow for fluid movement and accessibility. A mallet player also uses good piston stroke and only their wrists. An immature mallet player is one who attempts to use their elbow or arm to play (which impedes accuracy and speed) or someone who neglects proper technique. All of these factors are necessary and important for any mallet player to be successful.
While anyone can pick up a mallet and start hitting a xylophone, it takes practice and muscle memory to actually play a xylophone correctly and with good technique. To strike a keyboard properly, start with the mallet up above the keys (the height varies according to dynamics and directions) and bring it down to strike the keyboard. Obvious you might say, but a major part of this stroke (the piston stroke) is to bring the mallet back up to its original height with twice the speed. This allows for a fluid and connected style which enables mallet players to quickly shift between different notes. This, along with the default right-left-right-left sticking (starting with your right hand you proceed to play each note with alternating hands-unless otherwise directed), is especially important at higher speeds and allows for excellence. Another major part of playing a keyboard instrument is chop building. Starting slower and working up to greater speeds builds wrist muscles. At a certain point, muscle memory will take over and an experienced mallet player can easily recall and play past exercises. This is one of the most efficient methods to memorizing music.
Everything from stance to technique can determine a good musician. Typically, a mallet player stands feet shoulder-width apart and stands in the middle of where they are going to be playing to allow for fluid movement and accessibility. A mallet player also uses good piston stroke and only their wrists. An immature mallet player is one who attempts to use their elbow or arm to play (which impedes accuracy and speed) or someone who neglects proper technique. All of these factors are necessary and important for any mallet player to be successful.