1. Steven’s Grip
Catherine DeBruyn

2. STEVEN’S GRIP
HOW TO HOLD THE MALLETS

3. How to Hold the Inside Mallet
Take the
mallet head
in your left
hand
Place the
end of the
shaft in your
right palm

4. • Use your middle finger to hold the mallet in
place
• Rest the shaft on the first knuckle of your
index finger
• Lay your thumb flat on the shaft directly
above your knuckle

5. How to Hold the Outside Mallet
• Take the
mallet head
in your left
hand
• Place the
mallet shaft
between
your middle
and ring
fingers
• Wrap your
ring and
pinky fingers
around the
shaft to hold
it in place

6. Repeat steps for left hand

7. STEVEN’S GRIP
HOW TO PLAY A PISTON STROKE

8. • Initiating all
movement
from your
wrist, raise
the mallets
up
UPSTROKE
• Lower the
mallets to
strike the
keys
DOWNSTROKE

9. • After striking, the mallets should come
back to rest position
• Rest position: about 1-2” off the keys

10. STEVEN’S GRIP
HOW TO PLAY A ROTATION STROKE

11. Inside Mallet Rotation Stroke
• Initiating all
movement from
your forearm,
rotate your entire
forearm to raise
the inside mallet
• Clockwise for
right hand
• Counterclockwise
for left hand

12. • Initiating all
movement from
your forearm,
rotate your
entire forearm to
lower the inside
mallet to strike
the keys
• Counterclockwise for right hand
• Clockwise for left hand

13. Outside Mallet Rotation Stroke
• Initiating all
movement from
your forearm,
rotate your entire
forearm to raise
the inside mallet
• Counterclockwise for
right hand
• Clockwise for left hand

14. • Initiating all movement
from your forearm,
rotate your entire
forearm to raise the
inside mallet
• Clockwise for right hand
• Counterclockwise for left
hand

15. • After striking, the mallets should come
back to rest position
• Rest position: about 1-2” off the keys

16. STEVEN’S GRIP
INTERVAL SIZES

17. Larger Intervals
• Straighten out your index finger as if you’re pointing

18. Flat surface between
2nd and 3rd knuckles
should create a straight
line with the back of
your hand
Smaller Intervals
• Bend your index finger and pull it towards your
outside mallet

19. Attribution
• All background images taken by Sarah Yelle and
used with her permission
• Audio File from Free-Loops:
http://free-loops.com/7057-fun-fairmarimba.html
• Audio Picture from Blogspot:
http://ajourneythroughguatemala.blogspot.com/
2010/05/modern-marimba-legacy-from.html