Don't Call It a Xylophone

Guatemala claims to be the birthplace of the xylophone's cousin, the marimba. The instrument was probably brought over by slaves from West Africa, but the marimba is inexorably tied to the music of this country. The marimba is congressionally declared the national musical instrument of Guatemala, and February 20 is even observed informally as the Día Nacional de la Marimba (National Marimba Day).

The highest-quality marimbas take about two months (and about $1,000) to build. The marimba's bars, frequently made of rosewood and tuned one octave lower than those of the xylophone, are arranged like the keys of a piano. The largest instruments span five octaves and require multiple players. Crucial to the marimba's rich, melodious sound are the resonators attached below each bar. Traditionally, gourds served that purpose, but modern instruments employ wood, or even aluminum or polyvinyl chloride tubes. A small hole is cut in each and covered with wax. (Older instruments still employ pigskin or onion skin as a covering.) Strike the bar with the mallet. The sound reverberates, giving a distinctive hum to each note.