Sorry, couldn't come up with a good subject title for this one. I was wondering, what are your views on doing anything neccessary to play the notes? For example, I am working on Rodney Bennett's "After Syrnix II". The first five or six pages are sounding good, and I am getting all the notes right. The thing is that it has some awkward stickings and stuff that I am sure anyone that is familiar with this piece knows about. I am finding that sometimes I play with the 21st mallet "infront" of the 2nd. For example, take like playing a C and a D#, but playing the D# with your 1st mallet. This is something I find comfortable. I was just wondering, is this frowned upon in marimba methodology?
In the Bennett, one example is the C and Eb in the left hand in measure 2. I play the C with the 2nd mallet and the Eb with the 1st mallet, and I strike the edge infront of the node of the Eb as my right arm is in the way playing the Bb roll.
Another example is the last few measures of the 1st movement of Torse III, where roll with the mallets on top and bottom of the bar. And the right doing the rolls with the 4th mallet in the lower note and the 3rd mallet playing the higher note. I hope that makes sense.
So basically, my approach is to do anything neccessary to play the notes. I just wanted to know before I start school and prevent my teacher from having a mental breakdown from wierd "choreographies". 😉
~Behzad

Each to their own. There are some situations where I use such postions, but in the Bennett, my body is off to the right in order to play the one-handed roll on the Bb, so the C-Eb with the LH is very easy with the normal 1-2 position. To play it 2-1 requires your left elbow to strain in the opposite direction -- it makes no sense.

I don't have a copy of Torse III at hand, but I imagine you are talking about using a mandolin roll on the F natural and reversing mallet order on the moving part. I don't do the mandolin roll, but I probably do switch mallets on at least one of the moving intervals.

WM