Stevens technique
The Stevens technique is a personalized method of playing keyboard percussion instruments with four percussion mallets. While marimba performance with two, four, and even 6 mallets has been done for more than a century, Stevens developed techniques based on the Musser grip (holding two mallets in the hand without crossing the handles - sometimes called the Independent grip) that expanded musical possibilities. Leigh Howard Stevens codified his grip and his approach to performance techniques during his studies at the Eastman School of Music in the 1970s and his 1979 book, Method of Movement for Marimba. In this book, Stevens explains that his grip is an evolution of the Musser grip and is sometimes called the Musser-Stevens grip.[1]: 8
The Grip[]
In the Stevens technique, the mallets are held loosely. The first mallet, which becomes the left-most mallet, will be placed between the middle and ring finger, with the little and ring fingers wrapped around the mallet and less than an inch of the mallet hanging past the end of the hand when the palm faces upward. The end of the second mallet will be placed directly into the middle of the palm. Once the end of the mallet is placed in the middle point of the palm, the thumb and pointer finger will pinch the mallet. The middle finger will wrap around the end of the second mallet to add support. The same placements of the mallets apply to the right hand, with the right-most mallet mimicking the first mallet’s placement and the third mallet mimicking the second mallet’s placement. When placed over a mallet instrument, all four mallets should be held at the same height and depth. Arms should bisect the two mallets held in each of the hands. The palms of the hands will face each other. The tops of the thumb nails will ideally face towards the opposite eye of the player, meaning that the top of the left thumb nail will face the right eye when in a playing position.
Interval changes are accomplished by moving the inside and outside mallets independently of one another, as described in Stevens' book, Method of Movement for Marimba. As the interval widens, the inside mallet rolls between the thumb and index finger, such that the index finger moves from underneath to the side of the shaft, and the middle finger becomes the fulcrum of the cantilever. The outside mallet is moved principally with the little and ring fingers, although the first section of the middle finger follows along and remains in light contact.[1]: 14 When properly used, this grip causes no tension on the hand muscles. This grip is primarily used with light mallets and movements that are close to the keyboard. When this grip is used with heavy mallets or with large movements, muscle strain and tendonitis can occur if small changes are not made to reduce stress in the hands.
The Major Movements[]
There are three major movements associated with the Stevens technique. While playing, the hands and arms should be relaxed, but the muscles engaged. The first movement focuses on the movement of both mallets hitting the board at the same time. To achieve this movement, the player will only move the wrist in an up and down motion. The second movement is achieved through the movement of the two outer mallets, or the first and fourth mallets. These mallets should be moved with only the rotation of the forearm and the two inner mallets, or the second and third mallets, should only have a stationary rotation. The third motion is the movement of the inner mallets. This motion should also be achieved by the rotation of the forearm.
The Essential Strokes[]
The piston stroke is an essential component of Stevens technique. With this stroke, the mallets start in the up position, strike the bars, then return to the up position. The mallets are propelled completely by the wrist, and there is no prep stroke. When changing notes, the piston stroke is modified so that it starts above the first note and ends above the second note, ready to strike.
Strokes are further divided into four categories of motion.[1]: 25 Single Independent strokes involve moving the inside or outside mallets singly, pivoting around the shaft of the unused mallet. Single Alternating strokes are used in single note patterns to be played by the same hand, alternating the inside and outside mallets. Double Vertical strokes are used in playing double notes simultaneously by the same hand. Double Lateral strokes are used for fast, rhythmically adjacent notes to be played by the same hand.[1]: 24
This method of striking the bars is designed for accuracy and momentum efficiency,[1]: 16 since it attempts to eliminate all wasted motion. The piston stroke consolidates the preparation for each stroke into the recovery of the previous stroke.[1]: 17
Stevens v. Crossed-Style[]
There are three main grips used by mallet players: Traditional crossed, Burton (developed and used by Jazz Vibraphone legend Gary Burton, a variation of traditional crossed), and Stevens-Musser. Both the traditional crossed grip and Musser-Stevens grip are used primarily by marimba players (including Keiko Abe and many marimbists from Asia and Europe) and the Burton grip by vibraphonists.
There are advantages as well as disadvantages to both crossed-style (traditional and Burton) and Musser-Stevens. Crossed-style grips make learning basic mallet control easy and provides a very wide dynamic range with stability while the Stevens grip is harder to master. Additionally, though the Stevens grip is intended to place minimal tension on the hand muscles, the mallets exert greater leverage when they are in motion (since they are held at the very ends), requiring greater muscle control than with crossed-style grips. People with arthritis or similar conditions may not be able to use the Musser-Stevens grip.
As both grips carry advantages and disadvantages, the question of how to hold the mallets must be decided situationally.
See also[]
References[]
External links[]
- Percussion performance techniques