Find anchor notes
Locate every C and G first. These anchors make the notes between them easier to judge without counting from the edge each time.
Play. Learn. Create.
Your virtual marimba.
A world of music.
Play colour-guided notes right in your browser. Find your next song in the Music Book, learn with guided notes and video lessons, and turn musical ideas into recordings.
Start playing for free. More songs and creation tools are available through profiles, plans and unlocks.
The Marimba StudioYour instrument, on screen
Alto MarimbaExplore the notes
Music BookGuided learning
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
Learn
A songbook that guides you
Choose songs, follow Note Guide and discover the in-app tutorial teacher.
Create
Make a track of your own
Record, layer and mix in the desktop Studio with an Ultimate profile.
Discover
Step into MarimbaTV
Explore video tutorials, performances and more from the world of marimba.
01 · Start where you are
Get comfortable with your virtual marimba
Start with Alto. Explore the on-screen notes with your mouse or touchscreen, then turn a few familiar sounds into your first pattern.
- Explore the notes Use the note labels and colours to find your way. Play one note at a time and listen to its sound.
- Try a short pattern Find C, D, E, F and G. Play up, then back down. Repeat slowly until the timing feels even.
- Choose a beginner song Open the Music Book, choose an Easy song and learn one short phrase at a time.
02 · Choose your range
Alto, Tenor and Bass layouts
Start on Alto if you are new. Its range suits melody, scale patterns and most beginner Music Book material. Move to Tenor or Bass when your exercise calls for a lower line, harmony part or bass pattern.
| Instrument | Playable notes | Displayed range | Good beginner use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alto Marimba | 18-note base layout | G1–A3 | Melody, note finding, scales and beginner song phrases. |
| Tenor Marimba | 14 notes | G1–E2 | Lower patterns, supporting parts and range awareness. |
| Bass Marimba | 9 notes | C–D2 | Pulse, root movement and repeating bassline practice. |
Optional Alto extension: the base Alto layout ends at A3. When the Super Soprano extension is available, five additional notes—B3, C3, D3, E3 and F3—extend the displayed top end to F3. Access to instruments, extensions and other tools can depend on the current profile or plan rules shown inside the Studio.
03 · Read the instrument
Use labels, colours and position together
Each note family keeps a consistent colour across the virtual instruments. Colour is a memory cue, not a replacement for the note name: say the letter, notice its position and listen to the pitch every time you play it.
GLight blue
ADark blue
BPurple
CRed
DOrange
EYellow
FGreen
F#Turquoise
Read octave labels
A letter can appear more than once. The number distinguishes its displayed register, so G1, G2 and G3 are related note names at different heights.
Understand F-sharp
F# means F-sharp. It is the pitch one semitone above F and one semitone below G, shown in turquoise in the Studio layout.
04 · Pick an input
Four practical ways to play
Choose the input that lets you stay relaxed and accurate. The best method is not the fastest one; it is the one that helps you hear the note and keep a steady pulse without fighting the device.
Mouse or trackpad
Click one bar at a time. This is an easy starting point for note finding and slow phrase practice.
Touch
Use the dedicated device layout in landscape when prompted. Tap cleanly and lift between notes rather than sliding randomly.
Keyboard shortcuts
Follow the on-screen key guide for the selected instrument. Mapping can change with the layout, so check before memorising a pattern.
MIDI keyboard
A connected MIDI device can offer a more physical input. Browser permission, device compatibility and current access rules may apply.
Before you begin: unmute the device, choose a safe listening level and close audio-heavy tabs. Wired headphones usually feel more immediate than Bluetooth, which can introduce noticeable delay.
05 · Play your first song
How to play and complete a song
Choose a song, follow the notes and play through to the result. Here is how to start on Easy in the desktop Studio.
-
Pick a song
Open Music Book and choose an Alto song marked Free, such as Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. You can also choose a song your profile already owns or includes.
Free songs can be played as a guest. -
Start on Easy
Click Easy to start the song from its first note. Select Note Guide in the learning display. For this first run, keep Play Along off so you can follow each prompt at your own pace.
Easy gives you eight lives to begin. -
Follow the current note
Read the large note in the centre and play its highlighted bar. Match the full label, including any number. A correct note moves the guide forward; keep following it through the song.
The note counter shows your progress. -
Finish the song
Play every prompt before your lives run out. Look for Song Complete or Flawless Song! in the result, then choose Continue. You have completed the song on your selected difficulty.
To play again, reopen Music Book and choose the song and difficulty.
06 · Apply the notes
Beginner examples in the Music Book
A familiar tune gives your note practice a purpose. The current catalog includes short, repeated patterns on Alto and Bass that are easier to divide into manageable phrases. Work from the notes shown in the Music Book and do not add speed until the order is secure.
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
Useful for repeated notes, balanced four-beat groups and hearing when a familiar phrase changes direction.
Old MacDonald Had a Farm
A clear choice for short phrase chunks, repeated patterns and steady counting at a comfortable tempo.
Buffalo Soldier
Practise the repeating pulse first, then isolate the notes that change at the end of each pattern.
Mailbox
Good for keeping repeated notes even and preparing the next move without interrupting the beat.
Pepsi Cola
An introduction to moving through the compact nine-note Bass layout while protecting a strong pulse.
TRG Scale
Use the ascending and descending pattern to connect neighbouring notes and recognise octave changes.
Song visibility, profile requirements, Rumble Point costs and access rules can change as the catalog develops. The Music Book inside the Studio always shows the current availability for your session.
07 · Support the learner
For teachers, parents and guardians
Virtual practice works best when the learner knows exactly what success looks like. A clear song choice and a calm approach give the learner something specific to work towards.
Teachers: make the task measurable
- Name the instrument, target notes and one Music Book phrase.
- Give a comfortable counting speed or metronome range.
- Ask the learner to identify notes by name as well as colour.
- Transfer the same pattern to a physical marimba at the next lesson.
Parents: protect consistency, not perfection
- Help schedule a short regular practice window.
- Keep the listening level comfortable and the device stable.
- Ask the learner to explain one note or pattern after playing it.
- Leave grip and striking-technique corrections to the teacher.
Note and octave naming can vary between teaching systems, arrangements and physical instruments. When a teacher uses different labels, follow the teacher’s system and treat the Studio labels as a clear map for this particular virtual layout.
08 · Common questions
The Marimba Studio FAQs
Quick answers about playing, songs, sound and your profile.
Is The Marimba Studio free to use?
You can play the virtual Alto marimba and Music Book songs marked Free as a guest. A free profile lets you save progress to your account and use profile features. Some songs, instruments and tools require Rumble Points or a paid plan; the app shows their access status.
Which devices and controls can I use?
On a computer, play with a mouse, trackpad or computer keyboard. Phones and tablets have touch layouts; rotate your device when prompted. MIDI input is also available where your browser and app access support it.
Which marimba should I start with?
Start with Alto for melodies and beginner songs. Tenor and Bass offer lower ranges for different parts. Choose instruments from the app’s instrument selector; availability depends on your profile and access. Choosing a Music Book song selects its matching instrument.
How do I start learning a song?
Open Music Book, choose a song you can access, then select Easy. Use Note Guide to follow the current note and its highlighted bar. Our song walkthrough explains the full sequence, including mistakes, lives and the completion result.
What counts as completing a song?
For an Easy run in Note Guide without Play Along, play each prompt before your lives run out and look for the completion result. Completion applies to the selected difficulty. Melo reaching Home is a separate target: finishing Easy with five mistakes or fewer gets Melo home, with a bonus on songs that award RP.
Why can’t I hear the notes?
Check that your device and browser tab are unmuted, raise the app volume and confirm the correct speaker or headphones are selected. If the marimba shows a tap-to-load prompt, tap it and wait for the instrument to finish loading before playing.
Will my song progress be saved?
Guest progress for Free songs is stored in the current browser and does not sync between devices. Sign in to use profile-backed progress across devices. If the app reports that progress could not be saved, retry before relying on the result being stored.
Can I record and create my own music?
Sign in to record performances and manage saved recordings; storage limits depend on your plan. The desktop Studio lets you record, layer and mix tracks, and currently requires an active Ultimate profile.
Where can I find tutorials and performances?
The in-app tutorial teacher introduces the Studio’s controls and features. For video tutorials, performances and more, explore MarimbaTV.
Your first note is ready
Open the Studio and make music your own.
Explore the virtual marimba, choose a Music Book song and follow the guide to play it through. You can also read the story behind the Studio or try the original Legacy Marimba.