Where is the optimum place to hold the bar and where is the optimum place to whack the bar when trying to produce the second overtone? I believe I can see the different posibilities (from the node / anti-node diagrams in the P3 marimba e-book) that emphasize the second overtone and attenuate the others. I've tried all combinations without success. Trouble is, I'm also dealing with a strobe tuner that forces me to search for the note being produced by twiddling dials. That's a lot for a newbie, so if someone could suggest the optimum holding and sounding combination, I'd feel better that that variable was out of the mix and might find the second overtone needle in my stroboscopic haystack.
Thanks!
MS
Hi Michael.
The best spot to hold the bar to hear a particular vibrational mode is the mode's nodal position and the best spot to hit it is the mode's antinode. For the 2nd overtone - figure out where the string holes will go for the fundamental nodes. Now split the span between the two string holes into thirds. You want to hold the bar on one of these spots - about a third of the gap between the string holes. You cab hit the bar either right in the middle, or pretty much right next to your fingers - either side. You may find that the fundamental tends to also activate a little. If this confuses the sound for you, then try holding the bar a little more firmly - experiment with holding the bar either with a finger either side of the edge, or either side of the face - either side of the face tends to stop the fundamental a little more. Also the fundamental will tend to activate more if you hit the middle of the bar as that is where its antinode is also. The least fundamental or 1st overtone will be sounded if you activate the second overtone by striking between your fingers and the string hole - even right on the string hole sometimes.
Also.... The harder and smaller the mallet head you use, the greater the componant of upper overtones to the overall sound. For this reason, when I want to hear the fundamental, I use a bigger softer mallet, and when I want to hear the higher overtones more, I tend to use a smaller harder mallet.
Hope this helps
Jim McCarthy