This presentation explores a musical, harmony-based approach to warm-ups for percussion keyboardists, reframing technical development as an integrated study of sound, groove, and improvisation. Drawing from Marimbissimo: A Musical Guide to Chordal Voicing and Improvisation for Intermediate to Advanced Marimba Players, the session demonstrates how warm-ups can function as creative, stylistically flexible material rather than isolated technical drills.
Designed for use in private lessons and studio class settings, the concepts presented focus on developing harmonic awareness, time feel, and improvisational fluency alongside traditional four-mallet technique. Attendees will be introduced to practical exercises that incorporate chordal voicings, groove-based comping, and scalar and arpeggio-driven improvisation, all adapted specifically for marimba and keyboard percussion.
Topics and demonstrations will include:
• Four-mallet warm-up concepts using root and rootless chord voicings
• Harmonic vocabulary adapted from jazz and contemporary tonal practice for marimba
• Groove-based comping exercises to develop time, independence, and stylistic awareness
• Scalar and arpeggio-based improvisation exercises designed for daily practice
• Strategies for sequencing these materials as progressive warm-ups in lessons and studio classes
• Approaches for encouraging creativity and musicianship while reinforcing technical fundamentals
All musical examples are drawn from or inspired by Marimbissimo, providing a cohesive pedagogical framework that bridges technique, theory, and performance practice.

By the end of the session, participants will be able to:
• Implement harmonically informed warm-ups for intermediate to advanced keyboard students
• Integrate improvisation and groove into daily technical routines
• Apply chordal voicing concepts to four-mallet marimba studies
• Encourage greater musical engagement and stylistic fluency in percussion keyboard