The marimba can be heard throughout Central America, but it is the official national instrument of Guatemala. In the major cities marimbas can be extremely large, with four to nine musicians playing on just one of these oversized xylophones. In the country, hand crafted marimbas use different shaped gourds as their sounding boxes.

 

Marimba bands usually employ a drum kit percussionist as well as a bassist. Some bands have even taken to adding a saxophone, trumpet, or trombone for some added flavor. Marimba bands play in every corner of the country, so make sure you ask around to locate one in the town you’re visiting. Guatemalans will tell you the sound of the marimba causes a sense of pride to well up within them; it is true Guatemalan emotion in the form of music.

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