Harvest Moon Mallet Slides
Grades 2-3 Music Studio
Orff Barred Percussion
The Harvest Moon
Mallet Suite
Bouncing mallets, singing voices, and seasonal pentatonic harmonies in two-part acoustic balance.
Bicycle Grip
Relaxed Bouncing Wrists
C Pentatonic
Open 5th Bordun Drones
Partner Duos
Player & Singer Rotation
Technique Focus
The Mallet Master Grip
Bicycle Handle Hands
1
Pinch the Balance
Hold the mallet shaft between your thumb and curved index finger at the 1/3 balance point.
Tip: Wrap remaining fingers loosely underneath!
2
Bounce like a Ball
Hinge directly from your wrists, not your whole arm. The mallet head must spring off the bar instantly!
Rule: Never press or leave the mallet on the bar.
3
Find the Center
Strike directly over the center resonator hole. Avoid the knot or node pins where the sound dies out.
Result: Warm, ringing, round resonance!
Ready Position: Mallets resting quietly across your knees while listening!
Rest & Ready
Bar Preparation
Harvest C-Pentatonic Setup
Remove F & B Bars!
Our instruments use five magic notes: C • D • E • G • A (No wrong notes!)
C Low
D 2
E 3
F
G 5
A 6
B
C' High
Harvest Song Verse:
“Golden moon shines through the tree, pumpkin pie for you and me!”
Sing gently on pitch!
Accompaniment Skill
Building the Bordun Foundation
Pitches: Low C + G
Level 1 Pattern Together
Chord Bordun
Both mallets strike at the exact same instant on beats 1 and 3. Left hand plays Low C; right hand plays G.
Beat 1
C + G
Beat 2
Rest
Beat 3
C + G
Beat 4
Rest
Level 2 Pattern Seesaw
Broken Bordun
Alternate your hands like a seesaw. Left plays Low C on the downbeats, right answers with G on the next beat.
Beat 1
Left: C
Beat 2
Right: G
Beat 3
Left: C
Beat 4
Right: G
Key Definition: A bordun is a continuous open fifth drone that anchors the melody! Tonic + Dominant
Ensemble Skills
Partner Duo & Acoustic Balance
Two Roles, One Music
Partner 1
Mallet Master
- Keeps the rock-steady bordun pulse.
- Plays with gentle bounces so the bars never overpower voices.
- Watches partner's breath for entrances!
Volume Goal: Warm mezzo-piano (mp)
Partner 2
Silver Singer
- Sings the Harvest Moon melody clearly.
- Locks into the mallet master's tempo.
- Taps gentle finger pulse in the air.
Volume Goal: Clear, ringing mezzo-forte (mf)
The Golden Balance Rule
If you cannot hear your singing partner's words, the mallets are playing too loudly! Soften your mallet bounce.
Classroom Finale
The Harvest Moon Suite Cycle
4-Beat Count In
Cycle Step 1
Bordun Intro
Mallet Masters establish 4 steady measures of Low C and G before singing begins.
Cycle Step 2
Sing & Accompany
Silver Singers enter with the 8-measure Harvest Moon melody over the bordun groove.
Cycle Step 3
Switch Roles!
Quiet mallet handoff: Singer becomes Mallet Master; Mallet Master becomes Singer!
Musician Self-Check Checklist
✓
Bicycle grip held?
✓
Pulse never rushed?
✓
Singing voice clear?
“Together we make moonlit music ring!” • Rest mallets across knees on the final cutoff.
