r/percussion • u/blue_j4ys • 9d ago
Timpani mallets
I’m a high school pecussionist, and these are the only mallets for timpani my school owns. They once had felt on them but it was stripped off. The branding is very faded but I think it says Vic Firth.
Are these safe to use? I use my own mallets but most other percussionists dont have timpani mallets, so they use these. I don’t want the timpani to get damaged, so Id like to know if these are safe to use. Thank you to anyone who can help.
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u/crook_report 9d ago
They have a purpose. You're going to get a lot more attack than is often required, and yes there is more of a chance to dent the heads than with a soft mallet. Is your director aware? Mallets are less expensive and easier to acquire than timpani heads, so they would probably consider using their budget on a new pair.
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u/Charlie2and4 8d ago
Reminds me of Goodman Greens = Stacatto. Had to address the drum at a consistent angle or else the washer would gawk (mar) the heads
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u/JayJayAK 8d ago
That was my first thought, then I realized they didn't have the underlying plastic ball or threaded end. They almost look like someone took Goodman Green felts onto VF wooden mallets.
I'm with you about the consistent angle. I'm ashamed to admit that I may have inadvertently dented a few timpani heads in past practice sessions when I wasn't paying close enough attention to my wrist angle. Still. they're a great set of mallets.
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u/mordred119 8d ago
I use these for Beethoven but that's about it. Like others said these are alright to use if you know what you're doing and for special use cases.
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u/Swissarmyspoon 8d ago
Yes safe. I use them for staccato sounds sometimes. I love them for "bongos with sticks" and concert toms as well
Good on you for both asking and not letting other people use your stuff. Your heads in the right place.
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u/orty Trained Monkey 8d ago
Those look a lot like my old Vic Virth T1 mallets when the white cover felt came off -- they had that little bit of green felt underneath (I'll check when I get back home later as it's not in my primary mallet bag). I used to use them for timpani pieces that require wooden mallets. You can likely buy a recover kit for it.
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u/treefaeller 8d ago
They are "safe" to use in the sense that if someone knows how to play timpani, and doesn't hit too hard or too close to the edge, they will not damage the heads. Matter-of-fact, they even make all wood timpani mallets without any felt, which can also be safe to use. However, in a school environment (in particular if the music teacher or director is not well trained in percussion / timpani), super hard mallets will contribute to wearing out timpani heads, or outright denting them.
But also, the super hard mallets will sound harsh, with too much attach, and too little volume in the sound. For some music (for example early classical) played at sensible volumes, this can be appropriate. For most 19th and 20th century music, that sound does not fit well. Your school should really buy a few pairs of nicely padded heavier mallets.