Kjell Samkopf
A Workbook for Vibraphone and Marimba Players

A Workbook for Vibraphone and Marimba Players is an extensive series consisting of nine volumes aimed first and foremost at university and music academy students. However, the project addresses issues that vibraphone and marimba players will encounter throughout their professional career. Even though these workbooks were written with the classical performer in mind, there is much that is applicable to performers within any genre.


A Workbook for Vibraphone and Marimba players is divided into three parts:

- PART I: A Book of Essays

A collection of essays addressing central issues in the process of becoming a performing musician. Relevant to any academy music student, not just percussionists.


- PART II: A Workbook for vibraphone and marimba players

This part deals with the most important technical aspects of playing the marimba and vibraphone. Since this is such an extensive subject, this part is divided into five volumes:

Book 1: On Playing the Vibraphone and Marimba
Book 2: On Practicing Scales and Chords
Book 3: Basic Instrumental Technique I
Book 4: Basic Instrumental Technique II (tremolo)
Book 5: On Improvisation


- Part III: A Book of Études

A collection of 45 études of which 18 are for solo marimba, 18 for solo vibraphone, and 9 that can be played on either instrument. In these 45 études the instrumental techniques discussed in Part II are put into a musical context. The studies comprise a theme and set of variations, in which all 45 movements together make up a unified whole. The total performance time for the 45 études is just over three hours.

The études are divided into three volumes:
Volume 1: 18 études for solo marimba (études 1 – 18)
Volume 2: 18 études for solo vibraphone (études 19 – 36)
Volume 3: 9 études for solo marimba or solo vibraphone (études 37 – 45)





More info and samples


The work is under publication. PART II will first be published in Norwegian. An English version will follow in due time. Book 1 and 2 were published in 2013. Book 3, 4 and 5 are expected published in late 2020. The three volumes of PART III, The Book of Ètudes, are already published both in Norwegian and English, as well as a tripple CD with all the études.

  • Folder (Norwegian) | Overview and general information in Norwegian
  • Folder (English) | Overview and general information in English
  • A Book of Études Volume 1 | A sample from the book
  • A Book of Études Volume 2 | A sample from the book
  • A Book of Études Volume 3 | A sample from the book
  • A Book of Études CD booklet | The CD booklet
  • Sound samples of some études | with full score


  • SCORES AND METHOD BOOKS WRITTEN BY KJELL SAMKOPF can be bought from Musikk-Husets Forlag

  • Follow this link to order | The books and the 3-CD set can be bought seperately.
  • www.musikkforlagene.no
  • www.norsk-percussion.no
  • (Last updated: 01 January 1970 00:00)