I am learning marimba now for 6 months, and I am really frustrated with those scale excercizes in c-major or a-minor, because of playing just on "white" bars (Mallet control).

On has to be a real sniper   to do 1 octave up-down, or 2-octave up-down (throughout entire 4 octave.)
(Cdefgabcbagfed Defgabcdcbagfe Efga....)

But I really enjoy playing in any other mode, as long it has some "white" and some "black" bars. Gives 1000% better orientation and no "sniper-mode", you can really focus on music and make up-downs 1000% easier.

Also makes nice spreads with 4-mallet.

Any of you share the same feelings?

It does take a lot of practice, and accuracy, to play in the key of C Major ... on a mallet instrument. As you mentioned, there are no sharps or flats in the key, so you are playing on all the "white" bars (so to speak).

Slow methodical practice is the only way to go. When I practice scales, modes, etc., I always play the entire length of the keyboard. This assures me that I am fluid ... up and down the instrument ... and can make necessary body posture adjustments, as well as working through various changes on the keyboard ... such as varying bar widths ... with the bars getting smaller as you move up the keyboard (on most instruments).

Phil Kraus' Modern Mallet Method - Volume 1 (Elementary) is excellent for working on your scales because he uses a wide number of variations ... which not only make playing scales interesting and musical, but also help build the accuracy and understanding of every note you are playing.

Mussser etude in C Major for Marimba!  Yee-Haw!

Probably can't even play it today but I can certainly feel your pain.

Yeah ....key signature perspective changes from piano to mallet instruments. I think every instrument is going to have troublesome keys or tempos.

Eventually it can be a good thing.
 
 

Jim

I found it much easier to learn if not played with continuous straight eighth notes at first.  Try 1 2& 3& 4& 1.  Or even a shuffle pattern (eight with a dotted sixteenth the whole way through) when you play the scale.  You have to develop a sense of where the keys are by feel without looking.

I struggled with the C Major Scale for years.  I am a percussion major at the University Of Northern Iowa school of Music.  I have one question for you.  How are you sticking it?  

I've found that many beginners try right hand lead for everything.   If youre not already try a left hand lead.  It makes it flow so much easier.  If you still struggle just work on it slow and build up speed.  Practice makes perfect.  Good luck bud.

I've found that developing the muscle memory, for note placement, really helped me when working with the lower manual keys (white notes), rather than relying on the visual aspects.

Exercises to try:

• Don't look at the keyboard when you play. Look up or close your eyes. If you have to read music, try creating a blinder of some sort to keep you from seeing the keyboard, but still being able to see the music on the music stand. I wear glasses, so it's easy to put some paper on the lower part of the lens (like bifocals) to block my peripheral vision.
• Place the cover or sheet over the instrument so you can see the bars, and practice your scales that way.

Developing the mechanics of how far your mallet needs to move is the key to mastering the instrument ... kind of like playing 4+ mallets. If you rely on your eyes only, you'll always be limited on what you can do.