Xylophone

Xylophone lessons in Barcelona and online

Shine Music School in Barcelona offers xylophone classes for students of all ages and all levels. Learn the tuned percussion instrument one to one, in our studio in Gràcia or live online, with extensive and intensive courses or a lesson pack, from your first scales with the mallets to melodies, reading music and playing with others.

A specialised music school in Barcelona since 2008.

Learn to play xylophone at Shine

The xylophone is a tuned percussion instrument: a row of wooden bars laid out like a piano keyboard and struck with mallets, each bar sounding its own note. On concert instruments, tubes under the bars make the sound ring out. It belongs to the family of mallet instruments with the marimba, the vibraphone and the glockenspiel, and it plays melody and rhythm at the same time.

Shine School of Music offers xylophone lessons for students of all ages and levels, in person at our studio in the Gràcia neighbourhood of Barcelona and online from anywhere. Lessons cover mallet technique, scales, reading music and the pieces you want to play, and are built around your level and the way you learn best. Lessons are one to one, as extensive monthly courses, prepaid lesson packs or short intensive courses.

Because every note is right there in front of you, the xylophone is a clear way to see and hear how music works: melody, rhythm and reading come together from the first lesson. It develops coordination, precision and a sense of pulse, and the skills carry over to the other mallet instruments and to playing in a band or an ensemble. Our ethos is simple: we match each student with the right teacher, so you progress with someone who fits how you want to learn.

Meet your teachers

  • Classical and orchestral
  • Pop
  • Latin

How much do xylophone lessons cost?

Four ways to learn: a single trial class, a flexible lesson pack, an ongoing monthly course, or a short intensive. Pick whatever suits you.

Extensive courses

Ongoing, billed monthly

  • 4 hours / month Recommended About 60 minutes a week (4 lessons a month) 131€
  • 2 hours / month About 30 minutes a week (4 lessons a month) 76€
  • 3 hours / month About 45 minutes a week (4 lessons a month) 106€
  • 6 hours / month About 90 minutes a week (4 lessons a month) 179€
  • 8 hours / month About 2 hours a week (4 lessons a month) 227€
  • 12 hours / month About 3 hours a week (4 lessons a month) 323€

Intensive courses

Short and focused, billed weekly

  • 3 hours / week Recommended 113€
  • 2 hours / week 83€
  • 4 hours / week 138€
  • 4.5 hours / week 150€
  • 5 hours / week 162€
  • 6 hours / week 186€

Lesson packs

Prepaid hours, use them flexibly

  • 8 hours 271€
  • 16 hours 471€
  • 24 hours 671€
  • 32 hours 861€

Trial class

A single lesson, no commitment

  • One class 29€

Group classes

Learn together, by group size

  • School group class, a month 52€
  • Your own group, per person, from 30€

Questions

Common questions

If something is not answered here, ask us. We are happy to talk it through before you commit to anything.

Contact the school →
How much do xylophone lessons cost?

You can choose extensive monthly courses, prepaid lesson packs, or a short intensive course, and you can start with a single trial class for 29€. Full prices are listed above. Our recommendation for getting the most from continuous learning is the 4 hours a month extensive course, shown in the prices above.

Is the trial class free?

No. The trial class is 29€. It is a full lesson with a real teacher so you can see how we work and whether the fit is right before you commit to a course.

What if I do not click with my teacher?

Tell us. Matching you with the right teacher is the whole point of how we work, and if the fit is not right we will sit down with you and find a better match.

Do you teach xylophone online?

Yes. We have taught live online lessons with real teachers since around 2008, in English and Spanish, with the same teachers and care as our Barcelona studio. If you would like to learn online, you will need your own instrument at home so you can play along during the lesson.

What ages do you teach?

All ages and all levels. The xylophone is a friendly first instrument for children, and it suits adults who want to learn melody, rhythm and reading on a percussion instrument.

Are lessons individual?

Yes: one teacher and one student, personalised within the syllabus of the style you choose, by your level and age. If you would like to learn with a friend or family member, you can also form your own small group (see below).

What do xylophone lessons cover?

Holding and using the mallets, playing evenly with both hands, scales and arpeggios, reading music, rhythm, and pieces in the styles you choose, from classical and orchestral music to pop and Latin.

Do I need to read music?

No. You can start by ear and learn to read step by step, and your teacher will start from where you are.

Do I need my own xylophone?

Yes, to practise at home, rented or bought. Our classrooms have pianos, drum kits and guitars; other instruments are brought by the student or arranged before the class, and for a trial class an instrument can be arranged in advance. If you are not sure which xylophone to choose, ask us before you buy.

What are the benefits of learning the xylophone?

Learning the xylophone builds far more than pieces. It develops hand-eye coordination, precision and memory, and it trains your ear and your sense of rhythm together. It is also a wonderful way to relax, express yourself, and enjoy a skill that lasts a lifetime.

Is playing the xylophone good for mental wellbeing?

Yes. Playing music is a well-known way to ease stress and anxiety, improve focus and concentration, and give a real sense of progress and achievement. Many adult learners find their weekly lesson is the most absorbing and relaxing hour of their week.

Can I learn and play the xylophone with other people?

Absolutely, and we encourage it. You can join group classes by level, or once you are playing, join a combo, a band or ensemble matched by style and level. Playing with others builds your timing, your confidence and good friendships.

Do you offer group xylophone classes?

We do not currently run group xylophone classes on the timetable, but you can form your own small group with friends or family, and combos are open to everyone, not only students. Bands and orchestras are formed by instrument, style and level, with a discount for current private students.

What languages are lessons taught in?

English, Spanish or Catalan, depending on the teachers available for the instrument.

Where is the studio?

Our studio is in the Gràcia neighbourhood of Barcelona. You can also learn from anywhere with our live online lessons.

Prefer to learn online?

Live xylophone lessons with real teachers, in English or Spanish. We have taught online since around 2008, with the same teachers and care as our Barcelona studio, from anywhere. All you need is your xylophone, your mallets and a quiet corner to play.

See online classes →

Wood, mallets and melody

The xylophone, music from wooden bars

Its name comes from the Greek words for wood and sound, and instruments of tuned wooden bars are among the oldest in the world. They have been played for centuries in Africa, where the West African balafon is still at the heart of the griot tradition, and in Southeast Asia, where wooden-bar instruments play in many ensembles. In Europe the xylophone reached the concert hall in the 19th century: Camille Saint-Saëns used its dry, rattling sound to suggest dancing skeletons in his Danse macabre.

Today the xylophone is a regular voice of the orchestra's percussion section, and a favourite first melody instrument in music education, where small xylophones help children learn notes and rhythm through play. In a city like Barcelona, with its orchestras, bands and music schools, it is a good way into the world of percussion, and at Shine we teach it from the grip of the mallets and the first scales to reading, melody and playing with others.

More on music, children and how to begin, from our blog:

Read more on the Shine blog →