Bowed marimba

1. Can you bow a marimba?
2. How do you notate a bowed marimba?
3. Can you bow a vibraphone?
4. What percussion instruments can be bowed?

Can you bow a marimba?

Like other keyboard instruments, the marimba can be bowed. Despite its superior size, it is limited in its sound production. Bowed marimba is particularly quiet and is unable to cut through most textures, so it's important to be mindful of employing this technique in a dense piece.

How do you notate a bowed marimba?

It's fine and standard just to write arco or some equivalent in another language (just writing "bowed" is also fine). See this page for more stuff on marimba techniques.

Can you bow a vibraphone?

To bow a vibraphone bar, draw the bow vertically across the extended edge of the bar. Experiment with the amount of pressure used to hold the bow against the bar, with the speed at which you draw the bow, and with the tension of the bow itself.

What percussion instruments can be bowed?

Violin, cello, and bass bows all work but bass and cello work the best. Make sure you use rosin.