Detail 01
Metal bars (metallophone)
Long, singing sustain with a bell-like tone. Notes overlap unless damped, which changes how parts must be written.
Product detailSKU #1274228068180
Studio 49Series 2000 Orff Metallophones SM2000 Diatonic Soprano
Independent shopping perspective
The Korena take
Diatonic soprano Orff metallophone with metal bars and long sustain. For classrooms wanting a ringing high voice rather than a dry one.
Strong match
Who this is for
- Sustained shimmer and pedal tones over an Orff ensemble
- Slow, sparse parts where notes should ring on
- Programs building a full Studio 49 instrumentarium
Consider the trade-offs
When to look elsewhere
- Fast rhythmic parts — sustain piles up into a wash
- Tight budgets; this is the most expensive of the three
- Anyone needing accidentals for key changes
What matters in use
The specifications, translated
Catalog numbers tell only part of the story. These are the details most likely to change how this product feels, sounds, or fits into a setup.
Detail 02
Soprano register
High voice that carries over a group. Combined with metal sustain, it is the most cutting instrument in the family.
Detail 03
Diatonic layout
One scale, no accidentals. Students can improvise without wrong notes, but the instrument stays in a single key.
Detail 04
Series 2000 construction
Studio 49's upper build line. Heavier frame and bars than their entry series, aimed at daily classroom use.
Detail 05
Removable bars
Pull bars to restrict students to a pentatonic set or the notes of one piece.
Final check
Know before you order
- 01Budget for mallets — xylophone mallets are often too hard for metal bars
- 02Teach damping early, or sustained notes will muddy the ensemble
- 03Pairs best with a lower alto or bass instrument, not used alone
Product questions
Before you decide
Straight answers to the questions shoppers most often ask about this product.
01Metallophone or xylophone — which should I get first?
Xylophone, usually. Its short decay suits rhythmic classroom parts. The metallophone's ring is a color you add once the ensemble is established.
02Why does it cost more than the xylophone?
Metal bars are heavier and more expensive to cast and tune than wood, and this is Studio 49's Series 2000 build rather than an entry line.
03Will the sustain be a problem in a classroom?
It can be. Notes ring on and stack up, so students need to learn to damp bars with a free hand or mallet.
04Can I add sharps and flats later?
The diatonic instrument covers one scale. Accidental bars are sold separately in the Orff system to extend it beyond that.
