Marimba lessons and ensembles in Portland, Oregon

Learn music you love. Build the skills to play it together.

MarimbaLab brings kids and adults together to make ambitious music on an instrument that sounds beautiful from the very first note. Led by composer, marimba soloist, and educator Michael Charles Smith, lessons and ensembles connect familiar songs with real musical skills: reading, rhythm, technique, listening, and playing as a group.

Ask about lessons or joining MarimbaLab

Big music. Played together.

A tricky passage can be broken down into three or four notes. Those notes become a phrase. Before long, students are hearing how their part fits into something much bigger.

We work on popular music, film themes, and ensemble arrangements that give students a reason to practice. Along the way, they learn to count confidently, read music, develop consistent sticking, and listen to the people playing around them.

Private marimba lessons

One-on-one lessons give us time to focus on what each student needs—whether that is getting started, sorting out a difficult rhythm, improving technique, or preparing an ensemble part. In-person lessons are held in Portland. A focused half hour can accomplish a lot.

Email mike@marimbalab.com with the student’s age, musical experience, and what they would like to work on. We’ll talk through lesson options and find a time that fits.

Learn to play together

MarimbaLab ensembles turn individual parts into a shared musical experience. Students learn to hold their rhythm, follow the music, and hear how melody, harmony, and bass work together. School groups and adult players are part of the MarimbaLab community.

Try The Rhythm Trials

Explore rhythm through our public Rhythm Trials lesson.

Why marimba?

Strike a bar and you already have a musical sound. That makes the marimba a welcoming place to begin—and there is plenty of room to grow. Students develop coordination, musical reading, rhythm, and expressive playing while making music they want to hear.

Need an instrument for home practice?

Ask about MarimbaLab’s instrument rental options and current availability. We can talk through the space you have and what instrument would suit the student’s practice needs.

Ready to make some music?

Contact Mike about MarimbaLab lessons and ensembles.