The marimba is a rich instrument, and for countless percussionists, it is the center of their studies. For non-musicians, a modern western marimba is very similar to a xylophone, both in layout and structure. A frame is built from wood and metal to support wooden keys in the formation of a piano keyboard, as well as resonators tuned to the keys to properly project the note. The wooden keys are most desirably made from rosewood, but often times made from padouk or synthetic materials to cut cost and raw material usage. Historically, the marimba is a descendant of the xylophone, which was a widely used instrument in central Africa, however in a different form than we are used to today. What many musicians, and even percussionists don't realize, is that the marimba itself is actually more of a Central American instrument than it is an African instrument. The marimba is the national instrument of Guatemala, where the first gourd marimba on record was built in 1680. The fusion of African and Central American culture is apparent in the nomenclature of the word "marimba" which is Bantu for "many xylophones". This is justified by the range of the marimba, which will span a tonal range often over an octave wider than the xylophone.

In Guatemala, there has been a rich history of marimba playing, and to truly understand the development of the marimba in Guatemala, it is imperative to understand the three marimba types, which each have their own specific purpose and culture. The marimba doble is the most similar to what we have in the west, having a chromatic keyboard. The marimba con tecomates, or the gourd marimba, is the most primitive marimba in Guatemala, but still holds a revered place in the culture of Guatemalans. The marimba sencilla, or transitional marimba, is generally what came from the period of development leading from the marimba con tecomates to the marimba doble.

The marimba doble is interesting in the fact that it is customarily sold in pairs, with two marimbas being made to suit each other. The pairs are identified by the frame, which is treated like a work of art by the marimba maker. One major difference between the marimba doble and our modern western marimba is the fact that the marimba doble is made entirely of wood, where as modern marimbas are generally made with many metal parts, including the resonanting chambers. Also one major difference between these two is the choice of wood. While modern marimbas are, as noted before, most preferably made from rosewood, with a deeply warm and resonant sound, the marimba dobleare generally made from the hormigo tree, with a much harder wood. This results in a brighter and more percussive sound. Also one major difference between the timbres of these two different marimbas is the charleo, or the characteristic "buzzing" sound of the marimba doble. This is achieved by covering an aperture at the bottom of the resonating chamber with a small membrane from the intestines of a pig, and sealing it on with beeswax. One notable exception to this is the province of San Marcos, where marimba makers use a membrane from the cheché plant.

The resonators of the marimba doble are made completely from wood, and are shaped like boxes. This gives the marimba doble its characteristic look, where the box resonators on the bass end are far too large to hang straight down, and hang down at an angle, sometimes up to 20 degrees outwards. The two marimbas of the marimba doble are the marimba cuache, which (generally) spans the range of 3 and 5/6 octaves, whereas the marimba grande will (generally) span the range of 6 and 1/3 octaves, much larger than even the largest modern western marimbas. These instruments are generally played with three players on the marimba cuache and four players on the marimba grande, creating a fully polyphonic texture.

The marimba con tecomates, or the gourd marimba, is the oldest type of Guatemalan marimba. It is most similar to its African counterparts, especially in the usage of gourds as resonators. The key construction and tuning of the marimba con tecomates is generally the same as the marimba doble, but it is not tuned to a western chromatic scale like the latter is. The gourds used as resonators are generally the calabash and jicara gourds, and the same method of using a pig intestine to create the charleo is used. The major identifying trait of the Guatemalan gourd marimba, made in modern times, is the absence of legs in the construction. This marimba is often called the "arc" marimba, or marimba de arco due to a large wooden arc that connects on either side of the marimba and stretches out towards the player. This arc is often used to prop the marimba up, with the performer sitting within the arc, and setting the instrument on wooden forks to hold up the opposite side.

The marimba sencilla, or "transitional marimba" is similar to both instruments. Like the marimba con tecomates, the instrument is played as a single instrument, not a companion instrument, and the keys are tuned to a diatonic scale. However, much like the marimba doble, it spans over five octaves and has wooden box resonators. The instrument is generally played by multiple musicians, each being specified a certain range to play in, and therefore a musical responsibility. While the top voices will play folk melodies and improvise variations of them, the lower voices will play strict accompaniment. An interesting thing to note is the fluid nature of these performances. One musicologist noted that when the top voice would change tonal center, it would oftentimes take the other musicians one or two measures to move the accompaniment to the new tonal center, having to rely on their ears to find it. The rhythmic pulse of the performance did not hiccup, however, as rhythmic consistency is of utmost importance.

The importance of rhythmic consistency highlights the function of the marimba in Guatemala, which is to accompany dance. Very few solo virtuosic marimba players come from Guatemala, even though the instrument is their national instrument. A traditional marimba doble is played with seven players all serving a purpose, with an accompaniying ensemble consisting of drums and string bass. The marimba con tecomates is also generally played in ensembles with other instruments to accompany dance.

The marimba we know now has come a long way from its African roots. In Guatemala, the range and construction of the marimba were pushed to new heights. Even today, modern marimba makers bake their keys in a similar way that Guatemalan marimba makers would, and build them to similar specifications. For a young percussionst, learning the history of the marimba in Guatemala can open up new worlds of percussion for them to explore.