A xylophone is a musical instrument made of wooden bars of different lengths arranged in a row, which you play by striking them with small mallets. Each bar produces a different musical note when hit: longer bars make lower sounds, while shorter bars make higher sounds. The bars are usually arranged like piano keys, so you can play melodies and songs.

Xylophones appear in orchestras, school music rooms, and traditional music around the world. African cultures developed sophisticated xylophones centuries ago, and they remain important in African music today. In elementary schools, smaller xylophones with colored bars help young children learn about pitch and rhythm.

A marimba is similar to a xylophone but has a deeper, mellower sound because it includes resonator tubes beneath each bar that amplify the tone. When you strike a xylophone bar sharply in the center with a mallet, you get that characteristic bright, ringing sound that cuts through other instruments.