Stevens grip

Stevens codified his grip and his approach to performance techniques developed during his studies at the Eastman School of Music in his 1979 book, Method of Movement for Marimba.The tops of the thumb nails will ideally face towards the opposite eye of the player, meaning that the top of the left thumb nail will face the right eye when in a playing position, and vice versa.[2] Interval changes are accomplished by moving the inside and outside mallets independently of one another, as described in Stevens' book, Method of Movement for Marimba."Double lateral" strokes are used for fast, rhythmically adjacent notes to be played by the same hand.[1]: 24 This method of striking the bars is designed for accuracy and efficiency,[1]: 16  since it attempts to eliminate all wasted motion.Additionally, since Stevens grip is intended to place minimal tension on the hand muscles, the mallets exert greater leverage when they are in motion because they are held at the very ends.
This is an image of four-mallet Stevens grip for marimba, viewed from the top.
Stevens grip, from the side.
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