Virtual Xylophone

How to Play the Online Virtual Xylophone

You can play the virtual xylophone online in three different ways:

1. Using your mouse: Click directly on the bars.
2. Using your keyboard: Play notes using the assigned keys.
3. Using a touchscreen: Tap the bars directly on your device.

You can also combine your keyboard and mouse to play more complex chords and melodies.

Virtual Xylophone Modes: Simple and Full

This online xylophone includes two playing modes:

• Simple Mode (mini): A 10-note mode designed for learning scales, music education, and children’s activities. It can also be displayed with color-coded bars for easier note recognition.
• Full-size Mode: A complete xylophone with natural notes and sharps, covering more than 2.5 octaves (32 notes).

The available controls also vary depending on the selected mode.

Full Virtual Xylophone Controls

This xylophone includes every note from C3 to G5 and provides the following controls:

Reverb

Enable reverb to add a natural echo effect to the notes. This can enhance certain melodies and create a fuller sound.

Note Names

Choose how note names appear on the bars. Display notes using either solfège notation (Do, Re, Mi) or standard letter notation (C, D, E). You can also hide the note names for a cleaner playing experience.

Keyboard Range (Desktop)

Select the note range assigned to your computer keyboard (C3–E4 / C4–E5 / C5–C6).

This option is not necessary in Simple Mode and therefore does not appear there, since only 10 notes are available.

Mobile and Tablet Use

On smartphones and tablets, it works through touch controls, allowing you to play any visible note directly. The instrument functions the same way while taking advantage of view settings and screen rotation for a more comfortable playing experience.

Small Screen View (Full Mode Only)

On smaller screens, the visible range covers 2 octaves. Use the navigation arrows to move to the third octave.

Screen Rotation (Mobile & Tablet)

Rotate your phone or tablet to landscape orientation for the best experience. This expands the virtual xylophone across the screen and makes playing chords much more comfortable.

Simple Xylophone Controls

The Simple Mode (mini) reduces the instrument to 10 notes and adds educational features designed for learning scales, understanding basic music theory, and creating a child-friendly playing experience.

The following controls are only available in Simple Mode:

Colors: Wooden Xylophone vs Kids Xylophone

Use the Colors control to switch between two visual styles: a realistic wooden xylophone appearance and a bright color-coded xylophone designed for children.

Root Note

Select the starting note for the scale used by the instrument. The selected scale type will be generated from this root note.

Scale Type

After selecting a root note, choose the scale type you want to play. Four options are available:

1. Major
2. Minor
3. Pentatonic
4. Chromatic

Xylophone for Kids – Recommended Settings

For children, we recommend using Simple Mode together with the color option. This recreates the classic rainbow-colored children’s xylophone commonly used in early music education.

How to Play a Glissando on the Virtual Xylophone

A glissando can be performed using any of the three input methods:

• Mouse: Click and hold a note, then drag across the bars.
• Computer Keyboard: Similar to a piano glissando, slide your finger quickly across the assigned keyboard keys.
• Touchscreen: Press a note and slide your finger across the instrument without lifting it.