The vibraphone (also known as the vibraharp or simply the vibes) is a musical instrument in the struck idiophone subfamily of the percussion family.
The vibraphone resembles the xylophone, marimba, and glockenspiel. Each bar is paired with a resonator tube that has a motor-driven butterfly valve at its upper end. The valves are mounted on a common shaft, which produces a tremolo or vibrato effect while spinning.
The vibraphone is commonly used in jazz music, where it often plays a featured role and was a defining element of the sound of mid-20th century "Tiki lounge" exotica, as popularized by Arthur Lyman. It is also the second most popular solo keyboard percussion instrument in the realm of classical music, after the marimba, and is part of the standard college level percussion performance education. Additionally, it is a standard member of the modern percussion section for orchestras and concert bands.
