Nebojša Jovan Živković

Signature Series

NJZ list

Legendary Nebojša Jovan Živković Signature Series

Marimba Mallets by SchlagKraft master mallets maker!

Made with pride and knowledge in Europe by SchlagKraft, in perfected superior quality.
Over 30 years of performing experience and many years of intensive material and sound research have resulted in these unique high quality Zivkovic professional mallets. Eight models to choose from, separated in three sound groups, with artists idea of sound in mind.  We use different hardness rubber cores and wrap them in order-made layers of various materials. Available on hand-selected, elasticity tested larger diameter cedar OR stronger, superior quality rattan handles. Wrapped in synthetic-blend yarn that is extremely durable with excellent behavior in contact with marimba bars. Zivkovic Series mallets can be sorted in three  sound groups:

Group one:  Mallets #1 & #2  that clear but tender in soft low register, with “earthy” sound perfect in weight and balance, this mallet WILL make any low bar ring and resonance

Group two: General performing models (mallets #3, #4, & #5) those are strong in projection, never too harsh, with ideal coverage of entire range of te 5 octave instruments

Group three:  Mallets #6 and #7. constructed for strong sharp cut through the orchestra,  clear projection and stil  bringing out that big strong fundamentals 

Product Details
Best for soft rolls, lines, and rich sound in lower register. Perfect, heavier mallets, for excellent feel and balance. NJZ-1 produces strong, resonant single bass notes.

NJZ-1 Earthy Black

Best for soft rolls, lines, and rich sound in lower register. Perfect, heavier mallets, for excellent feel and balance. NJZ-1 produces strong, resonant single bass notes.
Product Details
Same group as the nr.1 model, but with more distinguished touch, slightly clearer projection. Fits well as a top line mallet in combination with model nr.1

NJZ-2 Ocean Deep Blue

Same group as the nr.1 model, but with more distinguished touch, slightly clearer projection. Fits well as a top line mallet in combination with model nr.1
Product Details
Of my 3 GENERAL models this is the tender one. Ideal for strong, resonant sound, but still without any harshness. Produces clear lines and still delivers beautiful rolled chords.

NJZ-3 Lilac Tender General

Of my 3 GENERAL models this is the tender one. Ideal for strong, resonant sound, but still without any harshness. Produces clear lines and still delivers beautiful rolled chords.
Product Details
Nr.4 is the standard mallet for general performance that covers all registers of the instrument and produces strong, clear and powerful sound.

NJZ-4 Blue Strong General

Nr.4 is the standard mallet for general performance that covers all registers of the instrument and produces strong, clear and powerful sound.
Product Details
Never too hard, but always VERY CLEAR and strong, ideal for strong contemporary and expressive performance, still some tenderness in piano, very good with orchestra.

NJZ-5 Sky Blue General Clear Cut

Never too hard, but always VERY CLEAR and strong, ideal for strong contemporary and expressive performance, still some tenderness in piano, very good with orchestra.
Product Details
Prefer the HARD side of the sound? This is your mallet than. Head still enough big to pull out all fundamentals and bring them to the last row in any concert hall.

NJZ-6 Silver Sharp

Prefer the HARD side of the sound? This is your mallet than. Head still enough big to pull out all fundamentals and bring them to the last row in any concert hall.
Product Details
It is always a challenge to get a strong, cutting edge sound that has volume, some grease, and the ability to cut through the accompanying ensemble or orchestra. NJZ-7 does that!

NJZ-7 Canary Cut Through

It is always a challenge to get a strong, cutting edge sound that has volume, some grease, and the ability to cut through the accompanying ensemble or orchestra. NJZ-7 does that!
Product Details
This is the best mallet for contemporary pieces where soft rolls and harsh intensive strokes are requested. It will gradually change from soft to hard with increasing dynamic level. In piano soft like NJZ-2 and in forte hard like NJZ-6.

NJZ-MT Sky white

This is the best mallet for contemporary pieces where soft rolls and harsh intensive strokes are requested. It will gradually change from soft to hard with increasing dynamic level. In piano soft like NJZ-2 and in forte hard like NJZ-6.

Nebojsa About His Mallets

The marimba sound I am looking for could be described as clear, very sensitive, in most cases slightly sharp rather than too cloudy (moody), but never harsh or hurting. Also, even in the softest pianissimo (even with the softer mallet), one should be able to get a clear attack, to hear a distinct beginning of the vibrating bar, with almost no contact sound between the mallet head and wooden bar.

At the same time, in order to get rich fundamentals, especially from the LOWER register of the marimba, where the bars are rather big, we need to have mallets with certain weight and length. (weight and length are the things responsible for what is later called “good balance” or “good feel”). Having a certain MINIMUM weight, the mallet will almost “alone” be able to get a rich sound from the instrument, and there will be no need to spend any extra energy by the performer (in terms of stroke).

This “size & weight thing” however, can not be endless, since the mallet will simply become too heavy and large. With such mallets we hardly are able to perform anything but rolls or slow easy lines of single notes.

rptnb

On the other hand, I also need a mallet that is strong and powerful enough to CUT THROUGH the full symphony orchestra in marimba concertos, even if the orchestration is rather “thick”. It is a challenge to get mallets that are HEAVY enough to help produce a FULL, RICH sound – yet at the same time are LIGHT enough (and well balanced), so that fast runs, virtuoso passages and fast interval changes are playable.

So, the ideal combination of HEAD SIZE, SHAPE and WEIGHT, shaft LENGTH, and additional layers and wrapping (material, layers and tension of the wraps) FOR EACH MODEL AND HARDNESS had to be found, while always keeping in mind what the MOST COMMON USE of each specific mallet will be.