In the 1920s, Carl Orff (of Carmina Burana fame) developed a method of teaching children about music that focuses on treating music just like the spoken word - starting with just a few notes and continually adding complexity as time passes. The Orff method necessitated a collection of simple, non-intimidating musical instruments to teach the foundations of western melody and harmony in a group setting - what is more well-suited for the job than drums and rudimentary keyboard percussion instruments?

Each Orff keyboard has removable bars and is designed to be stored and moved easily. The Primary FSC Alto Metallophone features 16 specially-alloyed metal bars that create a deep chime-like tone, each marked with the corresponding pitch. The 1.8 octave range (c1 to a2) is tuned to a C major scale, with the option to change out Fs and Bs for F-sharps and B-flats. The sturdy frame is made from pine, and the extra bars as well as two included mallets fit snugly into the side of the frame, keeping everything neatly together.