The xylophone is obviously a member of the percussion family because it involves hitting something with sticks or mallets in this case. The xylophone can best be explained as being a combination of a piano and an organ. Each little bar or key  on the xylophone is a specific note. The pipes help accentuate the sound of the key when it is hit, because with out the pipes you would not be able to hear the notes as well.

The xylophone first originated in southeast Asia during the 14th century. It was transformed through its use in Indonesian  percussion orchestras. The xylophone received its name from the Greek word xylon, meaning "wood", and the word phone, meaning "sound".

This is the right way to play.

To learn more about xylophones or other mallets, check out these sites:

http://www.dsokids.com/2001/dso.asp?PageID=170

http://www.si.umich.edu/CHICO/instrument/pages/xylo_gnrl.html

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