The Chiapan marimba repertoire is almost exclusively derived from other musical traditions. There is very little original music for the marimba in Chiapas. That is why the group leader/arranger is such an important figure.Yet the Chiapan marimba repertoire is diverse. The arrangers adapt music from a wide range of popular and classical sources.
The diversity of the Chiapan marimba repertoire contrasts sharply with other Mexican regional repertoires, which are significantly more narrow. Solis illustrates this point by citing the "static" nature of repertoires found in other regional music styles in Mexico and writes that marimbists blend many style in a repertoire that leans toward tropical, rock, and other musics.