Adapting 3+3+2 to the Balafon
Sometimes we need to step away from our primary instrument to rebuild our awareness from the ground up. I incorporate my Harmonic Time method for all the material I have learned and teach. Here is a general description of the method:
＊Ballads - Move it Along!
Translation for Chinese students
中文翻譯:
關於Ballads（慢速的樂曲）
想要將Ballads演奏好，
我們可以專注在幾個重點上面：
1. 速度感的保持、
2. 在保持速度感的基礎下，加入一些有趣的節奏變化
在演奏節奏的時候，樂曲的速度就被建立出來(示範)，
當然可以規規矩矩的把和弦進行打在拍子上，
但能夠演奏出一些有趣的節奏，讓聽眾覺得被吸引，
是很棒的一件事情。(Tony在1:43示範中，有用到類似pedal point的效果，和弦進行在一個持續音上)
可以先找一個和弦，專注在速度和節奏上（示範：Ed major）;
再找兩個和弦試試（示範：Ed major, Ad major ）
記得：保持速度感
快來試試吧！
This is an AWESOME piece. Good fodder for advanced geography/space sharing between the hands on vibraphone. Also stabilizing repeated tones while surrounding tones change, and avoiding anticipatory "static" in the motion (ie. a hand tries to leave early and you miss a note).
In this video I practice: https://youtu.be/HB3GjcljGWU
In this video I record: https://youtu.be/LncpgmCttzA
OK, as you guys know I have a very busy schedule. I'm sure many of you also have crazy schedules.
I banged this out for my student Alex.
It's a chord study. Write in the chord names, memorize the etude and change rhythms, whatever you want. Just study the voicings.
Here's me playing Dampening Etude #12 from David Friedman's method book. Feedback welcome.
Play this down in whole steps. It should make sense, what to do.
Then try and vary it a bit, change the rhythms, add a note. Try to build on this.
This is essential to play standards and more complex original tunes.
This needs to be second nature!
The first dominant chord, in this example G13b9 uses the dominant diminished scale. The second chord in this example the A7b13b9 uses the Altered scale.
Dom Dim - G Ab Bb B Db D E F G
A Altered is - A Bb C Db Eb F G
Put this through all the keys.
Is this helpful???
This is a tune by Russ Barenberg in the style of traditional Quebecois folk music. I arranged the tune as a chord melody in a semi-jazz style with a few choice reharmonizations. A version of the head notated is attached. The solo is a little rough, but this is the basic idea of what I'm going for. Jazz arrangements/reharms of traditional tunes.