Vibraphone

Moving scales, arpeggios, licks, little pieces of a tune is a great exercise for your brain and your musical 'overview' of things. In other words just get used to seeing things in different places. This doesn't matter what level you are at.

If you don't know what to do, then use 4ths. Move a little something every time you practice in a few different keys. A lick, a nursery rhyme, a jingle, a holiday song. Just do it. It will pay off later. Spend about 10 minutes in it.

Here's my take on Quasimodo. Still working out some of the kinks...

Here is my take on Quasimodo, warts and all. In spite of its not so easy chord changes (not my first choice for a solo piece) I included one solo chorus before playing the melody, because it ties in with my post from a few days ago (voice leading in chords). The intro is from a Charlie Parker recording with Miles and J.J. Johnson as far as I remember (haven’t checked yet).

I wonder if he's going to come out of retirement!

Just kind of went off on some ideas I have :-)

Quasimodo is a contrafact based on Embraceable you. It's a beautiful melody.

Your assignment is to learn the melody and play it well! Record it and upload it. Just the melody is fine. You will get a lot out of this as it's a melody to a tune but also a great solo in a way. Lots of bebop tunes sound like great solos!

What do you think? I think this is a very interesting solo!!!