Etudes

This is another version of the etude that goes through the same chord changes as Blues for Alice. There's a few different approach notes in this version. Remember that when playing this etude with the additional ii-V-I's, figure out all the other tunes you can use these lines on and try it in different keys!

The audio and the pdf is attached. 

I tried something new and talked through the piece. Is this helpful? 

Print out the pdf to not only practice but for notes with the video. 

This etude goes through the same chord changes as Blues for Alice. One thing to keep in mind is that when playing this etude with the additional ii-V-I's, figure out all the other tunes you can use these lines on. Also, try it in different keys!

Here's another dampening etude. We change keys here, Bb, another very common blues key. Some of these lines actually work great not just as bass lines, but solo lines! You can hear players like Hank Mobley occasionally playing these bass type lines.

This is a solo vibe piece Tony Miceli commissioned me to write for him. Let me know what you guys think! These are the program notes I wrote for the piece:

This piece was written in April of 2024 upon commission from Tony Miceli, professor at Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. While taking private lessons with him, we began experimenting with timbral effects on the vibraphone, and one of my assignments was to write a solo vibraphone piece surrounding this idea. Thus, this piece was born.

In this etude, the quarter note remains consistent like an actual walking bass line. The challenge in this exercise is to keep the pedal down and the dampening smooth, making sure no notes ring together. Work on getting a really nice legato sound!

Check out the attached PDF!

In this exercise, the line is a little closer to a walking bass line with quarter notes. Keep the notes legato, and shoot for keeping the pedal down as much as possible with clean dampening in between the notes. Check out the attached PDF!

Hi everyone!

I'm doing a short series on dampening. In these etudes, we're using walking bass lines as a way to work on dampening. Most of these exercises are pretty simple, and a lot of fun! Try them out and see how well you can keep a legato feel throughout. And of course, check out the attached PDF! 😀

I made this with a bass and percussion. I think it's 'groovy'. 
 

It's focusing on one chord, and that's C7. Check it out and Try and play it. I have the groove at 2 tempos a slow one and a faster one. 

And then.... a slow one in F in case any of you guys want to try and transpose it. To the first person, who makes a video of them playing it in C and F, I'll give to free lessons. OFF EXPIRES JULY 1 2024