Lesson

Can You Do This?

Balafon to Vibraphone: a unique path to new ideas

I wanted to share some thoughts about my balafon lessons and how they might connect to your primary instrument: vibes, marimba, piano, etc.

I've been recently working on a solo version of Bobby Hutcherson't "Little B's Poem". It's a 16 bar tune with no bridge. The form is simple but getting the feeling of the tune plus feeling good about the time and the groove have taken me quite a long time. Although I've been "dabbling" in the tune for years I feel I'm finally kind of getting it down. It's a killer. Questions like, "What should I play in the left hand?" "Should I play every change?" "Sould I comp during the solo or just play lines?" Lots of things to consider.

CYDT (Can you do this)

Sharing a little bit of some very early morning practice time today. Here's what's up with this:

One of the things that has always mystified me a little bit, is the blues. I've sat on the drums in small group settings for years - admiring a horn player or singer's ability to express themselves in this unique art form.

Over the last couple of weeks, I've started listening more....and also getting into some of the lessons on this site. Going through Behn's comping lessons...and John's lesson which he shared, and some of the others.

This is Giant Steps stuff!

remember this for the most part it is:

scale tone above, half step below.

C7 would be D B C F Eb E A Gb G C A Bb