Drum Percussion

Why is the vibraphone so dang cool?

It's right there. From striking of the bar to innervating the ear drum of the listener – it is organically right there with nothing between the artist and the listener.

Many people have often said that the vibraphone is limited by what it can do but I think the simple requirements to control the vibrating aluminum bar IS what makes it so pure and beautiful to the listener. It is that simple perfection that makes it so beautiful. Heck, you could say the same about The Beatles.

After a lifetime of work trying to become a great improviser, I've come to understand that music can be broken down into basic challenges that venture off into more complex ones as you continue to search for the ultimate YOU in your music.

Did you know you can purchase old iphones to use for your camera set up?

I shared my ideas for sound control using shipping blankets at less than 10 bucks per blanket in a previous VW post and now I'm upgrading my studio with curtain sheers draped over the blankets for a more finished look ($20.00 per 96" x 60" panel). I'm still waiting for the rest of the sheers to arrive.

On an earlier post, I suggested an idea of creating Good Vibes at www.PIPERvibe.com by helping other artists. In my years working as a musician and then as a rescuer serving the population of many different types, I learned a lot about myself and what I really enjoy doing. I learned that even when I was the "boss" over my fire crew in Antarctica, I loved to cook, clean, and serve them during down time. It creates good vibes for me while serving others. This translates also to goals in music.

Per Tony and Randall Sutin's recommendations I bought two, balanced Earthworks SR 25's (used). They worked great for a while but one of them developed a weird, random static while the other was just fine. I contacted Earthworks and told them about the problem to see how much a repair would be. Earthworks asked for serial numbers to see if they were still under warranty. I told them I bought them used. They said it didn't matter and the warranty was good for 15 years.

Reading on the vibraphone is not easy. I find it to be very difficult and for me, it is perhaps the most challenging part of playing.

I'm very particular about the recording and sound. I'm a novice at best for working Logic Pro and final cut but I do know that if I don't control the ricocheting acoustic sounds flying around the room, I'll be frustrated from the start.

In the past, I built expensive baffles and they worked okay but were very difficult to build and even more difficult to move if I want to take them to a new residence or even just move them to a different spot. If you move, you simply fold them up or use them as padding for furniture (win/win).

Hey everyone, I'm looking for a beat to hell M55 that I can buy to tinker with and make better than it was when it came off the assembly line. I will then resell it with some very nice updates and features. Please keep your eyes open for me. PH. 972-762-2638 PIPERvibe@Gmail.com

Recently purchased the Late Night mallets which arrived today. The heads are larger than I expected, which makes them a tad unwieldy, but used them for a while and I think I'll get used to them. Its sure nice to play my vibes with the resonators on in my apartment and not worry about volume. Btw; they sound amazing on suspended cymbal! These will be my go to mallets for orchestral cymbal work. No impact; just the sound of the swell. I'm sure they'll sound nice on low end marimba too.

Recently purchased the Late Night mallets which arrived today. The heads are larger than I expected, which makes them a tad unwieldy, but used them for a while and I think I'll get used to them. Its sure nice to play my vibes with the resonators on in my apartment and not worry about volume. Btw; they sound amazing on suspended cymbal! These will be my go-to mallets for orchestral cymbal work. No impact; just the sound of the swell. I'm sure they'll sound nice on low end marimba too.