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Help on 4 mallets

toddc 27 March 2010

I have troubles figuring out how to play small intervals in the mid range.

For example:
Starting on C3 play ascending major thirds chromatically with the left hand.
There are three places which require a circus contortionist.
D-F#
A#-C#
B-D#

What is the suggested way to deal with this contortionists scenario?
How would you do it?

-tia

Comments

tonymiceli Sat, 03/27/2010 - 12:36

stay on me todd. i'll make a video and show you. there's never a need to do that.

in fact, get skype set up. i could set aside a little time and show you. what do you think?

but remember, sometimes just turning your wrist a little will take care of everything. next is your wrist and arm.

but i will put this on my video lessons list right now

------------------------
Tony Miceli
www.tonymiceli.com (new)
s k y p e: tjazzvibe
tony@tonymiceli.com
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toddc Sat, 03/27/2010 - 13:20

Todd Canedy
If you think a drummers job is to keep time; go buy a watch and let me know how that works for ya?

toddc Sat, 03/27/2010 - 13:33

Sometimes my replies disappear.
So I think I'm going crazy....

Todd Canedy
If you think a drummers job is to keep time; go buy a watch and let me know how that works for ya?

tpvibes Sat, 03/27/2010 - 20:00

Every now and then I forget that the button at the bottom of the first reply screen is "Preview comment", not "Post comment". So I hit "Preview", see everything looks fine and think I'm done -- but my reply never shows up.

Maybe you're forgetting to hit "Post" in the next stage...

Tom P.

vibeman27 Sat, 03/27/2010 - 23:29

Hey Todd,

I used to do the same thing that TP described. It is very easy (at first) to click on Preview and then forget to click on Post when it shows up in the next stage. That next stage always looks like the post but it is not, it is the preview and you tend to think you are finished, but you are not. Confusing enough. You must click twice before you are finished!!

BruceW

toddc Mon, 03/29/2010 - 12:11

I think you're all proably right. I must have zoned out becaues I was running back and forth trying to test the PC and MAC issues and constantly having to login.

Todd Canedy
If you think a drummers job is to keep time; go buy a watch and let me know how that works for ya?

tpvibes Sat, 03/27/2010 - 20:05

A quick way of avoiding becoming a contortionist to play a series of parallel moving voicings is to play on the very edges of the bars. That way the movement from say Db-F to D-F# takes only a very small wrist movement.

It's tricky getting good sound from the bar edges -- there's a very small sweet spot -- but it's worth the effort to learn.

Tom P.

tedwolff Mon, 03/29/2010 - 18:33

Hi, I have a short video lesson posted on my website that discusses 2 solutions to your problem. Use this LINK
P.S - in your examples did you mean A and C# instead of A# and C#? The latter would seem very easy to play with one hand, no?
Ted -
Cerulean Blue: new CD by Ted Wolff. Go to http://cdbaby.com/cd/kleinwolff

toddc Mon, 03/29/2010 - 21:18

I'm on my iPhone so I can't watch the video.
I'll check it later this evening .

Todd Canedy
If you think a drummers job is to keep time; go buy a watch and let me know how that works for ya?

BarryK Mon, 03/29/2010 - 19:06

I agree with the suggestions below, but if I can avoid twisting I will. For example, if I want to play a Cm7 as C Eb G Bb, I would not play mallets 1 2 3 4 (left to right mallet order). I would play 1 3 2 4, (i.e., left hand is C and G, right hand is Eb and Bb). Not only does that avoid contorting, but it also allows you to play in the center of the bars, for a better tone.

Barry

tedwolff Mon, 03/29/2010 - 19:45

Crossing your hands like that can create problems too. Better to try to keep your hands and arms parallel if possible. I'd play that close position chord 4,3,2,1 (I assign the mallets with 4 lowest and 1 highest). Any good quality instrument will produce good sound on the ends of the bars. In fact Gary has discussed this topic and has said that the ends don't need to be avoided at all.
Cerulean Blue: new CD by Ted Wolff. Go to http://cdbaby.com/cd/kleinwolff

toddc Mon, 07/26/2010 - 09:53

I'd like to share something on this topic that I discovered the last couple of weeks.

My frustration with playing four mallets is partially driven by how I stand at the vibes.
What I discovered is this:

Acknowledging the boundaries of your bodies geometry provides a huge advantage to playing relaxed. It drives where you stand.

There is a "best place to stand" and a "best posture" for relaxed playing over the whole instrument with minimal movement.

If you stand correctly it does not matter how you hold the mallets. You will always be able to play relaxed.

I don't need to choke up anymore. I'm much more relaxed. I have a method and a reason for doing what I do. I think its a sound method. I like that.

Todd Canedy
Don't stop asking until you understand. Once you understand constantly confirm it.

John Keene Mon, 07/26/2010 - 10:03

I notice that new vibe models are providing height-adjustment, and I think that can help a lot as well. I place my instrument on blocks since I don't have a height-adjustable instrument, and I find that I don't play slump-shouldered and my wrists are more even with the bars. Granted, this is different strokes for different folks based on one's height, but it's worthy of exploration if someone finds themselves having a problem in that regard.

tpvibes Mon, 07/26/2010 - 10:16

I switched from a fixed-height instrument (an M75) to an adjustable-height (an M55) a couple of years ago. It's great -- no more backaches after gigs (I'm 6'0").

Tom P.

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