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How to Play Vibes Like Oscar Peterson - Blues Language, Double stops, Grace Notes

Oliver_M37 28 May 2020

Hey all, I'm starting a new lesson series with the goal of transferring some pianist language over to the vibes. I am a pianist and a vibraphonist, so a lot of my practicing has been doing just this.

The first is on Oscar Peterson, who is actually, I think, one of the best-suited pianists to adapt to the vibes, and I play with this stuff all the time.

I hope everyone can find something in these lessons -- there'll definitely be parts that are more complex and parts that are simpler, but let me know if you have any questions or any requests for future pianists. And just let me know what you think in general!

Supporting Files
pdf_how_to_play_vibes_like_oscar_peterson.pdf

Comments

Mary-Marie Sat, 05/30/2020 - 16:59

Very cool! Love how immersed you get in whatever you're interested in and then share your discoveries and ideas with everyone.

Phil Wed, 06/03/2020 - 17:46

Thankyou Oliver Maybe there can at last be a structured approach for newbies learning the vibes.ooh Oliver double stop is clearer here. hit two notes with the mallets of one hand, Like sliding in. Wish I could slow mo this video to the point where its done to be clear. But hey think I have the message |I'm sure I saw somewhere that technique just playing scales described as double stopping. Onwards please to structured approach to vibes teaching Perhaps include simple 2-5-1 sequences comping / melody thanks P

Oliver_M37 Wed, 06/03/2020 - 20:16

I'm glad you found it helpful! There is a lot of information on this site, and I think the most helpful place to find what you're looking for is here:

https://www.vibesworkshop.com/book/vibes-lessons-technique/tonymiceli/0…

You can also use the "search" function. I know there's a lot about 2 5 1s. For a personalized kind of structured approach, individual lessons would probably be most helpful though!

Phil Fri, 06/05/2020 - 07:44

Hello Oliver.
To me this site is not really aimed at newbies ( unless you live in the USA LOL)
Sticking with you Oliver. LIke the piano notes insert. Love the camera to be overhead ?
Guys I know this is a forum not really aimed at a structured approach for newbies
Forgive : I see that opening page bemoaning so much for guitarists and nothing for vibes.
But look at how far the best of those on line guitarist sites have come. I signed for Matt Warnock. Structured approach lesson there. I do have a guitar and I translate some of this to vibes. Because its very helpful ?? Spark another avenue for this site ? all the best P.

Paul Kreibich Thu, 06/04/2020 - 19:01

great lesson oliver. I love this sound on the vibes!

giovanniperin Sat, 07/04/2020 - 04:30

thanks for sharing Oliver.
What about adding the dampening to the grace notes and play the grace note pp? it would sound more like a glissato.
I'll work on that thanks!

Oliver_M37 Sat, 07/04/2020 - 20:51

Thanks Giovanni! To me, I'm not really trying to sound like a glissando. I'm trying to sound like Oscar Peterson, and pianists can't glissando. They also can't dampen. But I do dampen the grace notes when I want the main note to be longer (like a half or whole note), otherwise the grace note rings into the main note. Thanks for the comment!

matthewmiller Sun, 07/12/2020 - 12:58

Looking forward to spending some shed time on this. Double stops in one hand is a smart way to get this sound, it's probably the closet vibraphonists get to approximating the physical motion of a pianist playing this.

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