all-levels

For me the ability to phrase on the vibraphones is essential to communicating one's musical message. Nuance of attack, length of notes, dynamics within 2,3 or 4 notes, combining legato, staccato within a phrase, varying space within ideas; all these nuances are tools and when used musically, give your message life and depth. I love working on these concepts using changes to standards or just playing free. I've chosen rhythm changes here because they're familiar, and a medium swing feel. Swinging eighth notes are also a way to phrase lines.

I’ll Remember April in Bb using my Mallet Kat and Boss RC-3 loop pedal as accompaniment.

Steve Roehm Vibes
JT Bates Drums
Chris Bates Bass

A moment underneath my deck in Minnesota this past fall.
We're playing a tune of mine called "Cluster Cuss". I'm joined by the
amazing Bates brothers.

Steve Roehm Vibes
JT Bates Drums
Chris Bates Bass

A moment underneath my deck in Minnesota this past fall.
We're playing a tune of mine called "Cluster Cuss". I'm joined by the
amazing Bates brothers.

Hey everyone,

I'm starting a new series on solo vibes arranging, where in the first part, I'll give an arrangement in the form of sheet music, and in the second part, I'll walk through it, note by note, explaining why and how I'm picking voicings, textures, etc. I hope this gives everyone ideas on arranging tunes on their own, as well as giving a tangible arrangement to play on gigs or for practice.

As this is the second part on "Easy to Love," I'll be posting an explanation video.

Here's a short clip of me playing the 18th etude from David Friedman's Vibraphone book. Please excuse the unintended cluster at the beginning of the 4 mallet section!

Here's a short video of me talking about a few different basic harmonic minor ideas and tonalities. I talk about the scale, go over the chord definitions and chord scales/voicings, and then spend a little time on a short loop play-along that's attached below!

The play-along is really just a ii-V-i loop in C harmonic minor, there are a few passing chords thrown in.

This is the piano accompaniment I played when I recently posted a version of "I Remember April. Jen asked me to post it. There's an 8 bar intro over D7sus. for 4 bars and Ab Major 7#11 (or G phrygian) for 4 bars.

Download the attachment for general background and notation of the bell pattern.

In an effort to practice soloing over a tune with few chord changes, I limited myself to only certain chord tones every chorus of Impressions until I've added them all.