intermediate

Here's an interesting study. Print this etude out and learn it. At some point you should realize what tune it is.

Then realize that there are no roots in the chords except at the beginning and at one spot where I added it by mistake. Hopefully this should give you some insight into some of the things we've been talking about. That is playing chords without the roots and using the upper extensions to make the harmony.

Here's another etude over the tune 'My One and Only Love'. You put the chords in. It's a chord etude based on quarter notes.

You can see the top note of the chord and the up and down of the melody. You can see where there's a chord and maybe it doesn't have an important note in it, but then on the next beat that chords there. You'll be working on inversions and voice leading.

Here are some ideas for using voicings made from 5ths and 6ths. There is a pdf file that goes along with this that gives most possible interval combinations. Some of the last few on the pdf are very dissonant but might have their use. If you come up with some more ideas for chord/voicing relationships, please "pass them on in".

The lesson demonstrates some comping patterns and ideas to get you started on playing in a ChaCha groove. All the patterns are over a ii-V7 vamp (Amin7-D7). You could use these patterns over songs like Oye Como Va and Soul Sauce.

Here's a lesson on the tune Conception by George Shearing.

There's a chord melody etude, and a chord study. I also have a chord analysis. That is the chord melody with the bass notes. You should try and go through the tune and put the chords in yourself before you look at the other etudes. You will learn a lot doing it this way.

Above is a link to the video where I talk about the tune and four mallet playing.

This is a great lesson to check out. It's interesting to see how much David knows about the instrument.

Here is my attempt at playing my transcription's of ed saindon Blues in F.
I have made a full transcription of it, but still can't play it till the end...
practice, practice...I hope to put a better version soon !

Here is a quick and dirty lesson on "Bubblehouse" by Medeski Martin and Wood from the album "Shack-Man". Stefan had requested more beginner stuff so this is what came to mind. It was a jammy-jam type of song that was popular when I was a tween in college. It was one of the first songs I heard and said "I can play that" and just walked over to the vibes and started banging it out. I busted it it out a few times when stuck jamming with rocker guitarists/bassists who don't know any songs. "Ok just play G minor.... :)"

Here are a few ideas demonstrated for practicing Drop 2 Lessons 1 & 2. This is not just for 4 mallet guys.

Hope this helps.

p.s. I forgot to talk about using these scale patterns to go through 4 mallet permutations (1234, 4321, 1243 etc)