I've been transcribing parts of a Chick solo. What's great about these programs is that some of Chick's licks are hard to play. Now I can slow everything down and play the line and then work up the speed.

I thought that might be a great way for some of you guys to learn hard tunes like Donna Lee.

My keyboard is set up to send instructions to Amazing Slow Downer, so play the lick and then hit a key and it speeds up. That's how we practice anyway right? Play it slow and then a little faster and then faster until we have it up to tempo.

I just got all excited because I counted 560 Lesson on this site. It's a rough count, but even at 500, that's amazing. I really think there's 3 or 4 years of study here now!

As of July 2009 there are 560 lessons here.

I posted this etude. (See Check this out).

I put a link to it above so if you reply to this page it will keep it in the classroom.

Check out the etude. We talked about this in the workshop.

In other words if you come back to this page and post comments it's just in the classroom and private to us.

I played this on the KAT. It's a stride vibes etude. I stuck to just the chords so you could see how the sticks move and the way the bounce goes. I also slowed it down so you could hear clearly. The tempo should be a little quicker.

A good friend of mine is studying the tune Black Orpheus. He asked me to to come up with a little etude to help him work on the tune. So here it is.

Again I left the chords out. You should put them in and then study the changes and what's happening. Then play the etude. It would be great if you memorized at least the first chorus.

I'm really excited because our first 'classroom' is up and running.

I love working on music and playing. I used to go to my mentor Steve Giordano's house once or twice a week and we'd play from 9 at night until 5 in the morning. Sometimes later. I loved driving home in morning while everyone was on there way to work, knowing that I had the opportunity to stay up all night and play and study music. That was worth a lot or money to me! That is the sacrifice of a steady income, which is a very difficult way to live.

I definitely don't want to play with him when he's 15!

What's really cool is he didn't know how to play 4s and was just learning on the gig right there. But this is a little Gary Burton on Guitar.

Remember he's 11 years old.

I'm sure it's no suprise to any of you that I'm not too cool with holidays, especially birthdays.

But now that I have all these friends and have to run this site, I decided to be cool. And as an exercise I thought I would thank everyone in Marie's birthday post this morning. Hopefully I didn't skip anyone!

The great thing about this birthday, is that I have hundreds of new friends and they're all vibes players! that's pretty cool.

So Thanks guys.

There would be so much to say about Tony Miceli…

Hmm... sure he’s not (yet) a super star. Not a top model. He readily and openly describes himself as a little overweight and sometimes even a bit tactless. He only has his little basement and his strange tee-shirts to show. No crown, no strass, no show off attitude.

But man he holds a real treasure inside: a big bear’s heart, an unfailing sense of brotherhood, honesty and bravery, a great sense of humour, far enough madness for fun… and a huge talent as vibist, musician, and teacher…