Ok, I'm definitely not Johnny 2 Mallet man, but I do teach students how to play with 2 mallets. Especially when they're beginning.

Here's a video to help anyone working on 2 mallet technique. Just a few tips.

One way to learn to comp on Bossa's is to listen to others do it. As a matter of fact that's the best way!

Check out the Getz/Gilberto cd I mention above, that's a classic. I talk in that article on ways to use the cd to help you learn to comp. Most of the tunes on the CD are in the real book.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE. If you get these cds let me know what you find out and learn from them. Post your comments below!

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Blue Bossa recording 3.

Blue Bossa recording 2.

I couldn't help it. I got up and was going to make a video on how to hold 2 mallets. I thought hey I'll set up the Mallet Kat and just play around with it. 4 hours later, I came up this. YOU HAVE TO PLAY IT LOUD! WARNING IT'S NOT JAZZ!

Holy Crap to be able to this with the Mallet Kat is amazing. I had chills while I was doing this. Deep down I want to be a total ROCKER. Live on a bus, NEVER EVER cut my hair or beard. You get the picture.... ZZ Top.

So check this out. All done with the Mallet Kat into Logic.

Let me know you got this.

here's your group area. we can work on stuff here. you can post audio and video and comments and notes.

Here's a pdf and accompanying audio with some short 'etudes' on comping.

I have a ton of stuff stored up over the years from teaching online. These are some short examples of comping I made for somebody somewhere!

I have audio with and without the vibes. So you can work them up and play them alone.

Get the essence of them, and see if you can play them with no accompaniment but still here the band! In order to practice comping you need to be able to do that. Hear the music inside of you.

Here are some exercises from my old practice book. I was thinking about accompaniment with lines. I realized that you have to get the left hand sort of automatic and plopping down double stops and that will give the accompaniment feeling. I do it a lot when I'm playing faster tempos.

The pdf is attached below. Also I have an mp3 which is from a midi file where you can hear each exercise.

An incredibly unmusical but important exercise. Start at the bottom of your instrument and play 1 bar of 16th notes on each note. Go all the way up and then all the way down! See how far you can go. When you can do the whole instrument your hands are in good shape.

I'll attach a pdf, but this should be pretty self explanatory.