I use a metronome a lot. You know some people are against using metronomes. And some of those people don't have good time. If a musician with great time is against metronomes, then ok, we disagree. But if you don't have great time and your against using a metronome then I don't get it. It would be a great tool for you in my opinion.

So here's an example of how I use it. I take a tune I'm working on and slow down the tempo. In this case the tune is in 3/4. I have the metronome hit on 1 and I play.

I talk about studying 13th chords via a blues.

Attached is a PDF of an etude you can practice to work on your 13th chords. ALL KEYS ALL KEYS ALL KEYS!

Here's a sample of my current morning warm ups. My warm ups are always comprised of something I'm working on and spend about 30 to 45 minutes on them and then move on to learning tunes, practicing improv or whatever but first, I warm up with my current challenge goal. I stick with a particular warm up subject each day for as long as it takes to really get a good grip on it. I'm just about finished with this particular one and I really enjoyed it so I thought I'd share.

hey everybody,

It's been a while that I posted something here, but Tony asked me to do some content for the site, so I will try to post regularly, probably every week. I'm very excited to get in touch with the vibesworkshop community again.

I'll start with a video I did last November. I was asked to play in the large ensemble of Nels Cline, and documented my preparing process for you. Maybe you can take a little bit for your own preparation process.

“My Foolish Heart” - Vibraphone Masterclass – Playing the melody while adding color to the harmony via various techniques. The clip features one chorus of the melody on this classic ballad. My favorite version of this song is from the great pianist Bill Evans. One of the things that my students and I work on when focusing on solo playing is to play the melody along with various techniques of accompaniment. Those accompaniment techniques help to support the melody, sound the harmony and keep the flow going. The left hand is so important in this regard.

I've probably said a lot of this before. Consider it a refresher course :-).

Here is an invaluable lesson. When you listen to someone play, vibes or any instrument, especially when they are playing solo. Listen once and then go back and snap your fingers. Listen to the time. Is it ok? Does it suck?

I record all the time at home and then go back listen and snap my fingers. Once in a while (ha ha, more than once in a while) I get done and snap and realize that that take SUCKS. Why? because my time sucks. We have to keep time, internal time.

So by keeping time with other recordings and video you are learning to keep internal time.

Thinking of Oscar Peterson’s song “Hymn To Freedom” today on MLK day. Oscar's composition was written in 1962 and was and still is a very special song for its beauty and message.

Hello all – it's been a long time since I've posted and I'm hoping to visit this website more frequently during 2018 as there's so many great musicians that take the time to criticize and encourage each other to become better artist/human beings!
Here is a piece that I recently published titled "In the Night" I was fortunate for the University of Southern Utah (under the direction of Dr. Lynn Vartan) to learn the piece and perform it! Lately, I have been getting into composition and utilizing the vibraphone in a contemporary setting!