I was messing around with dampening yesterday and discovered a cool trick to make a "bending" sort of sound.

Basically, (1) play any note at a low volume, then (2) play the note a half step or a whole step above at a higher volume and immediately dampen it after with the same mallet you hit it with. The effect is that you hear the sequence E-F-E (e.g.) as three distinct but smoothly connected notes, even though you've only attacked two.

THE HANG IS HERE CLICK HERE

A very special hang this Sunday at 12 noon. Unlike the other vibe hangs, this is a pro hang. I picked 4 great vibe players and asked them to come and play for about 30 minutes. So it's a little more like a sort of concert.

This week will be myself, Behn Gillece, Anthony Smith and Randy Sutin.

It's online so you can watch at home. If you are in the Philly area and want to come buy, just let me know in advance.

Here's part 3 of lessons where the focus is the process of learning a tune. I'm using Coltrane's "countdown" as the example.

Hi all – sometimes it's intimidating to post – because there are so many GREAT musicians/vibist on this site – but I see it as motivating. Please know: I am practicing an audio software for a class that I teach and thought it would be a good idea to record my efforts on the piece by Tony Miceli titled "watermarks" only up the improv section! anyway there's obviously accuracy issues and this week I'll slow it down get into the woodshed and workout phrasing issues – but let me know what you think anyway. (Especially Tony) thanks for commenting if you have time

This is a piece from a french guitarist named Thierry Lujan. Saudade in brazilian means Nostalgia. I try again and again to be correct with time feel in soloing. If it's work in soloing, much easier with the band this will be.( Man .... ! I speak like Yoda now ! I can't wait the release of Star Wars 7 )

Had some fun yesterday in the home studio playing the classic "On the Sunnyside of the Street" on marimba and hi hats.

"Alfonsina y el mar" is an argentinian song written by Ariel Ramírez which I adapted to vibes from a flamenco guitar arrangement by Marcos Teira. The original rhythm is the zamba, from Argentina, but I play a flamenco rhythm called bulería, using the vibraphone like a guitar with arpeggios and dampened chords. The form is AAB and I played a little impro in the second AA. I hope you like it. Cheers!!!

Ton