I've been playing scales 15 minutes a day and totally digging what I'm coming up with. I like being good at alternate sticking which I means I do that the most. So I've been forcing myself to come up with double stickings for scales. I can feel it in my muscles when I do these scales and some of them are tricky.

Instead of doing everything around major modes I've been messing around with different modes mainly for the sounds.

Here are two scales and there sticking.

For the one in Ab start (of course) with L and then start with R. Actually this is G Locrian, right?

We all struggle with time. HA HA in both ways, time in music and time to practice.

Hi all this is a one of my tunes from the last cd. I made this video when it came out a while back and then forgot about it, so I thought I would share. Fun project of originals. I'm no photographer but it was fun to catch the vibes with candles in low light. Personnel is me on vibes, drums, percussion and keyboards, Kim Pensyl-trumpet and Mike Sharfe-bass
Hope you enjoy.
Rusty

Play it. Can you follow it with a chorus of your own that sounds somewhat similar to this? It's ok to work it all out. This is studying!

You know what to do. Write in all the names of the chords and then play the etude.

Do etudes like this help you? At least you hear the changes and hear the tune, right?

The debut CD of the MetroWest Jazz Project, Phrydig Aire, is now available. It features me (Tom Phelan) on vibes, with Doug Sondak on alto sax and flute, Ed Conley on drums and Benedikt Obermayer on bass. All original tunes.

You can get it from a variety of sources:

HEllo everyone.. its been a bit since i posted on the site. Im excited to post this ....

My debut cd's is scheduled to release on Hammondbeat records as of june 21st. Preorders start June 6th, via emusic, amazon,and itunes. Anyone interested in purchasing the cd can also order directly thru www.hammondbeat.com. Sound samples are available thru " soundcloud".

or if you want to purchase the cd directly thru me send me an email at tmacaoidh@gmail.com

Just received a copy of Emil Richards' autobiography and I'm really enjoying the read. He was (and still is) one busy guy! Here is a link if you are interested:

http://www.amazon.com/Wonderful-World-Percussion-Life-Behind/dp/1593932…