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Playing melodic phrasing with Cells and Upper Structures

Hi everyone, I'm attaching a pdf hand out I used recently for a clinic. In it I go through an example of how one might use a combination of Cells and Upper Structure Triads to create tension and release for playing melodic lines and phrases through your improvisations!

If there are any questions please do not hesitate to ask!

Enjoy!

Hey guys!

Hey Vibes workshop!

Just wanted to apologize for being out for a while and letting some of the books content back up. With everything from college auditions, internships and being in a world class indoor drumline that rehearsed all weekend every weekend for the past 6 months I've been a bit overwhelmed.

In the good news section, I'm going to Miami University (Miami of Ohio) for percussion and composition and I also recently traded out my Dynasty 4.3 synthetic marimba for a Demorrow 5 octave rosewood practice marimba. Hoping to get some stuff up for you guys in the next couple days.

Question for Gary About His Grip

I notice that there are players who use the Burton Grip and use the 2 inside mallets for their lines. I always thought that was weird for a couple of reasons, the main one being that I have a feeling if the right inside mallet was better that Gary would be using it in that way.

I do think though if you are going to play that way you need to really work on that right outside mallet. My grip is different in a small way, and I use the inside mallets and I work also really hard on the outside mallets.

Office Hours

Ok, I know I come up with lots of ideas, and some don't make it. But heres another one.

I think I'm going to try and do office hours, like we do in college. Maybe pick a night and do a few 45 minute sessions with anyone that needs help with something.

Don't think of this as a lesson exactly, this is where I just help you with one thing you're working on. Maybe try and get you over a hump.

Something that Joe Lovano said...

I saw a workshop with Joe Lovano in my neighborhood last week and something he said kinda stuck with me. It was a little question and answer session between the sets and someone had asked about this apartment that Kenny Werner had in Brooklyn (I think this was in the 80's)that they used to hang at. It was surrounded on all sides by a vacant lot, so they would hang and play all night long. What this reminded me of seems really simple, but crucial; they used to play ALL THE TIME.