Most Popular Lessons

Can you play this and make it sound good? 

Here's an etude of two five ones! 

I wrote in the chords but not the upper partials. You look and write in the upper partials. Play the chords and then play the solo. Is this helpful? 

The rhythm is a brazilian comping rhythm I know and have used for years. Try doing it all by yourself. It's a deceptively tricky rhythm. 

Check out the solo and the notes I'm playing. Can you learn anything from that? 

If you haven't heard about this book, check this out. 

There is a lineage of books here, a tree. 

It all starts with Zen and Art or Archery, goes to 'The Inner Game of Tennis' (great great book to read)

Goes to, 'Zen and Art or Motorcycle Maintenance'

'Effortless Mastery' I think comes from this tree of books. They are all great and Kenny's book is great. 

New Lesson Series Alert: Soloing Through the Changes 

Starting today, we’re launching an 8-part lesson series focused on helping you build clear, confident solos that outline harmony and stay rooted in the form. 

Pt. 1 – Guide Tones Over the Blues

In this first lesson, we zero in on guide tones—the essential 3rds and 7ths that define each chord’s identity. Using a 12-bar blues in F, we’ll build strong, simple melodic lines that move smoothly through the changes. No flashy licks—just solid, musical fundamentals.

🚨 Harmony Without Chords – Pt. 1: Diatonic Approaches to 3rds and 7ths

This lesson kicks off the Harmony Without Chords series by focusing on one of the most essential ideas in line construction: clearly outlining harmony using guide tones. In this first exercise, we work with diatonic approaches to the 3rd and 7th of dominant chords, avoiding chromatic notes, alterations, or upper extensions.

🚨 New Series Alert – Play a Great Blues in 3 Months

Back in January at the World Vibes Congress, I shared materials from my Working on Time series — focusing on pulse, clarity, and guide tone awareness on the vibraphone 

A lot of that material centered around one idea:

If your time and your guide tones are clear, the music makes sense.

This new 15-week track builds directly on that foundation — but now we apply it to something practical:

🎵 Playing a great blues.

Hey everyone,

Here's part 2 of my augmented scale lesson. Let me know if there are any questions!

TOTM - Israel - Playing Over The Fmaj Chord by Behn Gillece

Trying to find ways to play tunes solo. By that I mean concepts and ways to simply play tunes on the vibes and improvise your accompaniment.