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This is a series of ideas, ways and techniques for you to consider when playing solo.

This is really open to other faculty and other pro players on the site. I'd love to get something from some of these other amazing players and put together a comprehensive series on solo playing!!!

Under ALL LESSONS are some examples of people playing solo. (If I've missed anything please let me know).

Then there are lessons specific to each players level.

Here's a 2 part study of the tune solar. In part 1 I teach you the tune. In part 2 we talk a little more about it and we play together through the tune in a couple different keys.

If you work on the lesson plan, your final exam :-) is to play solar in a different key and upload it here!

The Theme from Law & Order, as performed by my band TUCKSY. This will also be on our upcoming record "Let's Start The Show".

Dan McCarthy, vibes
Tuey Connell, banjo
Dan Loomis, bass
Fred Kennedy, drums

www.tucksy.com

A video of my band TUCKSY performing at Caffe Vivaldi in NYC. The tune is called Nothing Is Lost, and it is on our upcoming record "Let's Start The Show".

Dan McCarthy, vibes
Tuey Connell, banjo
Dan Loomis, bass
Fred Kenedy, drums

www.tucksy.com

Everyone says to avoid hitting the bars at the nodes. Well, I wanted to see what it would sound like in a musical context. Enclosed is my experiment. The idea was to play over Am on the nodes in one phrase, then answer over other changes with a more hollow tone on the middle of the bars. Playing at the nodes is neat because you can hit it hard and hear the attack of the mallet but the notes sound like they are in the distance or as if a low-pass filter is applied to the sound. Does anyone else use this technique?

I'm just not sure how to implement it!

I thought about get 2 choruses at a specific tempo from as many players as i can and then make a blues train.

Man, if we had 40 or 50 players each playing 2 choruses of the blues, with their info on the screen and video or a photo.

that could be a great way to get to know everybody here.

what do you vibists think.

Real quick, I never have time to write in depth reviews. But I'm listening to Tom Beckham's CD and thought I'd mention it here. It's a great CD with really great playing! You guys should check it out.

Maybe Tom will post a track here and lead sheet!

I think we might go overboard sometimes by suggesting that there is only one legitimate improvisational language in music and it comes from Bebop/blues/jazz. We tend to require some historical quote from the "jazz language" or it is ignored or labeled that it doesn't speak and isn't legit music. Sometimes we can be a bit closed minded to the point of prejudice with the idea that everyone has to play "jazz/bebop/blues" to be worth anything as an improviser.

At last, I found a video clip of Victor Feldman playing vibes! This is from an old TV program called Frankly Jazz. The first tune I don't know the name of, but it features Feldman on vibes, Jimmy Rowles on piano, Kenny Dennis on drums and Bob Whitlock on bass.