Blog

Yo guys,

Another great year with you all. I've learned and grown a lot from hanging out with all of you. I think we have an incredible 'think tank' here and I'm hoping and assuming that it's really helping the instrument as well as us as players. I know it does a ton for me!

I wonder if you guys have any vibe related resolutions for the new year?

I'm reading Marc Levin's book on theory and then also his one on voicings. He's a pretty hip cat! Here's a quote from his book:

Scales are the alphabet, not poetry, of music. You need to know the alphabet, grammar, vocabulary, spelling, and so on before you can write words, sentences, and ultimately poetry.

Everybody wish Marie-Noëlle a happy birthday!!

Happy Birthday Marie!!

Cu soon!

TJ

I"m in the Caribbean for a few more weeks. I spend my days practicing, checking out vibesworkshop, reading and gigging.

I've really been thinking about lines all the time and practicing them. I brought the Omnibook don't and am checking out Confirmation. I'm seriously thinking about going cover to cover with the book. I've done a few of the solos but not in any order. I would really love to spend a year or two checking out Parker.

Marie has been working on our online books and they are getting organized. You'll see above V-Books, that's where they are. The thing about the books part of the site is that it stays the same. The content doesn't flow like the rest of the site. So things should be in the same place all the time.

@Marie - anything to add?

Life at vanderPlas Baileo

Time to write in the blog again, tho there is not a whole lot to mention.
Life goes on as usual, yet we did change a couple of things here, both on the instruments as in the development.

I got a lot of positive remarks on the tilted bars of the carbonVibe, so I decided to also have the gigVibe available with this enormously comfortable layout. You now have the choice of either fixed flat bars or fixed tilted at an angle of 3 degrees. It is incredible how much that increases comfort.

Well, I didn't get much activity on my Ed Saindon playlists, but I've been really enjoying having them playing the background while I work. So I created a playlist of Tony's videos -- http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8693AD6521EF4387 -- 45 videos. Enjoy!

Tom P.

A friend of mine, who knows I am into vibes, sent this to me.

"Today, Studio 602 at Pencils.com is proud to introduce our first Blackwing Featured Musician and the inaugural episode of The Blackwing Sessions, a series that will showcase how using a Blackwing pencil inspires art and facilitates the creative process.

While I'm sitting out here in the Caribbean I'm checking the site and messing around with some of the lessons. I hope you guys can see what heavy stuff has gone up over the past couple weeks.

As a novice, rock / blues rhythm guitarist (who has always loved, and wished he could play jazz), I was searching around on YouTube, looking for 'Vince Guaraldi' in an attempt to play along with 'Christmas Time Is Here', my absolute favorite Holiday number.

I come across this mind numbing performance by this rockin' roll looking guy, who is really tearing it up, kicking it hard .. Playing all parts himself, including this awesome ongoing solo that rings right out. Truly rocking right out ... all on ... a Vibraphone!?!?! Eddie Van Halen, Joe Satriani and Steve Vai all rolled into one.