General

Hey Folks,
I was thinking about something that I think is worth talking about on the site: Looking up from the vibes once in a while when playing.

To me, communication with the other members of the band in real time is a huge part of the music on the bandstand. When I first started playing I looked down 100% of the time. It's hard not to, we can't feel the notes!

I know this was posted on the Virtual Vibraphone Day of Percussion, but I thought it might not have been available to all Vibeworkshoppers. I wanted to demonstrate playing "Scrapple" solo, comping the melody and playing a solo, concentrating on clear melodic lines and consistent time; a tremendous challenge to all who attempt solo vibraphone playing, especially playing a bebop tune and making it swing.

Jazz Festival in Bonn, Duo Improvisation

A brief rendition of the classic "Over The Rainbow" that utilizes harmony from Keith Jarrett's beautiful version. The arrangement features a modulation from Eb to F to Db. For a copy of the arrangement (melody and harmony), here's the link: http://www.scribd.com/doc/113437494/Over-the-Rainbow-Reharm-Modulation

It's a new year, and after being so inspired at WVC, I want to make a resolution.

Every morning, I spend time exercising before heading to work. I only have a few minutes so it's never a full workout, just some pushups or jumping jacks to start the day. I've been doing this awhile and it's a great habit, so now I want to do the same with music. I can certainly afford to wake up a couple minutes earlier to make time for vibes.

Am a BIG fan !

Here's an improvisational technique of creating a solo based upon the use of tension resolution. This excerpt (pages 68-71) from The Complete Guide To Improvisation showcases a step by step process of creating a solo on the standard "All The Things You Are". This improv technique can create rich, forward moving lines that sound the changes while avoiding licks. I use this concept with my students and get good results fairly quickly. Other solos in the book include "Stella By Starlight" and "All Of Me".

Help! I'm trying to figure out how to get good sound on video. Please skip the mic placement advice, I know about that. This is worse than that. I need help with equipment and programs. I have Macbook, Garage Band, good mics, 2-channel Focusrite digital interphase that I'm using. I just go directly from the headphone jack of the interface to the mic jack of the canon camera. I tried using Garage Band and Imovie but I had a delay problem/sync between the video and audio. How can I learn this?

Bela Fleck traveled to Africa to make a film and perform with local musicians. This excerpt features a giant marimba. The resonating chamber is a hole dug in the ground. The enormous hand carved bars a placed over the hole. I've never seen anything like it!