This little tune is titled Tribute. It is arranged here for 4 mallet solo vibes. Beginning students should find this piece an excellent example of how to play a melody with accompaniment on the vibes. It’s not technically difficult, but it is a good sounding piece, suitable for performance. The audio example below includes some improvisation too. It’s important to note that you don’t have to obtain super technique to get a nice full sound.

Check out the clip:

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A pdf of the arrangement can be printed HERE

Work out the written part slowly until you can play it confidently. Then try to improvise your own version using the chord symbols. Try to keep the same full sound that you get when playing the arrangement. You might start out by playing the written voicings and make up your own melody. Listen to the audio clip to get ideas.

This piece is the first movement from Sonata no. 1 of Bach’s Sonatas and Partitas for solo Violin. It fits perfectly on vibes so no adjustments to the arrangement are required. In fact, all of the music in the collection make excellent solo vibe pieces.

There is lots of mallet dampening you can do to create independence within the lines. Because the lines and chords are often widely spaced, your 4 mallets will come in handy to reach for notes at the top and bottom ends of the vibes. Spend time choosing the best sticking possible.

You can download the manuscript HERE. The tempo is very slow, with metronome set at about 50 for the 8th notes. As always, work to get the piece to sound a full and resonant as possible, but make sure the lines sound clean. Don’t let note ring together that shouldn’t.

This is a transcription of Bach’s 2 part invention no. 13. The range has been adjusted to 3 octaves so it can be played on vibes and marimba. The 2 parts are 90% arpeggios, and  using 4 mallets will make it easier to execute the lines. You can download the manuscript [HERE].

The legendary Leigh Howard Stevens once remarked that even easy pieces in piano literature can be difficult for marimbists and vibists. And so it is true here. Bach’s 2 Part Inventions were written for beginning piano students, but make  challenging pieces for mallet players.

I usually practice this piece without using the pedal. I prefer the “dry” sound so I can really hear each note. However, adding the pedal can make the piece sound very full and resonant. Because of all the arpeggios you’ll find that letting the chord tones ring together creates a very satisfying sound.

Here is a brand new solo piece for vibes to start off the new year! It’s based on a tune I wrote several months ago and includes 2 complete choruses plus an intro and ending. The pedaling and dampening are not specifically marked but you should find it fairly easy to figure out what to do. The audio demo should help you out.

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The tempo marking is just a guideline. The piece will sound good slower or faster. It’s up to you.
There’s not a lot of mallet dampening, but be sure to use it at bars 14 and 36 in the left hand. And also at bars 46 – 51 in the melody.
You can print down the music here:
Print the arrangement

What would the Holidays be without a little Bach? All the hustle bustle of our commercialized Christmas is immediately quieted for me when I hear Bach. His Christmas Oratorios are perennial favorites.
This Bouree is an easy piece for 4-mallet vibe players and really sounds great. Take a minute to listen:

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You can print the manuscript HERE

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This new piece for solo vibes is designed to help develop single hand mallet dampening skills. If you’re not sure what single hand mallet dampening is you can check out an earlier post on that topic HERE.
To get started listen to the piece:

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Continue reading 'Mallet Dampening Etude and Exercise'»

Duke’s popular tune “Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me” makes a nice solo piece for vibes. Here’s a short video demonstration:

This is a good example of a basic solo arrangement for vibes. Mallet dampening should be used on the melody to keep the notes from running together. You won’t be able to use the pedal on the melody line because it will be down to allow the chord voicings to ring.
A pdf of the arrangement is available HERE

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Here’s an arrangement for vibes of a tune titled “Minha Saudaude”. I got it from Mike Metheny after hearing his group perform it a few times. The melody is somewhat syncopated and fits well with a simple 2 feel accompaniment. The melody has some wide intervals, and is easier to play if you use both mallets in your right hand. Listen to the audio example:

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You’ll need to “flutter” the pedal a lot to keep the numerous half steps in the melody from ringing together. Try to get the melody to sound as clean as possible.

A pdf of the music is available HERE.

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This is a basic arrangement for vibes or marimba of the popular jazz standard “Afternoon in Paris”. It demonstrates a couple different ways to accompany a melody – using a counter line or a block chord. It also employs a simple pedal point for the left hand during the bridge. View the demonstration video below.

A PDF of the arrangement can be downloaded HERE. So print down a copy and try it out!

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Bach’s collection of sonatas and partitas are tailor made for vibes. All of these pieces fit within the vibe’s 3 octave range, and many of them are multi-line with 3 and 4 part voicings which sound great on vibes or marimba. In fact, leading classical marimba players such as Leigh Howard Sevens and Gordon Stout have performed the sonatas and partitas in concerts and on recordings.

A sample video and a downloadable PDF of the manuscript are available below. Continue reading 'Solo Violin Music for Vibes'»