vibraphone workshop

Mini-Vibraphone Workshop

This holidays I’m running a Mini Vibraphone Workshop for high school and uni students! Lots of us have a big marimba focus but rarely develop our vibes playing - so here’s a good chance! In a three hour session we’ll cover some of the fundamentals of vibraphone playing - techniques, standard repertoire, and jazz improvisation.

After the workshop, you should be better equipped to approach vibes parts or solos you'd like to work on and be ready to start playing some jazz as well!

• Date: Thursday 17th July 9am-1pm
• Location: ANU School of Music, Room 1.28
• Cost: $50 (payment on the day EFTPOS/Credit or cash accepted)

Bring some vibes mallets (or the closest you have) and any vibraphone music or parts you're working on. We'll have lots of vibraphones set up so everyone will get plenty of chances to play and try out new ideas!

Schedule and Topics!

• 9am: Technique
  • grips
  • stroke
  • pedalling
  • dampening
• 10am: Repertoire
  • Friedman Études
  • Funny Vibraphone
  • Blues for Gilbert
  • Mirror From Another
  • Links for Vibraphone
  • etc!
• 11am: Coffee!
• 11:30am: Jazz Improvisation & Comping
  • Reading Chords
  • So What
  • Las Vegas Tango
  • Blue Bossa
• 1pm: Finish! Go Practice!

Why am I putting this on?

Vibraphone has always been my favourite keyboard instrument, but it doesn't have the same status as marimba for solos and isn't played as much as xylophone or glockenspiel in ensembles. I've spent years working on vibraphone playing, finding repertoire for my recitals and other concerts and improvising my own parts so that I can play vibes in ensembles! I really want to share my passion for this great instrument!

Vibraphone Mallets

Everybody at the workshop needs to have a set of their own mallets. Vibes mallets are typically more rubbery than marimba mallets with a hard-wearing acrylic yarn and rattan shafts. If you need to buy some, I would recommend the following:

• Innovative Fundamental 5.5 (a good first vibes mallet)
• Innovative Anders Åstrand AÅ25 (my usual choice - heavy compared to other mallets)
• Mike Balter Basics BB5 Vibe Mallet (these are inexpensive, but have birch shafts)

If you're buying a set - spring for two pairs of the same kind so you can play with four! The easiest way to get these is through Optimum Percussion in Sydney.