The Ulimate 4 Mallet Book / we're not pianos
I did a silly quick and dirty video on my thoughts about bach, but messing around with his fugue in the second sonata, i think that the violing partitas and sonatas which are polyphonic are the ultimate guides for 4 mallet playing.
Vibe players all talk about being pianistic, however i don't think that's the answer. The more I listen to Gary Burton the less he sounds like a piano. Piano players don't play like that. On the other hand I get why we say that and what we're trying a accomplish with that. Smooth Lines, moving the harmony.
Bach can do it with one voice. Move harmony and make great melodies. I always feel that if I can move harmony with a single voice like he does, then the 4 mallets are icing on the cake.
Then play one of his Violin fugues. Damn look how he moves 3 and 4 voices around on a violin. That's the answer right there for me to playing 4 mallets. True independance is not what our instrument is about (unless someone can change that). We have to steal and borrow from the other hands. Exactly what violinists are doing (in their way) when they play polyphonic Bach music.
So that's my 2 cents. I'm not Johnny Bach Man here so I'm curious what others have to say about it. But i think the Violin Partitas and Sonatas book blows away any other 4 mallet book I've seen. And then the music is spectacular. A study in bebop. Bach along side of Charlie Parker is one of the ultimate bebop masters. He would totally get 'Donna Lee'.
What do you think?
Vibe players all talk about being pianistic, however i don't think that's the answer. The more I listen to Gary Burton the less he sounds like a piano. Piano players don't play like that. On the other hand I get why we say that and what we're trying a accomplish with that. Smooth Lines, moving the harmony.
Bach can do it with one voice. Move harmony and make great melodies. I always feel that if I can move harmony with a single voice like he does, then the 4 mallets are icing on the cake.
Then play one of his Violin fugues. Damn look how he moves 3 and 4 voices around on a violin. That's the answer right there for me to playing 4 mallets. True independance is not what our instrument is about (unless someone can change that). We have to steal and borrow from the other hands. Exactly what violinists are doing (in their way) when they play polyphonic Bach music.
So that's my 2 cents. I'm not Johnny Bach Man here so I'm curious what others have to say about it. But i think the Violin Partitas and Sonatas book blows away any other 4 mallet book I've seen. And then the music is spectacular. A study in bebop. Bach along side of Charlie Parker is one of the ultimate bebop masters. He would totally get 'Donna Lee'.
What do you think?
posted by Tony at
12:32 PM
1 Comments:
i'm with you! singers have the hardest time going from piano to vibes!!!!
you know we should be able to move the harmony with 2 notes, damn even one. a single line. that's bach! that's what i try and teach the students first. then when you can do that you can add mallets and you're not under pressure!!!
By
Tony, at 8:12 PM
Post a Comment
<< Home