Lines

I’m curious what other players think about playing lines on the vibes. I remember watching Gary Burton play and then seeing Milt jackson play. They played totally different and there styles were totally different.

I remember thinking that this also must tie in with their sticking, and i’ve thought about it for many years. It seems to me that if you’re going to play lines that weave like bebop lines then you’re going to use a lot of alternate sticking. That is a more 2 mallet approach even if you’re holding four. Outside of that style of playing sticking is wide open.

The great straight ahead and bebop players like Milt, Hutcherson, and others tend to be more 2 mallet players. AND with that style they’ve developed lines.

To play lines like Charlie Parker on the vibes the sticks must be ready to go anywhere, double sticking and using 4 mallets for me has hindered those sorts of lines. It seems in order to play a Parker transcription well that you need a lot of alternate sticking. That makes the technical part of playing simple. Left stick then Right stick.

I remember playing Paganini when I was in school. My teacher Nick Damico would tell me to use alternate sticking as much as possible for those fast lines and we’d consider any double sticking very carefully.

So I think it all ties in with lines and the style of lines you play. I think you’re ability to play lines with 2 mallets and alternate stick them will increase your fluidness.

Anybody agree or even disagree?