General Music Chat

i had read this when you posted it but somehow it slipped thru my mental cracks (which are sooooo wide that "cracks" is really the WRONG term to describe them!).

Learn sumpin' new every daggone day--reading really is FUNdamental. Never personally knew anyone who could play these (or who even had one), but the VIBRAphone you're playin' in the vids has a cool sound. From what I'm reading here, theoretically, I could play one of these, given the piano-like layout. Assuming, of course, I could actually find one somewheres and afford it (how much do they sell for typically on the used market?).

yep, esp if you have any "percussion chops" (i.e. you can make some acceptable noises on a drum kit, timbales, or hand drums)

the bars ARE laid out just like a keyboard....so all your musical theory and knowledge re. scales, chords, harmony, etc directly applies.

it used to be there were two schools of vibists......drummers who picked up the instrument.....and piano players. it was pretty easy to tell one from another. but for quite some time now the distinction has become blurred because many/most vibists just start out on vibes.

you can pick up a used decent three octave vibe (you don't want any less than 3 oct) starting at around $1000 and they can go up to around $6K. if you're lucky, you'll find one w a p/u system already mounted. (like mine)

i picked mine up from an estate auction about 5 yrs that was listed on ebay. i snagged it for the buy it now price of $2k. i thought i was buying a Deagan 592 (as was listed) that has no pickups....and $2K was a great price! but when it arrived, i was head over heel pleasantly surprised to learn it was in fact a DEAGAN 594....same vibe but w the addition of this great p/u system DEAGAN had come up w back in the day!

i saw one of these same models for sale recently for $4200!

if you're seriously thinking about picking one up (you know...for all those jazz gigs you're getting to play there in Tampa!!!!) i'd be happy to share more about what you should be looking for and what you should avoid.

Now can you tell me a little more about those "gtrs" thingies? I've seen/heard guys beatin' on 'em and producing some obnoxious (how often do you get to use that word in a sentence?) sounds, but I was thinkin' there must be a more nimble way to manipulate 'em.

i don't know about none of that.....i only have them and they're just up on that wall to cover some nasty water stains!

Nah, it's all good--I was married once, so have considerable experience w/ being ignored.

I actually did search for these, and found they are mostly nonexistent on the used market (I like to buy used, go figure). The ones I did see (on eBay) were in the price range you note--even the broken ones (ouch!). It'd be fun to learn how to play the vibes, but for that much moolah, I could get a really nice piano or workstation thingy, which usually has a tone bank for such instruments. Actually, my Korg has vibes, marimbas, etc.--just never used 'em. (As an aside, all the instruments on the cuts I have posted came out of my Korg. I've fooled lotsa folks w/ the harmonica in New Frontier.) My Roland has a couple vibe tones, but they aren't very good; I use the Roland as the anchor in my rig 'cause I like the keybed, and midi in tones from the Korg. (Interestingly, I noticed a (significantly) broken Roland FP-8 sold for ~$350; odd considering used DPs typically don't command that much, even when in working condition. Guess other folks like that keybed, too.)

What you say vis-a-vis percussionists vs. pianists makes sense. One of the toughest things for most pianists to learn is touch sensitivity; playing 'heavy' is typically counterproductive. I know I sound much better when I ease off and use electronics to enhance the phrasing. I noticed that w/ Dave Samuels--he's far more expressive than percussive. I kinda get that from your vids, too. Dunno which is considered preferable, but I know which sounds better to me.

Nah, it's all good--I was married once, so have considerable experience w/ being ignored.

DP, i know the jazz scene is pretty dismal there..... perhaps you should consider some gigs doing some standup schtick. I'd say that you COULD quit yer day job!