DAVID STORY PIANIST, DRUMMER, SYNTHESIST, MALLET PERCUSSIONIST
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Music in the 5th Decade

Three days, 5 Drum kit performances. Did my body hold up?

5/26/2025

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  1. Friday night rehearsal Upper Canada Brass Band
  2. Saturday morning Kerr Street Big Band
  3. Saturday night Upper Canada Brass Band concert
  4. Sunday morning service with the Metropolitan Brass Band
  5. Sunday afternoon doors open concert with the Metropolitan Brass Band
​
Did my body hold up? No, it did not, so I won't do that again. At age 30 maybe I could have managed it, but at age 66 no way. And I'm in shape. But the fatigue made my mind foggy. 

Today's practice. 
It was a slow day because my upper back muscles are sore. I spent a few minutes reviewing the 4-mallet minor rootless voicings. Then I practiced some tunes for this summer's upcoming concerts in Muskoka. 
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performance day TO DAY

5/24/2025

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It will be a slow day for practice because this morning I'm playing in the Kerr Street Big Band, then teaching in Mississauga and finally performing tonight with Upper Canada Brass in Markham. Tonight besides my drum kit duties I have one vibraphone solo!
 
However, on the drive I will have the opportunity to listen to music. 

Count Basie, Live at the Sands
Buddy Rich, Big Swing Face
Modern Jazz Quartet with Sonny Rollins
Gary Burton with Chich Corea, Pat Metheny, Roy Haynes, and Sonny Rollins.

I believe that listening is practicing. So it will be a good day for practice.  

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Summertime, Wes Montgomery

5/23/2025

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I changed it up today by working on ragtime and classical techniques from the books below. Then I went through 12 keys of major rootless voicings to a backing track at a moderate tempo. So far, so good. However, the rootless ii V i progressions are slow to stick in my old head. But, I'm not giving up. 
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I finished by jamming with Wes Montgomery's version of Summertime. It has some groovy chords. ​
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Scale Practice and Broken chords

5/22/2025

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Today I'm warming up on major, dominant, and phrygian bebop scales. Then I practice the 60 jazz chords with a half step pick up. I will use a metronome to give me real time feedback of my timing precision. 
But mostly, I must practice drums becuase I have 3 drumming events and 2 rehearshals this weekend. 

Friday evening: Dress rehearsal with Upper Canada Brass
Saturday morning: Kerr Street Big Band rehearshal
Saturday evening: Upper Canada Brass concert
Sunday morning: Church service with the Metropolitan Silver band
Sunday afternoon: doors open concnert with the Metropolitan Silver Band

Sunday evening I will go to bed early. 
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How to make the malletkat play expressively

5/19/2025

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Holiday weekend and I took 2 days off. 

The challenge with a malletkat is playing it expressively. (This is note an easy task.) When I listen back to my practice recordings I can hear my expressive flatness, especially when playing unaccompanied. So, this week my quest is to play more expressively. 

Step 1: I set the minimum volume on the vibes to 6. This gives me more control at the lower dynamic level. 
Step 2: I spent some time playing the broken 60 jazz chords with a crescendo going up and a diminuendo going down. I did the same with scales. 
Step 3: I pulled out some easy classical piano pieces and focused on playing them expressively. I become more aware of the feel of the mallets at the softer dynamic. Did I succeed in playing more expressively? Sometimes. Tomorrow I will experiment with different mallets. 
Step 4: I jammed on Blue Moon
Ella's version was relaxed and swingin'. The arrangement had some sophisticated harmony. 
Tommy's version was irresistible and much more fun and swinging. The A section has a descending bass line that goes CBAGFEDG.  
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21 Days

5/16/2025

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1. All melodic minor scales, 2 octaves
2. All major scales in 3rds, 2 octaves
3. 60, 2nd inversion broken jazz chords
4. Rootless voicings to tunes below. 
5. 2 octave arpeggios on C major7, C7, Cm7, Db major 7, Db7.
6. Ear training. I learned Afro Blue from the original recording. Corrected the key and the fake book melody. 
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It is getting closer

5/15/2025

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1. Major scales in 4ths, 2 octaves
2. 60 jazz chords, close position, blocked
​3. 60 jazz chords, open position, blocked
4. Spent some time practicing close position diminished 7th chords. G and C diminished 7ths are awkward in root position with 4 mallets. 
I enjoyed listening to these 2 videos on my early morning walk. The conclusion? Learn the mechanics of your instrument and then transcribe like crazy. The second conclusion? You don't need another book, you need to practice more of what you've got. 
Today's practice videos.
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23 and counting

5/14/2025

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1. Alternating 3rds scale patterns
2. 60 broken Jazz chords
3. I spent a lot of time on practicing 4 note rootless dominant chords. First, I went around the circle of 5ths, 2nd I played them chromatically. 
4. I missed the band practice because my car was in the shop.

​It wasn't a great day. 
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24 days out, feedback

5/12/2025

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I was listening to the rehearshal recordings for a second time. I have room for improvement. 

On the good side my musical instincts are good. 
On the rough side my phrasing and time needs urgent work. As you know, I teach piano. All day long I implore my students to phrase beautifully and listen carefully to the pulse and their relationship to it. My needs work on this instrument.

Here is what I heard listening to Blue Bossa. 
  • The introduction was interesting.
  • The head was ok, but it was a little flat emotionally because the dynamic range was too compressed, especially at the ends of the phrases. I'll work on that tomorrow at practice. 
  • The time in the solo was a little loose. Therefore, I will spend more time recording with the metronome.

Today's technical regime. 
  • Etudes from the Morris Goldenberg book.
  • Scales in alternating patterns
  • Broken 60 Jazz chords in 3rd inversion
  • 48 7th chord, 2 octave arpeggios
  • Worked on stickings in a classical piece. 

Repertoire
​Desmond is in G minor
​
theme from Black Orpheus in E minor
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25 Days out

5/12/2025

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I celebrated Mother's day with my mother. See you tomorrow. 
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