If your Crumar can do it, just for fun, split the keyboard and put the vibes on BOTH sides, with the lower split transposed up unto the same range as the upper. Get yourself a little chord loop going, or lay down a comp for a jazz head.

Now, try playing the vibes like you have a mallet or two in each hand (so no more than two notes per hand) and try doing some lines and patterns alternating between each hand. This is a great system for doing repeated rolls on the same note, or tight intricate rhythmic patterns, things that would be quite difficult to pull off with a simple linear keyboard layout. Your fingers won’t trip over each other, and you will also hear a very clear ‘left/right’ kind of feel to the playing, which a vibe player certainly has…

It’s also a great trick for many, many sounds, things like steel drums, marimbas, kalimba, even guitars and synth sounds. Just like drumming (another great use for the split keyboard technique) there’s a tendency to be super rhythmic if you are beating out a patter with both hands compared to playing a line with one hand and five fingers! Think of Stevie, and that incredible two handed clavinet stuff he does…

It isn’t just for trying to emulate another instrument (although it’s amazing for that!) but it may very well lead you into new ways of playing, new types of licks and phrases that you would normally never try on a linear sound.

It’s one of my go to tricks when I’m trying to break free of my more familiar licks and playing style, and look for something fresh. 🎹😎