Improvisation

Learning how to make music in the moment

Improvisation means creating music spontaneously. It is a kind of letting go and trusting your musical impulses. However, it can also be quite structured, where those impulses work within a designated notes and rhythms. This is what jazz musicians do.

Whether you are predisposed to become a classical violinist, jazz musician or opera buff, learning how to improvise is a joyful and empowering part of anyone’s musical development. With a bit of scaffolding, you will be able to experience the rewards of creating music in the moment.

You will learn how to:

• improvise tunes on the black keys over a rhythmic accompaniment

• choose from a “menu” of notes in various scales and modes to create melodies on the spot

• learn chord progression patterns and how to create melodies over them

• orchestrate rhythmic improvisations using pitched and unpitched percussion

• Invent musical dialogues and call and response patterns

Example:

The teacher plays a 2 note accompaniment on the piano that is reminiscent of camels in the desert. Using a menu of 7 particular notes (C-D-Eb-F#-G-Ab-B), the student creates a tune reminiscent of Egyptian music. The joint improvisation effectively transports the listener to the Mideast.