- Each exercise examines fundamental aspects of music and improvisation. It's a focused method of exploring the millions of ways to say "Let's try this."
- They give the conscious mind something to focus on during an improvisation, which allows freer access to intuitive knowledge.
- They create a group awareness of improvisational and musical possibilities, a common musical language that everyone knows and can use.
- They develop a common language for talking about improvisation.
- They can be used by any number of people in any instrumental combination, regardless of the level of skill or experience.
Staying within the rules of the game requires a certain amount of discipline, (which is in itself an interesting learning experience), but the most important thing is to have fun! Play with ideas, try as many variations as you can think up. Remember that a choice that doesn't work can provide as much information as one that does.
Once you get the feel of it, you'll find it’s easy to create exercises that reflect the overall interests of the group, and to improvise exercises based on what the group wants to explore in the moment.
Be sure to play at least one completely free improv at the end of each session. You'll be surprised at how what you've been working on is immediately used to great effect!
Sample Exercises
Here are samples of some beginning exercises from my upcoming workbook, “Free Improvisation: A Practical Guide” which will be available Fall 2009.
One Sound
This is a great first exercise. It’s simple enough that everyone can do it, but it’s variations can provide practice in many aspects of music and improvisation.
Step 1
Sit or stand in a relaxed manner, and in a "ready to play" position. Focus your attention inward. Be aware of how you’re feeling in this moment. Don't make any judgments, just watch and see how you feel. Wait for a sound or an impulse to movement to come into your awareness. Allow it to come through your body and create a sound. You don’t have to "do" anything. The sound will create itself if you make space to let it happen.This sounds simple, but it can be scary and hard. If so, it helps to bring your attention back to how you’re feeling. Play that feeling! It's not important what you are feeling and expressing, only that it's true. Any sound that is truly spontaneous, no matter how small, is a valued and appropriate response to this exercise.
Step 2
Everyone plays one sound, in sequence. This can be done with or without a pulse. It's fun and useful both ways! Doing it without a pulse lets the group take their time finding the sound they want to play. Doing it with a pulse opens up a whole sequence of other related exercises.Group Grooves
This exercise slows down the decision making process, allowing each player to take as much time as needed to find the choices they want to make.
Once you've gotten good at it, you'll be able to spontaneously improvise a burning groove, change it at will, use it as a "head" for solos and explorations, and more!
Exercise
One person starts by playing an ostinato (repeated figure). This can be ANYTHING, as long as it stays the same. The second person listens carefully to the first player, watches internally for a musical phrase to arise and comes in playing another ostinato. Subtle changes will probably occur at this point, as the phrases "lock in" with each other. Once this has occurred, the 3rd player is free to add in, etc., until all players are playing a groove together. Each person can take as much time as they want to find the what they are looking for/hearing.
Mirroring
This exercise is great for developing empathy, learning how to lead and follow, and how to begin and end phrases. In it's final stages, no one is leading and no one is following. The music itself is creating the music. This develops the ability to act easily and fluidly according to the musical demands of the moment, rather than from any preconceived ideas or concepts.