When most people think of improvisation they often think of jazz, blues, and rock and roll, but in reality, there are many genres of music and many compositions that include some element of improvisation. Improvisation simply put, is making up music on the spot. It is essentially spontaneous composition. So, the question must be asked, how does one improvise? While anyone at any skill level can improvise, having a basic understanding and foundation of your instrument as well as a basic understanding of music theory will greatly assist in the process. Again, these items are not required; however, having knowledge of your instrument and knowledge of music theory will greatly assist you in creating “strong” and cohesive musical ideas.
Where to Start
- Listen to as much music as possible – the more music you listen to, the more you get familiar with the language of music
- Try playing along to your favorite songs – training your ear to hear melodies and harmonies is a great step to being a great musician and great improvisor
- Learn your scales – they are a fundamental building block of music
- Try playing along and/or transcribing famous solos – learning to mimic great musicians provides a good foundation for understanding music and provides a foundation for creating unique ideas
- Use the melody – the melody of a song can be a great starting point for building ideas
- Just start – improvisation just like most other skills is ultimately something that you do to get better at
Important Links
Brighton Music Academy: Main – Brighton Music Academy
Brighton Booking: https://app.robly.com/sites/f1dda5b7114ab1ca0530aa099b38508c/Brighton
Dixboro Booking: https://app.robly.com/sites/f1dda5b7114ab1ca0530aa099b38508c/Dixboro
Written By Tyler Gillon