| |
| |
|
Music Information |
|
|
|
Musical Improvisation Basics - Four Strategies For Playing Wrong Notes
While it probably doesn't seem like this would help - let's face it - if you are unwilling to play a lot of wrong notes, you're never going to learn how to do anything hard. And improvising is hard! It isn't something that you can do safely, with the assurance that you will look good while trying to get good at it. You won't look good. You won't sound good -- and the sooner you realize this, the sooner you will be able to do something of real value. Strangely, we are from a culture that reinforces the idea that we should always look good. I mean there are actually people who think you should look good when you're sick. When you get up in the middle of the night. Or when you haven't slept for 36 hours. Get the picture? So, now that that's said - what is the best strategy for playing wrong notes and actually making progress at the same time? De-emphasizing Note Values I have found that the best way to start is by de-emphasizing note values - focussing instead upon rhythm, texture, density and shape. Music is way more than just the notes you play, and note selection tends to be the very thing that stops people in their tracks. Thus, my "Wrong Note Strategy." The following are possible points of departure for playing wrong notes - properly: Melodic Shape - Conceptualize a melody - don't get too specific with notes, but think only in terms of the overall shape of the line. Does it go up? Does it climb? Does it jump? If you have a hard time, try creating a melody on your instrument that is shaped like something else. I think it was John Cage (a rather famous composer) that used the New York skyline as the basis for a piece of music. My vote is, if John Cage can do it, we can too. Density - Think about density. Are there a lot of notes all close together? Or are they spaced wide apart? Density shape is determined by where there is little space between notes, and where there is a lot of space. It is applicable melodically, harmonically and rythmically. I think there are even methods of encoding data that use this approach (can't remember the name of it). I figure, if it's OK for Intel to use this concept for data, I think it's OK for us to use it too. Rhythm - What about a rhythmic approach? What if note values were totally unimportant, and we thought only percussively about the music? Like using blocks of notes - dissonances as though playing drums with the keyboard (or whatever)? It seems to have worked for legions of 20th Century composers, so why not for us? Texture - How about making sounds - funny sounds - on our instrument? I remember working with a violinist from the LA Philharmonic, who told me she couldn't improvise. I asked if she could make noises. She said, "Oh sure! I like making really funny noises like this; and this; and this." We proceeded to "play funny sounds" for the next hour and a half, experimenting with all sorts of melody, harmony, rhythm and texture - coming up with some really beautiful stuff, after which she asked, "was that improvising?" I said, it sure was, and she was totally changed by the experience. I love that story, because it really shows that all we really need is permission to play "wrong" notes. Once we are willing to do that, then we can experiment - often on a very high level - with the vital textural, rhythmic, shape and density aspects of music. It still communicates, it's genuinely creative, and it really is music. So play some wrong notes today! ©2000-2005 Ben Dowling, the author of "The Metaphysics of Improvisation" - is a pianist, composer and an authority on music improvisation and publishes Music- Improv.com, a web site that provides useful paradigms and practices for musicians interested in expanding their ability to improvise. Learn more about "The Metaphysics of Improvisation" and "The Music Continuum" by visiting http://www.music-improv.com
MORE RESOURCES:
Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
A Brief History Of Gibson Guitars Gibson guitars have been around forever. It's funny, but although Gibson has produced some of the most amazing guitars in history, perhaps the company's largest contribution to music has been through their advancements in pickup technology. Throat Singing In Inuit Culture Originally, Inuit throat singing was a form of entertainment among Inuit women while the men were away on hunting trips. It was an activity that was primarily done by Inuit women although there have been some men doing it as well. Paint Your Own Musical Landscapes! I don't know why, but I find the idea of interpreting nature musically to be very appealing. Maybe it's because I'm attracted to nature's beauty, but the notion of communicating that beauty musically has always intrigued me. Copyright Basics for Songwriters Should you copyright your song? If you're a songwriter, sooner or later you will probably have some questions about getting your material copyrighted. Since I've already been down this road before, you might be able to benefit from my experience. Piano Chords and New Age Music There are basically two ways you can compose a piece of music. The first and most traditional way is to write out the melody and then harmonize it. Health Insurance for Creative Artists -- A Multi-Talented Health Investment For the Creative Artist -- Good Health Insurance is Truly a Lifetime InvestmentFellow artists, buying good health insurance is the best investment you can make in your lifetime! You can purchase fine jewelry, art works, vintage cars -- but none of these can assure you the value, well-being, and peace of mind that a comprehensive health insurance plan will bring you. And you don't have to pay for expensive expert advice before buying, either. How to Find Musical Ideas The Russian Composer Igor Stravinsky once said: " A good composer does not imitate; he steals."I think what he meant by this is that it's OK to use a technique developed by another and make it your own. Ouch, It Hurts When I Sing! When I first set out to write this article about voice problems in singers, I was looking for two experts from contrasting fields of medicine - "medical" and "holistic". What I found, instead, in the first practitioner that I interviewed, was a delightful mixture of the two. How to Create a Multi-artistic Piece - Part II In the last article, the creation of a theme, its development, and the use of a libretto were discussed. As one may recall, the theme is the kernel of a production, which dictates the nature of the piece. A Guitar Lesson To Help You Test Your Note Knowledge In this guitar lesson we look at a great way to test your note knowledge of the guitar fretboard. But before we look at that, why even bother learning the notes?Knowing the notes on your guitar fretboard is an essential skill. Is Your Child Capable of Composing Music? Maybe the Next Mozart? We've all heard of them. Child prodigies who begin composing music at some ridiculously young age. The Time Machine Exist! We call it music, ever noticed how vividly music triggers memory?The music start and instantly we remember who we were with, where we were, what we were doing. And a whole range of emotions to back them up. The Post-rock Revolution (Explosions in the sky) A lot has been said about the 'post-rock' revolution as of late. The rise of instrumental bands such as Explosions in the sky, Godspeed you! black emperor, Maserati, and The Mercury Program has raised questions about the direction that music is traveling. Who's Playing What? A Guide To The Guitars Of The Pros Eric Clapton performs his slow-handed magic on his. Even with just nine fingers, Jerry Garcia kept countless Deadheads dancing as he played with his. Wal-Mart Music Downloads, Napster and Other Legal Digital Music Download Sites Digital Music Download. Ever since file-sharing programs entered the hard drives of our computers, people have wanted the best place for a digital music download. Bono: From Music To Fashion To Helping The Poor U2s lead singer Bono isn't content with being part of a top band.Fashion and Music - well I'm sure they can mix! Bono was born Paul David Hewson in 1960 in Dublin Ireland. Learn to Fiddle the Orange Blossom Special, the Most Popular Fiddle Tune in the World Learning to fiddle the Orange Blossom Special is not easy, but it's truly worth the effort. The Orange Blossom Special is unequaled in popularity. Creating Your Own Compositions The idea of actually creating a complete piece of music to play frightens many students. They just don't understand how someone could come up with something, put it down on paper, and call it their own. Music Making as Spiritual Experience If you've been playing piano for some time, you may come upon periods where you forget yourself and only the music remains. You might even have had a spiritual experience. Getting Rhythm - Three Tips for Guitar Beginners If you are just starting out learning guitar one of the hardest things can be getting a good rhythm and keeping that rhythm going while you change chords with your left hand.When I first started learning guitar I would strum along happily until the chord change and then my right hand would stop while I changed the position of the left.
|
| Article List | Index | Site Map |
|
All logos, trademarks and articles on this site are property and copyright of their respective owner(s).
The comments are property of their posters, all the rest is Copyright © 2006 CanadaSEEK.com - All Rights Reserved. |
