Teaching Improvisation - any ideas?

[shera]

I'm starting to incorporate improvisation into my lessons, especially for those who need more motivation, and for my kids who prefer pop styles of music. 

I'm experimenting with different ideas right now, since improvisation is not something I've really studied, but something I'm trying to learn on my own as well.  But I think it's great to show kids they can make music without always the "chore" of sight-reading.  Especially for those who get tired of note-learning easily.  I found a great book that gives a teacher accompaniment with sections where the student is given 3 notes to improvise on (geared to beginners).  The harmonies are catchy, and some of them use the blues scale.  I just started using this book, so it hasn't had a chance to take off, but I'm hoping they'll catch on to it, and start experimenting on their own.  I think it's also a matter of making them know that their own "compositions" really are great musical ideas, and they can go from there.  At this stage I'm looking for catchy sounds that kids would like - the bluesy sound may or may not be appealing to them.

Anyway, since I'm so new at this, I'd appreciate any ideas, resources or books that I can use.  What has your students' response been to learning basic improvisation?

[ted]

The fact that you are doing this deserves encouragement and a few replies from the improvisers on the forum. So few teachers bother, and that is probably one reason hardly any adults, perhaps very good pianists and musicians in other aspects, can improvise. There are very many approaches but two main principles are that the pupil must enjoy it and that you work from freedom toward order and not the other way around. Don't worry about "rights and wrongs", "shoulds and ought tos" concerning what the pupil plays.

I remember taking part in several excellent discussions here, involving Bernhard and others, about teaching improvisation. A search should reveal them. I have always been an obsessive improviser but although I have had success teaching it to one or two already talented adults, I do not consider myself competent to advise about children. I hope those here so qualified will enter the discussion.   

[samasap]

I teach a pupil with aspergers syndrome and therefore he struggles with note reading e.t.c, so what I do with him sometimes is we pick out a few chords for example...So say C Major D Minor and F Major, we work out all the notes in these chords, and then uses these notes to improvise!

We play games about putting them in various orders, and we clap different rhythms then he will put this to the music.

Another thing to do is to work on songwriting, so improvise and play around with some chords and notes that fit together, and put a song together, so give them useful tips on doing this.

Thanks
Samantha

[tdow]

I agree with Samantha that learning some chords/delving into a bit of chording method is a good idea.  Start with a simple progression and even go to the point of teaching them to recognize the chord symbols.  Kids love the sounds of "sus chords" etc.  At our studio, every student learns off of a lead sheet once a month that involves improvising the left hand and reading chord symbols.  They are very simple, but the kids love having the freedom.  Improvisation is such a practical application of the piano and it is so great that you are incorporating it into your program.

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The Art and Business of Piano Teaching
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[keyofc]

Why doesn't everyone?
great idea!

[love_that_tune]

I teach all my students improvisation from the very first lesson.  They leave their first lesson knowing how to make a C chord all over the piano.  And then I have them improvise while I play a blues left hand and a little light rock.  I can tell a lot about how to teach a student going forward from this.  I just heard some very painful piano and organ playing at a church service yesterday.  I can absolutely tell that this person has never had any study of chords, but that she sees every measure of music as something new.  Sad.

[keyofc]

Another idea you might try is improvising with tetrachords.

I think it's a fun way - that also really helps students get the structure of the scale down.

If they notice that 4 and 5 of the scale is where it's divided - you can have them say the whole steps, half steps, etc.
and then play melody with one tetrachord in LH - other in RH.  Hearing the similarities and differences in the two.

Its a fun way, I think to have them improvise and feel they understand more of the scale.

[brahms4me]

There's a pretty good course from Christopher Norton called "American Popular Piano". I've started to use it and so far, so good.  You can google it and examine it if you wish.

[keyboardsforever]

Improvising is a lot more structured than people think, so it needs 'setting up'.

Firstly, you don't improvise on thin air, you improvise on a chord sequence. It follows that you have to know your chords, and your sequence. The chord sequence could be incredibly simple. A modal pair like a major chord and a minor chord a tone above is a good start. I, IV and V, of course, either bluesy or not.

Then you need a scale, or a part of a scale. Chord tones will always do, and your ear will usually tell you which in-between notes work and which don't. Pentatonic scales are great because they simplify this whole choice process.

Then you need a rhythmic texture (beat). This might easily arise out of your doodling, but it can also be a good seed - start off with your chords and a rhythmic tapping pattern and see what comes up.

Of course, you can borrow all these elements from an existing composition, song or 'standard', as the pros do.

Try Musicarta.com for a systematic approach. But there again, I'm biased - it's my site!!

[keyofc]

love that tune,
I sure agree w/you - it's very sad many people who read music fluently don't know chords.

In some churches - once you know how to read music - it's not valued much either so they are really like a fish out of water.

How do you do the blues thing?  Do they improvise only w/C chord w/first lesson?