improv books that arent Jazz or Blues focused?

[stelle]

Hi All!!

Just wondering if anyone would happen to know of any good improvisation books that are NOT based on jazz or blues... 99.9% of all the books ive seen in music stores, here in australia, are jazz and blues focused and im finding it hard to find some that arent, but also which arent too basic either.

If anyone has some suggestions, it would be a great help!

Thanks,

Estelle.

[Bob]

I've seen the same here.

I have some but I haven't gone through them much.

Words to use for searching can be 'for the classical pianist' and church musician.

You can also use books for other instruments.

You migth something under early music performance practice too.

Let me see what I've got
In the course of performance: studies in the world of musical improvisation.  ~That's a book about various improv topics.

Improvisation for the contemporary musician.

Improvisation at the piano.  Chung and Thurmond.

Mel Bay Presents Improvisation Step-By-Step Improvising Classical Music on Piano [Paperback]
Misha Stefanuk

Developing Musicianship through Improvisation, Azzara and Grunow
Haha.  Looks like that's it.  The rest of what I've got is jazz.



I haven't gone through those two books so I don't know a lot about them.  The Improv at the Piano book was a little general though from what I remember.  It described different things you could do at the piano to create music -- change rhythms, that's one section.  Change the notes of the melody, another section.  Change chords.  Etc., etc., etc.

[stelle]

Hi Bob!

Thanks for the list of books! i was hoping to find something in an actual store so i could browse to see exactly what is in it BUT looks like trial and error is the way to go

 i will check if any of the titles you mentioned can be found in our music book stores!

This is one gripe i have about the internet, all books online where you cant really look thru..

Thanks again Bob. The book by Chung and Thurmond looks promising...

Estelle.

[Bob]

That one I got this past summer.  I thought it was ok for ideas.  It was thicker.  

You might be able to have a music store order these and then you might be able to look at them in the store first to decide if you want to buy.

Amazon does show a few pages but I don't know if they offer that feature on these.


There might be something from the Romantic period when they would improvise a prelude too.  I'm not sure who wrote about that though.

[quantum]

Check your library for these books.  If you have a university library near you even better.  Then you can browse, see what other books are in the same location on the stacks, then buy the ones you are interested in.

[stelle]

both very Good ideas!

 ill ring up the music store and ask, and see what they say...
Does the book 'improvising at the piano' progress to a kind of intermediate to advanced level?

And ill pay a visit to the Uni library (didnt think of that one) too!

!!!

[Bob]

It's just ideas so you could take it as far as you want.

[stelle]

ah, ok ok!

[lostinidlewonder]

Did you know one reason why Bach wrote the WTC was for it to be used as an example to teach composition? I found the more of Bach WTC that I learned the easier it was for me to generally create sounds of my own. I also find studying his Cantatas and improvising on these very very helpful. Learning counterpoint is invaluable.

[ted]

For general thoughts on improvisation, Bill Harris was always interesting, and for me at least, encouraging. Sadly he died recently, but I had a brief exchange of ideas with him a few years ago and sent him a few recordings. I found his essays by accident and at the time I was relieved that somebody with similar views to my own existed. His writings are not instructional, but more background thoughts for those who already practise improvisation. Still, they are well worth reading.

https://kalvos.org/harrisb.html

[stelle]

Did you know one reason why Bach wrote the WTC was for it to be used as an example to teach composition?

No, i didnt Studying Bach's compositions ARE a good way to learn, youre right! I do that a little already with all the classical pieces i learn, chord progressions, inversions, look for patterns all that kind of thing, maybe its time to do it a little more extensively I usually try and transpose it into another key to make sure i really understand whats happening, that somehow implants it into my brain for me...

AND....

Thanks Ted! Ill check out the website!

[keyboardclass]

I found this book quite useful with my beginner composition students https://www.archive.org/details/exercisesinmelod00goet.  It's not impro but it's free!

[stelle]

Hi Ted!
I've started reading the essays by the various composers, i particularly like...

 "The Fabulous Brain(You Can Have Any Colour You Want -- As Long as It's Gray):
Words for Young Composers About Musical Ideas, by Gary Barwin"

Their just ideas and not specific instructions or a manual, as you said, BUT theyre little jewels! Love how they express their thoughts on paper, not long and tedious, but full of insightful nuggets and provides a different persepective which i havent really considered. i will definately continue reading, well, better not NOW since its 2am here...

[stelle]

FREE ...haha! Thanks Keyboardclass, just downloaded the pdf, will read it soon(becuase i really should be sleeping now)!

Thanks for sharing!!!