Inspiration & Improvisation and the "after"psicological effects

[mussels_with_nutella]

It is generally spread the rumour that if you put yourself in front of a piano and push you to improvise, you won't be able (at least not in the good way you want) to improvise unless you are victim of a marvellous inspiration. Rumours also explain that this inspiration lasts more and appears more often the more you play the piano and the more you improvise.

However, why sometimes we just cannot play neither melodies nor accompanigments without being so repetitive, nor beautiful harmony, or at least being able to play that one we intend? There must be a reason, does anyone know it?

Another important issue is the psicological effect in your spirit after playing either a learnt piece or improvising. This is a really subjective question, but I would like your opinions please. How does it affect you, specially which songs and what are their consequences?

Sorry for my english, i am not native speaker!

Mussels with nutella

[soitainly]

 It seems you are asking a lot more than a simple question here but inspiration and the pyschological effects of playing music is are interesting topics to discuss.

 Inspiration comes to different people in many ways. I know so many musicians that for some reason never let themselves go and improvise. It may be at first that they don't like the results so they don't pursue it any further. I get great joy out of improvising but inspiration doesn't always come. Creativity comes if spurts, you can't always force things to happen, but there are several things to help foster it. The main thing is to listen to lots of music and always keep an open mind. Don't limit yourself. It seems knowing more theory helps too, you never know what will inspire you. So the more you know, the better in my opinion.

 It can be easy to get in rut and start repeating the same old things. It is a rare musician that can stay fresh all the time. I find it best to go back and forth between bouts of playing pieces and improvising. If I am not feeling inspired, I will just play pieces I know. It's funny for me in that the days I seem to not be able to concentrate and play my pieces are the days when all of the sudden I get a great new idea improvising.

We all feel good when we play a piece well, I don't know the physiology of why we feel good playing music. But when I am improvising well, it is maybe the best feeling in the world. I don't care if it's good, or if other people like it, it's just living in the moment. Pat Metheny mentions that improvising is really about listening, and then thinking as a listener what you would like to hear next.

[fleetfingers]

I have loved playing piano since I was a little girl but have only played pieces. I once entered an original composition into a competition at my teacher's request (and even won, although it was just a small, local, simple thing) but it doesn't do much for me. I don't know why. For some reason, I generally dislike whatever I come up with. Perhaps my expectations are too high and I expect it to be something better than what it is.

When I play a piece, it is a work that someone else has already thought out and organized. It has structure: a beginning, middle, and end. The notes all work together perfectly because the composer has spent time fitting them all together. Playing the notes and hearing their perfect harmonies and stories brings me much pleasure and elation.

I will say, though, that I've thought a lot about learning to improvise based on the discussions that go on here and how much you all enjoy it. Maybe if I took the time to get the chords and scales into my fingers and just practiced, I could do it, too (and enjoy it). Thus far in my life, I have not received much inspiration or music inside me that has to come out. I wonder if that would come in time with improvising. Or maybe the music is there, and I'm just not listening.

[Derek]

It is generally spread the rumour that if you put yourself in front of a piano and push you to improvise, you won't be able (at least not in the good way you want) to improvise unless you are victim of a marvellous inspiration. Rumours also explain that this inspiration lasts more and appears more often the more you play the piano and the more you improvise.

However, why sometimes we just cannot play neither melodies nor accompanigments without being so repetitive, nor beautiful harmony, or at least being able to play that one we intend? There must be a reason, does anyone know it?

Another important issue is the psicological effect in your spirit after playing either a learnt piece or improvising. This is a really subjective question, but I would like your opinions please. How does it affect you, specially which songs and what are their consequences?

Sorry for my english, i am not native speaker!

Mussels with nutella

I'll share my own personal experience with improvisation. I have found through hard work and dedication (advice given to us by Bach, Brahms, and others), one can develop the knack for spontaneous improvisation and get to a point where ideas can flow indefinitely. I have found that the feeling of inspiration is orthogonal (independent of) creating good music. There have been times I've felt totally uninspired, but recorded what I played, later listened to it and thought "that was pretty good." There were other times where I felt elated while playing but listened to my recording later and thought it was kinda boring.

That alone is evidence to me that creating good music has a lot more to do with practical development of skill than it does with inspiration---at least for me and similar individuals. I do believe we all have music inside of us and we can find it if we try. Everyone will sound different if you give yourself enough freedom to explore.

I strongly believe that any individual who wishes to learn to improvise and bring out their own music can do so. I don't believe it is something that only the gifted can do. I also believe that one of the main reasons a lot of people don't start improvising or never go beyond a certain point is because they need encouragement. However, it seems few people actually seek this out. I sought it out from an early stage and was very lucky to meet an experienced improviser who was willing to share music, ideas, listen to my music and encourage me. Turns out this is just what I needed. I don't think I would have gone very far without that.

As for the psychological effect of playing, for me this is almost always one of joy or satisfaction. Of course I may occasionally be having a bad day and think "oh that was awful," but overwhelmingly it is a very pleasant, life affirming activity.

One more interesting thing: you had said how come sometimes we cannot play "what we intend." I think individuals vary quite widely on this point. For myself, I think I've reached a point where some of the time I am anticipating what I might be doing in the next few seconds, but there are other times where I'm not anticipating it at all. Sometimes I anticipate but I don't go where I thought I would go, and the surprise turns out to be more interesting than what I thought I wanted to hear. It's a mix.

[mussels_with_nutella]

It seems you are asking a lot more than a simple question here

However, your replies were more than simple answers. These ones has been more than opinions, but personal experiences and believes! I wasn't expecting such a personal involving in answering my question, so thank you very much indeed for everyone!

I haven't recorded myself yet, because I always forget to do that, but I usually stop to think and realize that some one else would consider what I am playing "nasty", although it constitutes my soul and state of heart. That's why I improvise alone when I am sad or angry hahaha However, it gives a lot of solace!

I also agree when you say that piano techniques, its masterliness, music knowledge and hearing to a wide range of styles and harmonies makes for a much better improvisation. But as you say, improvising requires willing to start. Personally, I didn't know about improvisation until I saw a neighbour accompanying her simple melody with octaves. I thought then it would be easy if I tried hard. I wasn't so wrong. However, I managed to get further, because once you start improvising, you may fall in the tramp that you need to express yourself with more accuracy or passion, and you need to apply more techniques, harmonies or styles.

It is a great experience, and I am glad to see that there are more than one who share this enthusiasm making their "personal music" 

[Derek]

Recording is a really useful thing to do even if you don't share it with others, I think. It is almost like keeping a musical diary. Watching yourself progress gradually in skill or scope of ideas in improvisation is really satisfying, even from the start. I recorded from very early on when I barely could improvise at all, and I'm glad I did. Not only could I hear bits of improvement in my own playing but when I showed it to an experienced improviser he was able to give a lot of good advice.

You're welcome in the "Improvisations" child board of the Audition room if you're interested. There are improvisers of all skill levels and nearly everyone there is helpful and/or encouraging.

BTW...I prefer my nutella on toast...