My 100th improvisation for YouTube

[kyle556]

Improvisation is one of my favorite hobbies, because of that I've been posting improvisations on YouTube since 2006, and here is my 100th.   This one has a Chopin/Beethoven vibe, and primarily goes in and out of C minor, and Eb major.   Let me know what you think!

[ted]

This is very good. You know it's good, so there's no point repeating the obvious. I listened to it five times and several aspects strike me as to why.

Firstly, it says more with a restricted subset of chords, keys and so on, than  most improvisers do with hundreds. Contrary to what one might initially suppose, it is very difficult to make a statement of personal character within the tenets of what has gone before. The risk, indeed, even the desire, to emulate is very strong at the subconscious level. Moreover, you cannot fight it at the conscious level without destroying flow. Nothing will ruin originality in improvisation more quickly than consciously trying to be original. You have not fallen into that trap. I cannot hear imitation Chopin. Those who said that are not listening.

Secondly, it has effective phrasal coherence and variety, again within a very restricted rhythmic subset. This is not easy either, for much the same reasons as above, but you manage it.

Thirdly, you do not allow physical bravura to become a substitute for idea flow. So very many technically brilliant players, famous players even, do this to the point of it becoming a substitute for creation, even in the mind of the musical public as well as themselves. Your physical technique, which is good, is, on the contrary, musically essential.

Fourthly, you are good at beginnings and endings. Endings, in particular, are the bane of my own improvisation, and the ones which really satisfy me are few. In some ways it was easier before digital recording, when the tape ran out and the problem didn't exist.

Fifthly, you have direction. At any point, the music has been somewhere and is going somewhere. Not everybody cares about this quality, of course, and there is a place for stasis; it is an option like everything else.

Lastly, it has overall life and moments of surprise. Examples: the little "flick" at 1:22, the sudden entry of a really strong theme at 2:00 - which I probably would have used a bit more, but that doesn't matter. People can go on about rules, harmony and structure and all that sort of nonsense, but "moments" are what I remember in an improvisation - or in any music for that matter. "Moments" are of the essence for me.

The final two comments are personal to some extent. I just happen to like dynamic improvisation with lots of surprises.