Music Information

Learning How To Improvise


Those of you who have been reading my articles for some time now know that I believe improvisation to be the cornerstone of musical creativity. Why? Because without the ability to just play, we become stifled and the "real" music that is within each of us withers and dies.

Now, if you're a writer, you have lots of support in this area. There are books, (many, many books) that explore the topic of freewriting to its fullest. There are plenty of exercises and advice from professionals in the field. There are even classes designed to "free the writer within."

But what about music? Where can the aspiring piano improviser go to get help and advice on this topic? Traditionally, they would turn to Jazz - a word synonymous with improvisation. Jazz is a big believer in learning scales and chords. In fact, there are 1000's of scales and 1000's of chords to learn. This can be a turn-off for the beginning student who simply wants to dive in and express through music.

Learning how to improvise need not be difficult. There are only 2 things required:

1. The ability to trust your intuition

2. Knowledge of a few chords

Learning a few chords is the easy part. The part that gives more students problems than anything else is getting over perfectionism and the fear of making "mistakes."

I remember when I first started playing the piano. I wanted very badly to "create" something. Little did I know that by wanting so badly to create, I was blocking the creative impulse. You see, we must learn to play first!! Very hard for many adults because they want to make something "worthy" of performance. If they only would ease up a little and relax and not worry so much about what was coming out of them, then they would begin to experience the joy of improvisation.

Edward Weiss is a pianist/composer and webmaster of Quiescence Music's online piano lessons. He has been helping students learn how to play piano in the New Age style for over 14 years and works with students in private, in groups, and now over the internet. Stop by now at http://www.quiescencemusic.com/piano_lessons.html for a FREE piano lesson!


MORE RESOURCES:

Bend Weekly

Fans vote for top star at Country Music Awards
Arizona Republic, AZ - 13 hours ago
For the first time, music fans are being asked to join in the voting for the Entertainer of the Year honors at Sunday's 43rd edition of the Academy of ...
Country Music Artists Flocking to Vegas for ACM Awards CMT.com
Keith Urban up for country music awards The West Australian
Kenny Chesney looks set to dominate Academy of Country Music Awards Trend News Agency
Tyler Morning Telegraph - WNDU-TV
all 33 news articles


From Dining Table to Web, Chili's Uses Music to Deliver a Spiced ...
FOXBusiness - 7 hours ago
PlayNetwork also provides custom in-store music programming for Chili's globally. Accessible via the "Fun" section of the Chili's Grill & Bar website, ...


The Southern Ledger

TV finally gives country music its close-up
OCRegister, CA - 2 hours ago
By TOM ROLAND When former WB sitcom star Reba McEntire hosts the 43rd annual Academy of Country Music Awards from Las Vegas on CBS Sunday evening, ...
ACM Awards Show Is All About Exposure CMT.com
McEntire says she has more fun hosting ACM Awards The Associated Press
Reba McEntire and Kelly Clarkson coming to JPJ The Hook
all 88 news articles


guardian.co.uk

Branding has ruined music television
guardian.co.uk, UK - 3 hours ago
Can it be that all music television shows need assistance from leering, cynical 'yoof' brands? Well, yes, sadly Top of the Pops: it may not have been ...


Times Online

The Cistercian monks being groomed for music stardom
Times Online, UK - 16 hours ago
But the truth is that people do respond to this rarefied, ancient music again and again. I can recall in the early 1990s, every visit to my Uncle Peter’s in ...
Austria's singing monks hail miracle debut album Reuters
Austria’s singing monks don’t want to be pop stars Thaindian.com
all 21 news articles


National Research Firm Launches Music Video Contest for Election '08
FOXBusiness - 7 hours ago
The music videos will support the Democratic or Republican parties or their presidential candidates. -- The music videos will be reviewed by mediacurves ...


Claire Lynch offers bluegrass music a chance to adapt, grow, influence
Dallas Morning News, TX - 5 hours ago
By MARIO TARRADELL / The Dallas Morning News When music luminaries Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt, among others, sing your praises, ...


ABC News

Comment: Machines muscle in on music
Telegraph.co.uk, United Kingdom - May 15, 2008
Music is supposed to be the area where we humans reveal our humanity best, but the truth is the machine has been muscling in on music-making for some time. ...
Video: Robotic Conductor Finds His Rhythm AssociatedPress
Robot conductors could take the baton from us guardian.co.uk
Asimo robot conducts symphony orchestra VNUNet.com
Albany Times Union - EndScore
all 657 news articles


MLive.com

Country music newcomer Rissi Palmer to perform at Matrix:Midland ...
MLive.com, MI - 7 hours ago
"I know I thanked my parents, but beyond that I don't remember what I wrote," says the 26-year-old country music singer/songwriter today. ...


Dispute over legal music downloads
The Press Association - 5 hours ago
The record industry has insisted that the UK's legal music download market is growing rapidly as a new report suggested many people are still resorting to ...

Music - Google News

home | site map

Visit our other sites:
GamesBlog | GamingDepot | GimmeaRide | GimmeNetwork | Golf Biz | HotorNotGame | I Want Computers | I Want Games | I Want Hosting | I Want Music | I Want Security | JokeBox | ScriptShock | Wantedfonts | Webalize
© 2006