Imagine getting ready to begin your performance. Your hea…

https://www.musical-u.com/learn/how-to-overcome-stage-fright/
Imagine getting ready to begin your performance. Your heart starts to race, you feel sweat start to bead in your palms. You feel vulnerable, open, and exposed. These are all symptoms of stage fright, which most musicians have experienced at one point or another. Today we’ll talk about how to combat stage fright so you can perform with confidence! https://www.musical-u.com/learn/how-to-overcome-stage-fright/

Steve Nixon from FreeJazzLessons.com joins the Musicality…

https://www.musical-u.com/learn/the-rhythm-of-success-with-steve-nixon/
Steve Nixon from FreeJazzLessons.com joins the Musicality Podcast with his philosophy on improvisation. Learn a cool trick to make your improvisation sound more interesting. Even with just a single scale over a single chord! https://www.musical-u.com/learn/the-rhythm-of-success-with-steve-nixon/

Improvising with Phrasing and Form: Resource Pack Preview

Who are your favorite improvisers? Why is it that we can listen to their recorded solos over and over? Why do aspiring soloists and scholars transcribe and memorize every detail? What gives these spontaneous creations the same long-lasting meaning and greatness that we might ascribe to a Beethoven symphony?

Then, we look at our own improvisations.

Maybe we’ve learned some good licks or riffs. Or figured out which scale patterns work best over that chord progression. It was fun at first, but after a while it all seems shapeless, mechanical. Is there something wrong with us?

Were we condemned to be born as mere mortals, never to enjoy the crucial spark of inspiration and talent exuded in the eternal musical expressions of our improvising hero-gods?

The good news: now that we know that all the hours of practicing licks, riffs, and scales are not enough, there really is another step to take to make your improvs sing.

Just as we shape our verbal communication with words, phrases, sentences, questions, answers – and larger structures such as paragraphs, stories, topics – we can shape our musical expressions with phrasing and form.

Phrases are short sections of melody with a beginning, middle, and end. While meaningful in and of themselves, they’re too short to make a whole piece of music. They need to join together with other phrases in larger sections and forms to make that happen. As improvisers, an understanding of phrasing and form gives us to shape our solos into whole musical works – much like a composer or a songwriter.

In this month’s Instrument Packs Musical U’s Resident Pros for guitar, piano, and bass introduce the concepts of phrasing and form – with videos, PDFs, and MP3s that lay out structured sequences of exercises to help you mold and shape your improv into the satisfying, whole musical expression that you crave.

Piano


Resident Pro Sara Campbell loves songs. In this resource pack, Sara shows you how you can deploy the standard structure of popular songs to literally improvise a new song on the spot. Also, how improvisation can be used as a compositional tool within song form to create new and lasting piano instrumentals with shape, depth, and meaning.

Including:

  • Song Form and Structure: How using song form can assist you in telling a story.
  • How to expand your melodic ideas through phrasing, structure, and sequences.
  • Improvisation Exercise: A chord chart and piano chart that will help you develop different melodies for various parts of a song.
  • Playalong MP3 backing tracks with a beautiful song-form chord progression in two different keys – over which you improvise your own melodies.

Rather than just improvising a solo on someone else’s song, improvise the entire song yourself! And, in the process, learn how to shape your musical expression with form.

Guitar

Like any trip, melodies gain more meaning when they have a destination. Resident Pro Dylan Welsh shows how to choose your musical “target” on your guitar, taking you and your listeners on a memorable musical journey.

Including:

  • Definitions, context, and examples of musical phrasing.
  • Strategies to relate music to conversation, in order to help you bridge the gap between the two in your mind and ears.
  • A trick Dylan teaches his private students, regarding “target tones” and setting up intentional notes to focus each phrase around.
  • A strategy that combines phrasing and musical conversation in order to keep your solos interesting and engaging over long periods of time.
  • Exercises, MP3s, and a PDF to learn phrasing and musical conversation in your own practice room.

Learn how to guide your improvs to their destination, and “speak” their story in Dylan’s phrasing and form workshop.

Bass

Many beginning improvisers mistakenly believe that you have to reinvent the wheel each time you take a solo.  Resident Pro Steve Lawson Improv demonstrates that improvisation is about bringing together your decision-making process, and your (bass-specific) musical vocabulary, not inventing new things every time you play.

Including:

  • How to get your improviser’s attitude together before you start playing.
  • How to fit in with a genre with stylistic and idiomatic improvisation
  • How to expand a whole solo from just one note
  • Other improv techniques that maintain continuity and cohesiveness
  • Beautiful backing tracks for your practicing pleasure

Whether you’re frying up some funk or plunking down some pentatonics, learn how to expand your creativity without sounding like a musical “alien” with Steve’s take on improvisational vocabulary.

Coming up next month…

Intervals – the space between two notes – are one of the most crucial building blocks in music. Yet often times people find interval training to be tedious and difficult. But like all ear training, getting your instrument into the act makes it more fun, meaningful, relevant, and effective.

Next month we’ll learn how intervals can be explored effectively and enjoyably on our instruments. Our resident pros show you how and where to learn intervals, and expand them into the music we love.

Interested in getting access to these resources and much more, with an Instrument Pack membership? Just choose that option during checkout when you join Musical U, or upgrade your existing membership to get instant access!

The post Improvising with Phrasing and Form: Resource Pack Preview appeared first on Musical U.

How to Improvise For Real, with David Reed

New musicality video:

Today we’re excited to welcome on to the show someone we were particularly hoping to feature as part of improv month: David Reed, the creator of Improvise For Real. http://musicalitypodcast.com/54

You may have heard of this popular method for learning to improvise and it’s one of the few we feel is totally aligned with the ear-led approach we recommend at Musical U and which we’ve been talking about on this podcast lately.

In this conversation we talk about:

– David’s own musical beginnings and two big pivotal moments – one which let him finally really enjoy the learning process and the other which involved totally reframing his mindset about how music fit into his life.

– We discuss the traditional approaches to music education and to learning improvisation – and the limitations these ultimately place on musicians.

– And we talk about how learning to improvise the right way can be like the difference between blindly following directions versus using Google Maps to immerse yourself and explore the world you’re navigating in rich, clear detail.

This episode’s going to be particularly useful for two groups of people. Those who feel like improvisation is kind of a side-topic, and are not necessarily particularly interested in it. We think you’re going to discover you may have dramatically underestimated how learning to improvise could help you in music.

And those who are interested to improvise, and have maybe tried one or two ways before – and found themselves a bit bewildered or disappointed by the experience. David does a fantastic job of describing how learning to improvise should be and how rewarding and straight-up fun it can be if you approach it in the right way.

Listen to the episode: http://musicalitypodcast.com/54

Let us know what you think! Email: hello@musicalitypodcast.com

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Learn more about Musical U!

Website:
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Podcast:
http://musicalitypodcast.com

Tone Deaf Test:
http://tonedeaftest.com/

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How to Improvise For Real, with David Reed

Nick Maniella of the The 10 Minute Jazz Lesson Podcast jo…

https://www.musical-u.com/masterclass-registration/
Nick Maniella of the The 10 Minute Jazz Lesson Podcast joins Musical U for a free masterclass! Register today to learn all about improvisation in this special training session. All are welcome, no matter your instrument or experience with improv. https://www.musical-u.com/masterclass-registration/

In our introduction to improvisation, we touched on sever…

https://www.musical-u.com/learn/jazz-improvisation-techniques/
In our introduction to improvisation, we touched on several world music traditions. Now let’s look closer at some of the most frequently used techniques in jazz improvisation. https://www.musical-u.com/learn/jazz-improvisation-techniques/

Out of the rich pain of the blues, the rhythm of the slav…

https://www.musical-u.com/learn/open-your-ears-to-jazz/
Out of the rich pain of the blues, the rhythm of the slaves, and the traditional harmonies of Europe was born a unique style of music that was as much Americana as it was African. What are we talking about? Jazz. We are talking about jazz! https://www.musical-u.com/learn/open-your-ears-to-jazz/

About Improvising Rhythm

New musicality video:

Rhythm is an under-appreciated component of music – and we’re here to put it in the spotlight for improvisation month! Learn all about improvising a rhythm, how to do it, and the musicality benefits it yields. http://musicalitypodcast.com/53

Links and Resources

About Improvisation: http://musl.ink/pod51/

About Active Listening: http://musl.ink/pod35/

More Ways of Knowing Music, with Jeremy Dittus: http://musl.ink/pod46/

Ella Fitzgerald’s “One Note Samba”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbL9vr4Q2LU/

Let us know what you think! Email: hello@musicalitypodcast.com

===============================================

Learn more about Musical U!

Website:
https://www.musical-u.com/

Podcast:
http://musicalitypodcast.com

Tone Deaf Test:
http://tonedeaftest.com/

Musicality Checklist:
https://www.musical-u.com/mcl-musicality-checklist

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/MusicalU

Twitter:

YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/c/MusicalU

Subscribe for more videos from Musical U!

About Improvising Rhythm

Want your new song to be a classic? Writing a memorable m…

https://www.musical-u.com/learn/four-ways-write-better-melodies/
Want your new song to be a classic? Writing a memorable melody is perhaps the single most important thing when it comes to writing music that will connect with the listener. So how do you improve your melody writing skills? Here are 4 techniques from Musical U! https://www.musical-u.com/learn/four-ways-write-better-melodies/

Classical Improv, Improvising the Right Way, Interactive Improv, and Improv with Scales and Chords

This week in Improv Month, we continue to dive into improvisation by exploring some new ways of playing spontaneously.

We look at the surprisingly close relationship between improvisation and classical music, interview the creator of popular improv resource Improvise for Real, explore the art of improvising in a musical group setting, and introduce you to a tool that will take your improv beyond the realm of scales.

Classical Improv

Many musicians are under the impression that classical music does not lend itself well to improvisation, and believe that strict, by-the-book renditions are the only way to play this genre.

In reality, classical music has a history tied to improvisation – Mozart himself would sometimes produce compositions on the spot!

Classical improvisation5 Ways to Start Classical Improvising Today is your springboard for diving into classical improv. Here, you’ll find tips on approaching classical improv from many different angles and starting points, and how to engage your listeners along the way.

Prior to the 20th century, improvisation was more common in classical music – famous composers were well known for being able to improvise compositions on the spot. So how did improv become more associated with jazz and popular music? The Strad examines this topic and brings recommendations for how to bring improvisation back to the classic cadenza.

While jazz “borrowed” improvisation from classical music, there are plenty of musicians that are trying to bring it back! Meet Gabriela Montero, a classically trained pianist who is on a personal mission to bring the lost art of improv back to our great concert halls.

Improvisation knows no boundaries – it can be practiced in any form of music, on any musical instrument. Christian Howes has recently released a series of 45 improvisations for unaccompanied violin that may change your perception of what makes good improv.

Improvising the Right Way

If improv is meant to be spontaneous, creative, and free-flowing, why do so many approaches to learning improvisation ultimately limit musicians?

This week, we interview David Reed, creator of Improvise for Real, an online resource that integrates ear training, creativity, music theory, and technique to teach musicians to improvise freely.

David Reed interviewIn this jam-packed interview, David shares his musical beginnings, the moments that changed his mindset about learning music, and how improv entered into his musical world. He discusses how improv is traditionally approached, the limitations of this method, and how the logic behind Improvise for Real fills in those gaps and makes way for musicians to fully immerse themselves in improv – and be rewarded.

David speaks about improvisation with such a passion that we wanted to share more of the great material he is creating at his website, Improvise for Real. Don’t miss his guide for getting started in musical improvisation!

Many musicians struggle during their initial foray into improvisation, especially if they play an instrument that is not commonly charged with melodic lines like the bass guitar. Dawsons has developed four simple steps to learn bass improvisation that will help you find your path to improv freedom.

David spoke fondly about playing from a Real Book during his early gigging days. While phrases like “Real Books” and “Fake Books” are quite common in the jazz lexicon, they are not commonly used outside of their world. To get a glimpse into some of the latest Real Books, Jazz Times has this review of some new offerings from Hal Leonard.

Along the way, David decided that he needed to take some time away from music. Little did he know that by taking a step back, he was able to find a passion that hadn’t existed previously. Bharat from Euphonic Space recently completed his own journey to rediscovering his muse. And did it through a most unconventional way… by writing about music.

Interactive Improv

It’s one thing to think up licks and riffs on your own, but what happens when you need to improvise with others?

Improvisation takes on a new meaning when playing in a group – it goes from a musical monologue to a conversation. And in order for that conversation to flow, players need to take musical and physical cues from one another.

Interactive improvisationIn Interacting With Others While Improvising, we explore some devices and cues you can use during jam sessions to stay on the same page, and what can be done to communicate before you even pick up your instrument.

Being able to communicate is something a musician must be able to do while they are in the midst of performing. Worship Online has written this guide for what a Worship Band Leader should be doing during a performance. No matter what style of music you play, there is something in here for all musicians.

While we talked about how musicians communicate with one another, should a performer also learn ways to communicate with the audience? This is an art unto itself and separates world class performers from the rest. For some insights into this subject, check out Paul the Trombonist’s interview with master orchestrator Duane Benjamin.

We can’t talk about communication between musicians without mentioning the call-and-response, a staple of good blues soloing! To hear two guitarists demonstrate this classic improvisation technique, watch Danny Page’s call-and-response jam on Guitar Jamming Tracks.

Improv with Scales and Chords

Scales are a favourite of many improvisers. They involve simple patterns with seemingly infinite permutations, they’re easy to play, and they usually sound quite good.

The problems start when musicians rely solely on scales for their improvisation.

Improvisation with scales and chordsUpgrade your improvisation toolkit with About Improvising with Scales and Chords, where we connect scales to chord tones and to the broader concept of harmony – the secret behind giving your improvisation some punch and lending it that “storytelling” quality.

For many musicians, just the thought of having to improvise their own musical compositions can cause a bit of anxiety. We all get pretty comfortable staying on the page. But even for the musician that primarily plays written music, learning to improvise can greatly benefit your overall musicality. Connolly Music has tips for building your improvisation skills without ever having to step out on open mic night.

We talked about how learning scales and licks is an important part of improvisation, but you need to take it another step further to become comfortable with this art. Good improv, much like good composition, tells a story. Coming up with a story in your melody will help you to connect with your audience, and DIME gives some playgrounds that you can use to do so.

Have you ever heard a fantastic musician improvise and wonder what was going through their mind? Improvisation requires using both the creative and analytical sides of the brain, and mDecks Music has recorded this wildly entertaining video to show what that looks like. Enjoy this exploration of the improviser’s mindset!

New Ways of Improvising

Improvising certainly involves coming up with melodies on the fly, but as this week’s content shows, it’s so much more than that.

Musicality in improvisation means being able to effectively communicate with fellow musicians well enough to play spontaneously in a group. It means going beyond mere scales to incorporate harmony. And for you classical musicians out there, it means going beyond the sheet music to inject a personal touch into your favourite Bach piece.

What other new ways of improvising will you discover? Stay tuned for the rest of Improv Month to learn even more tools for spontaneous playing!

The post Classical Improv, Improvising the Right Way, Interactive Improv, and Improv with Scales and Chords appeared first on Musical U.