Group Improvisation
ON and OFF the Bench
2016
it’s not all black and white
!
Why Improvise, why in Groups and why On and Off the bench?
• Status of creativity ranks just as high in importance as all other subjects and skills such as
math, science and reading
• Spontaneity is the spice of life and requires release from the printed page
• Simple process of recombining elements
• Sanctuary for nurturing self-expression
• Stimulates an interaction of brain regions
• Safety in numbers: the more peeps, the less inhibitions
• Social settings develop positive peer interaction and influence ideas
• Satisfaction comes from the natural desire to feed imaginations
• Skills blossom with dynamic, large motor activities first, followed by a transfer to small
muscle motor motions
Activities for Group Improvisation
One Note Improv
• Begin with one note and then add two more, than five.
• A nickels-worth of notes worth their weight in gold.
• Improvise on pentatonic scale within Body Beat rhythms or other given rhythms. See link
below.
• http://88pianokeys.me/fresh-ideas/try-to-beat-these-eggceptional-games/
Cup Routines
• Read this blog post to show you the steps to encouraging original cup routines.
• http://88pianokeys.me/fresh-ideas/hot-tips-for-building-rhythm-reading-skills-with-cups/
Group Improvisation
ON and OFF the Bench
it’s not all black and white
!
Ensembles
• Committee chooses a favorite solo.
• Committee delegates parts.
• Practice, rearrange and practice more.
Pentatonic Tune
• Sing and play a pentatonic tune by ear like “Don’t Eat Green Bugs.”
• Choreograph a cup routine to a pentatonic tune as a group. See link below.
• http://88pianokeys.me/fresh-ideas/hot-tips-for-building-rhythm-reading-skills-with-cups/
12-Bar Blues
• Standard framework.
• Teach in levels to all ages every year.
• Add blue note with finger 3 “slip-n-slide.”
• Use scat or silly phrases to help create fresh rhythms.
• Watch Bradley Sowash’s “Winter Blues” to help students create with confidence. See link
below.
• http://88creativekeys.com/product/winter-blues/
Borrow from the Baroque
• Add ornaments to any piece.
• Make Pachelbel Paint Strips: spell each chord vertically (chord stacks) of the Pachelbel
Canon.
• Draw a line from one chord tone to the next to create a melody.
• While one pianist plays the chords, the other plays the melody.
• To learn more, watch Top Pop Hits. See link below.
• http://88creativekeys.com/product/top-pop-tips-mp4/
Group Improvisation
ON and OFF the Bench
it’s not all black and white
!
Bucket Drumming
• Build a steady pulse, listening, reading and ensemble skills.
• Bucket Drumming for Piano Teachers. See link below.
• http://88pianokeys.me/fresh-ideas/is-it-time-to-beat-some-rhythm-into-your-students/
Lead Sheets
Happy Birthday
• Standard, back-pocket tune.
• Learn melody by ear.
• Add chords in chord land.
• Add bass line.
• Create intro and outro.
Oh, When the Saints
• Similar as above
• Add fills with scat cards
• For more details, see link below.
• http://88pianokeys.me/group-lessons/go-green-for-your-summer-piano-camp/
Harmonize a Pop Tune
• Master the “Heart and Soul” chord progression.
• Choose a favorite pop tune.
• Identify the chords which will be similar to “Heart and Soul.”
• Create a backing track with Tin Pan Rhythm. For more ideas, see link below.
• http://88pianokeys.me/product/four-secrets-to-harmonizing-pop-tune/
Groove Your Theory and Creativity
• Choose a theory concept like 5-finger patterns or scales that doubles as a technique drill.
• Introduce question and answer phrases.
Group Improvisation
ON and OFF the Bench
it’s not all black and white
!
• Use a “traffick” pattern. One student plays a question in the assigned key, the other
student plays the answer keeping in time with a backing track.
• Webinar video will be available soon on this topic.
• http://88pianokeys.me/group-lessons/how-to-teach-technique-timing-and-theory-all-atonce/
Apps that Support Creative Music Making
• Decide Now - Use this customized spinning wheel for just about anything you can
imagine! https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/decide-now!/id383718755?mt=8
• Garage Band - Power tool app for recording and more. http://www.apple.com/ios/
garageband/
• iMovie - Makes editing, enhancing and uploading videos a breeze. https://youtu.be/
VlUrNu14MTw
• iReal Pro - Lead sheet generator and back up band. http://irealpro.com
• MusiClock - Music style “boutique” to use as backing tracks for playing and jamming
with scales. http://mymusiclock.com/
• My Rhythm - Teaches rhythm reading and groove with unique dot notation. http://
myrhythm-app.com
• Notability - Excellent to annotate and store PDFs.
• Piano Maestro - A growing library of tunes for sight reading that offers backing tracks
and feedback. https://www.joytunes.com/apps
• Tin Pan Rhythm - Explores chords and composes patterns http://www.tin-pan.com/
Resources to Trigger Musical Imaginations
Rhythm
• Body Beat Cards http://www.ubdrumcircles.com/products_bodybeat.html
Group Improvisation
ON and OFF the Bench
it’s not all black and white
!
• Bucket Drumming for Piano Teachers http://88pianokeys.me/fresh-ideas/is-it-time-tobeat-some-rhythm-into-your-students/
• Scat Cards http://www.stress-solutions.com/cards.htm
• Rhythm Menagerie and Rhythm Cup Exploration http://www.composecreate.com/store/
rhythm-cup-explorations/
Melody
• One Note Improv http://eyeearrevolution.com/one-note-improv-for-elementary-students/
• Pentatonic Scale http://eyeearrevolution.com/pentatonic-scale-improv-ideas-forelementary-to-intermediate-levels/
• Understanding Intervals http://88pianokeys.me/sign-up-for-free-resources/
• Melody Mix-Up http://eyeearrevolution.com/melody-mix-up/
• Melodic Enhancement http://eyeearrevolution.com/my-three-cents-worth-on-enhancinga-melody/
Harmony
• The Full Scoop http://88pianokeys.me/product/full-scoop-on-chords/
• Heart and Soul Pattern http://88pianokeys.me/2013/03/27/the-heart-and-soul-of-popmusic/
• Going Further with Lead Sheets http://bradleysowash.com/store/index.php?rt=product/
product&product_id=159
• 12-Bar Blues http://eyeearrevolution.com/twelve-bars-for-ten-fingers/
Apps that Support Creativity
• Anytune - Slows down any tune in your iTunes library without changing pitch. http://
www.anytune.us
• Camera and iMovie
• Decide Now - Use this customized spinning wheel for just about anything you can
imagine! https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/decide-now!/id383718755?mt=8
Group Improvisation
ON and OFF the Bench
it’s not all black and white
!
• Garage Band - Power tool app for recording and more. http://www.apple.com/ios/
garageband/
• Isle of Tune - Intuitive picture-based loop generator with tons of sounds and options.
http://isleoftune.com/
• iReal Pro - Lead sheet generator and back up band. http://irealpro.com
• MusiClock - Boutique of catchy backing tracks for reviewing and improvising within a
variety of scales. http://mymusiclock.com/
• My Rhythm - Teaches rhythm reading and groove with unique dot notation. http://
myrhythm-app.com
• Tin Pan Rhythm - Explores chords and composes patterns http://www.tin-pan.com/
Links to More Inspiration
• Don't Stop Believin'//www.musicteachershelper.com/blog/dont-stop-believin-the-journeycontinues/
• Lessons with Bradley Sowash http://bradleysowash.com/teaching/lessons/
• Understanding Chord Symbols http://bradleysowash.com/music-store/98-2/improvisationbooklets/
• 88CreativeKeys Workshop http://88creativekeys.com/
• Bradley Sowash, That's Jazz, Creative Chords, http://bradleysowash.com/
• Wendy Stevens, ComposeCreate.com
• Forrest Kinney, Pattern Play, http://www.patternplay.com/index.php
• Inner Circle, TimTopham.com
Thank you for inviting me to share ideas with you!
Inspire your lessons plans, unlock your creativity and reboot your studio.
Find me at 88pianokeys.me
Contact me at [email protected]