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Recommended Reading
Miles Davis' words of advice were "Don't play what's there, play what's not there".
Improvisation can be a scary prospect to those unfamiliar with it - filling empty space with notes that don't yet exist can be potentially daunting of course. I encourage pupils to look at it a different way:
The spontaneously created soundscape that comes purely from the musical energy of the moment, and not from any preconceived ideas, is exciting, fresh and entirely original. No-one will have heard that before, and no-one ever will again. You, as an improviser, have total freedom and complete control over the music that is made. Could anything be more exciting?
The musical benefits are undeniable as well. A musician who improvises can approach notated music with greater freedom of expression and the ability to interpret the music originally. The improviser is a musician who truly understands their instrument, personal ability, and extent of self expression. There is no limit for the improviser.
I encourage improvisation as a means of 'freeing off' and expanding musical horizons on one's own terms. I believe it to also benefit a student's self confidence and freedom of self expression. Who wouldn't want to embark on this exciting adventure?!
