IMPROVISATION - I

Pedro Rebelo 2006

http://www.sarc.qub.ac.uk/~prebelo/teaching/listening

Theatre Comedy Music Dance Gaming Conversation Painting Navigation Thinking

Improvisation

Improvisation

What is involved in improvisation?

Difcult to Grasp Ever-changing Decision Making Without Preparation On the Spot Making sense of the moment Fun

Improvisation

Reacting to other people Skill

No predeterminate agenda Social Performance Openness Reacting to the situation Live Unrepeatable

Improvisation

LIFE?
most artists would not make a distinction how they improvise in their art and how they see life as a whole

Wassily Kandinsky - Improvisation 7 1910 (180 Kb); Oil on canvas, 131 x 97 cm; Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow

Jackson Pollock, (1912-56) - Action Painting

Improvisation Indian Classical Music

Ravi Shankar
Raga Charu Keshi

Ravi Shankar

Improvisation Indian Classical Music

Ravi Shankar
Raga Charu Keshi

This morning melody is a relatively recent import from the Karnataka stream into the Hindustani system. http://nachiketa.sharma.tripod.com/items/charukeshi.html

Ravi Shankar

Improvisation Indian Classical Music Alap

Introduction

Raga
Scale which serves as a basis for melodic improvisation. There are hundreds of ragas, each with its own pitch structure, intonation, ornamentation, intervals... Each raga acts as a melodic set of conditions for improvisation. Melodies from one raga cannot be transposed to another raga. Each raga represents a unique a musical, spiritual and social domain; they are associated with moods, time of day, seasons etc... The musicians role is to be able to create the ragas mood through improvisation.

Tala
Ravi Shankar

Long rhythmic cycles. There are hundreds of different talas and they can render one of the most complex rhythm structures of any music tradition. Musicians use the talas as basic rhythm structure on which to improvise.

Improvisation Rock

Improvisation Rock Riffs

Short melodic/harmonic fragments: Serves as a structuring device for a song

Led-Zeppelin Whole Lotta Love

Improvisation Rock Riffs

Short melodic/harmonic fragments: Serves as a structuring device for a song

Rhythm/Pulse/Beat
Regular rhythmic patterns. Repetition

Led-Zeppelin Whole Lotta Love

Improvisation Rock Riffs

Short melodic/harmonic fragments: Serves as a structuring device for a song

Rhythm/Pulse/Beat
Regular rhythmic patterns. Repetition

Improvisation
Led-Zeppelin Whole Lotta Love

Vamping Texture

Improvisation Rock Riffs

Short melodic/harmonic fragments: Serves as a structuring device for a song

Rhythm/Pulse/Beat
Regular rhythmic patterns. Repetition

Improvisation
Led-Zeppelin Whole Lotta Love

Solo Vamp

Improvisation Rock + ...

Frank Zappa (1940-1993)

Improvisation Rock + ... What is the Improvisation Language?

Melodic and harmonic language from other musical traditions (jazz, classical, avant-garde...) Vamping Free-form Improvisation Performance Social Dynamics Humour Frank Zappa (1940-1993)

Improvisation Rock
Solos Vamping Texture Interpretation Timbre Drum Fills Group Playing Song Writing Arranging Lyrics Producing

Improvisation Guitar Heroes... baroque

Marin Marais (1656-1728)

What is the difference between the notation and the performance?

Improvisation Baroque
Basso Continuo (Figured Bass): Improvised chord voicing and ornamentation based on bass lines and harmonic functions Acts as a minimal notation aid for performance
Basso continuo parts, almost universal in the Baroque era (1600-1750), were, as the name implies, played throughout a piece by the continuo group, it provides the harmonic structure of the music. The basso continuo can be played by an number of instruments, typically an instrument capable of playing chords (e.g. harpshichord, organ, lute, harp) and a bass register instrument such as the cello, double bass, bass viol, viola da gamba.

Basso Continuo Notation

Harmonic Rendering

Improvisation Jazz

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Improvisation Jazz

How High the Moon (Nancy Hamilton and Morgan Lewis, 1940) Les Paul and Mary Ford, 1951

Les Paul and Mary Ford

Improvisation Jazz: Bebop

Ornithology (Charlie Parker) Charlie Parker

Charlie Parker (1920 - 1955)

Improvisation Jazz
How High the Moon / Ornithology Similarities and Differences? Same Chord Progression Same Structure (intro vamp, tune, solos, tune...) Similar Tempo Different rhythm structures Different improvisation language Very Different cultural contexts

Les Paul and Mary Ford Charlie Parker (1920 - 1955)

Improvisation Jazz

Relaxin at Camarillo (Charlie Parker) The Charlie Parker All Stars 1947

Charlie Parker (1920 - 1955)

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Improvisation Jazz

Relaxin at Camarillo (Charlie Parker) Archie Shepp Quartet 1987 Archie Shepp - tenor sax Horace Parlan - piano Harry Emmery - bass Clifford Jarvis - drums
Archie Shepp

Improvisation Jazz Nefertiti (Wayne Shorter)

Miles Davis - Trumpet Wayne Shorter - Tenor Sax Herbie Hancock - Piano Ron Carter - Bass Tony Williams - Drums 1967

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Improvisation Jazz Nefertiti (Wayne Shorter)

Miles Davis - Trumpet Wayne Shorter - Tenor Sax Herbie Hancock - Piano Ron Carter - Bass Tony Williams - Drums 1967

Improvisation Jazz Nefertiti (Wayne Shorter)

Miles Davis - Trumpet Wayne Shorter - Tenor Sax Herbie Hancock - Piano Ron Carter - Bass Tony Williams - Drums 1967

Improvisation using always the same notes?

Improvisation Jazz

"Negro music and culture are intrinsically improvisational, existential. Nothing is sacred." - Archie Shepp 1990

Improvisation Jazz

Charts Chord Progressions Tunes Texture Instrumentation Social Relationships (leadership etc...)

and...
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Improvisation Jazz

Charts Chord Progressions Tunes Texture Instrumentation Social Relationships (leadership etc...)

and...

SOLOS

LOTS OF SOLOS