Improvisation is the spontaneous creation of music. Depending on the style, there will be various guidelines and boundaries that define what will work, but in all these situations, there are three skills that need to be in balance. All of these can be improved using organized practice methods, as we discussed in this post.
Cycle of 4ths
Here is a lesson on practicing major triads through the cycle of 4ths. The pattern of chords ascending by perfect 4ths (two whole-steps and one half-step) is fundamental to tonal harmony, and is sometimes called “strong root motion.” Practicing these patterns helps us learn to find these chords in all 12 keys, and in an order they often appear.
Ever wonder why some keyboards are harder to play than others, or why your hands hurt after a gig on certain keyboards? In this article, we are going to look at certain design elements that make some keyboards hard to play. I tested a selection of keyboards available to me as a cross-section.
Many musicians focus on the amount of force it takes to press the keys, called touch weight. While this is important, here we will examine some other design features that can really mess up our ability to perform:
Reinforcement
Last time we discussed repetition, the act of playing the same passage over and over in a short time-span. In this article, we will discuss the second element in successful practice.
As we learned in part 1, repetition is effective for a limited time; after this short period, continuing to repeat can waste time as well as lead to daydreaming and joint pain. Furthermore, we can only learn so much in one session, no matter how long we do our drills. How can we imprint the skills we want to have so they are consistent and available to us? Through what I call reinforcement, or the process of forgetting and re-learning.
Practicing is a personal activity; no two people are the same, and this also goes for practice. However, there are some fundamental forces that are part of the learning experience for all of us. Learning to use and balance these processes will lead to successful and efficient use of our precious time. In this series, we will discuss the three elements of successful practice.
The First Element: Repetition
This may seem obvious; everybody knows you have to repeat things to learn. However, what we are discussing here is a very specifically structured activity, geared toward building muscle memory. Here are my suggestions on how to optimize the use of repetition.
One of the biggest challenges of keyboard technique is independence between the hands. This is especially true if there is any improvisation involved, since this prevents us from memorizing a passage by rote.
Myths and Misinformation
There are some misconceptions about independence that can prevent us from succeeding in our goals; moving beyond them can allow us to get the ball rolling with two-handed playing.
Here are four short excerpts from my upcoming CD “Fromage.” It is comprised of jazz arrangements of songs usually considered too “cheesy” to be considered “standards.”
The musicians: Piano/arranger: Randy Hoexter Bass: Jimmy Haslip Drums: Tom Knight/Dave Weckl Guitar: Trey Wright Saxophones, flute, bass clarinet: Sam Skelton Trumpet: Mike Barry Trumpet/Flugelhorn: Gordon Vernick Trombone: Eric Alexander Congas, Djembe, Cajon: Kit Chatham Triangle, Shaker: Eric Sanders
See if you can identify these gems of 70s AM pop radio!
When we are children, our parents do a great deal to protect us from disappointment; they warn us not to “count our chickens” and to remember that we shouldn’t “get our hopes up.” While these warnings may make sense for a small child, we often carry them into our adult life, where they hold us back. Is an uncomfortable moment really that bad?
New Car Fever
When the time comes for us to replace our car, salespeople use our fear of disappointment to maneuver us into all kinds of unwise choices. We select a vehicle, find a model with just the features we want, and we get “fired up” about driving home in our shiny new status symbol.
