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Sequencing Improvisation in �Modern Band

Ashley Cobb

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Level 1: Exploration

Exploration is a necessary, preimprovisational step; students may explore a variety of sounds and instruments in the exploration level (Kratus, 1991).

Music Circle Activities

One Sound Around
Pass It, Turn It, Toss It
Rumble
Rumble Firecracker (Knysh, 2013; 2015).

Those music circle activities help students develop listening skills and nonverbal communication skills that aid participation in improvisational music circles.

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One Sound Around (Knysh, 2013; 2015): How quickly can you pass one sound around your circle? Encourage students to try new sounds each time. Try timing the circle to have students work together to work as an ensemble.

Pass It, Turn It, Toss It (Kynsh): Pass one sound around the circle. After one rotation, students can turn the sound by hitting their instrument twice and saying “Turn it!” Eventually, students can progress to tossing the sound across the circle by pretending to throw the sound, saying “Toss it!” or making a fun noise!

Rumble (Knysh, 2013; 2015): Students make a rumble sound on their drums. Play with sculpting dynamics and sculpting the ensemble.

Rumble Firecracker (Knysh, 2013; 2015): One rumbling, have students play piano. When pointing at a student, they make one loud noise, like a firecracker!

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Hello! My name is Ashley Cobb, and I am a current MME student and graduate assistant at the University of South Carolina. I am from Columbia, SC, and I enjoy nature and hiking.

I dedicate a lot of my time to researching and experimenting with improvisation in elementary music. I am currently working on my thesis about students’ perceptions of improvisation.

I am excited to present this session combining elements of my favorite approaches: music learning theory, Music for People, and modern band.

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Level 2: Process-oriented improvisation

When students begin audiating their improvisation and their improvisation becomes pattern-dominated, students are operating at process-oriented improvisation (Kratus, 1991).

Music Circle Activities

What’s Your Name? (duple)
Where Are You From? (triple)
What Do You Like? (triple)
Call-and-Response with parts of the drum

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Level 3: Product-oriented improvisation

Students in product-oriented improvisation become more aware of musical constraints such as pulse, meter, tempo, and/or tonality (Kratus, 1991).

Music Circle Activities

Layering Ostinati (variety of tempos and meters)
Three in One

In those music circle activities, students focus on layering ostinati and other independent parts.

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Level 4: Fluid improvisation

Students improvise with comfort and ease; students exhibit control over their instrument (Kratus, 1991).

Music Circle Activities

Meet Me Where I Am
Solo Over Drone
Solo Over Ostinato (Knysh 2013; 2015).

In those music circle activities, students focus on independent musicianship, manipulating their instrument(s), and developing technique in a variety of tonalities, meters, and tempos.

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Level 5: Structural improvisation

Students become aware of overall structures and musical expectations; students may strategize and structure their improvisations (Kratus, 1991).

Music Circle Activities

Three in One with chords
Free improvisation with chords

Gradually introduce chords and/or chord progressions. Use three in one to assess students’ proficiency with chords/chord progressions.

Students may strategize/structure their improvisation during free improvisation to solve music problems (i.e. timing).

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Level 6: Stylistic improvisation

Students demonstrating awareness of structure are ready to improvise stylistically. Students demonstrating stylistic improvisation improvise skillfully the nuances of the selected style (Kratus, 1991).

Music Circle Activities

Performing a song with improvised elements
Improvising a song
Composing a song with improvised elements

Try scaffolding from the chords introduced in structural improvisation to the song selected for stylistic improvisation.

Try improvising a song, from start to finish.

Improvise parts of a song and put those improvised parts together to compose an original song.

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(Ho!)

(Hey!)

(Ho!)

(Hey!)

(Ho!) I′ve been tryin' to do it right

(Hey!) I′ve been livin' a lonely life

(Ho!) I've been sleepin′ here instead

(Hey!) I′ve been sleepin' in my bed

(Ho!) Sleepin′ in my bed

(Hey!)

(Ho!)

(Ho!) So show me family

(Hey!) All the blood that I will bleed

(Ho!) I don't know where I belong

(Hey!) I don′t know where I went wrong

(Ho!) But I can write a song

(Hey!) Two, three

I belong with you, you belong with me

You're my sweetheart

I belong with you, you belong with me

You′re my sweetheart!

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Level 7: Personal improvisation

Students in personal improvisation create new rules or conventions for their personal improvisation (Kratus, 1991).

Music Circle Activities

Free improvisation

While each level of Kratus’ model (1991) involve elements of improvisation, level seven is truly free without music expectations. Using the levels to help students develop performance and audiation vocabularies may strengthen their improvisation skills.

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References

Knysh, M. (2013). Innovative drum circles. Rhythmic Connections Publications.

Knysh, M., & Leathley, L. (2015). 1-2 Let's all play. Rhythmic Connections Publications.

Kratus, J. (1991). Growing with improvisation. Music Educators Journal, 78(4), 36–40. https://doi.org/10.2307/3398335

Oshinsky, J. (2008). Return to child: Music for people's guide to improvising music and authentic group leadership: � Philosophy, games, and techniques. Music for People. ��

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Thank You!

Any questions? Email me at aecobb@email.sc.edu.