Improvisation: Instant Composition 

String Pedagogy

Dr. William K. Koehler
Professor of Double Bass/Music Education
Illinois State University

Improvisation is a highly developed skill (process) in which the player must immediately convey musical ideas within specific parameters. The improviser must react to the musical interplay of others with thought given to tension and release. This involves scalar, chordal, motivic and rhythmic choices, as well as demonstrating experiences in a number of musical styles. In this
respect improvisation is more difficult than composition. The composer develops works (products) by working through the elements of music without the immediacy of performance. The process of improvisation develops long-term musical memory. 

In many ways, improvisation and composition implement the same creative approaches. Both incorporate the activities of exploration, the retention of salient musical material, and development. These steps are generative in that they are constantly revisited and enhanced.

Exploration - involves a working through or gaining familiarization with given (or assigned) parameters and musical elements.  At this stage, the improviser/composer explores combinations of scale, tonality, meter and rhythm.

Retention - Salient musical ideas are committed to memory for the purpose of using them in playing situations.

Development - the improviser/composer determines the potentency (Prägnanz) of motivic material, scalar and chordal implications, and meter and rhythmic parameters by exposing a motiv, phrase, or fragment to devices such as sequence, diatonic and chromatic alteration, expanding the tension/release continuum, as well as inversion, augmentation, diminution,
retrograde and rhythmic variety. Through this process, the musician determines the musical value of the products created, and makes a conscious effort to retain these ideas and to be able to call upon any of them in actual playing situations or for use in compositions. In this way, the improviser/composer constantly expands his/her working musical vocabulary. Development can
be carried a step further by subjecting musical ideas to formal conditions either at the phrase or section level. 

Task: Create, Compose: make up your own song.
AABA form, in specified meter, and key scale tetrachord, etc.
Transform this melody to another quality (maj, mi, phrygian, etc.)
Write variations on it.  Improvise over the chord progression.

Task: Teach motivic development. Have each student create a motive two bars long - using rhythms and melodic material presently being taught in class. Each student is asked to perform the motive in a row. The first student plays it, the second student repeats it, then plays her own motive. The process continues around the room in steady time. Next time around the
students should alter their motives and follow the same procedure above.

Rhythm can be a vehicle for melodic invention:

Task: Choose two rhythms (from your current working palate in class) 
write a composition perform it for class

Teacher can record all compositions in class and provide the student with a portfolio of works at the end of the semester The best can be transcribed arranged expanded and performed by the class on concert. (composition contest).

Do the same at the motive level.

Any short works can be extended by using detache, martele, and pizz.

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Process / Product
a given amount of exploration time to retain salient musical ideas and gain cohesion through form

In order for this process to become automatic, a set amount of practice time should be allotted at each students private practice sessions, and these type of activities should be a regular part of the orchestra rehearsal. Please call or write me to let me know if you are implementing improvisation in string classes!!

This Article has been published in the Illinois ASTA Scroll Magazine Spring 1996