improvisation

Here’s a project I’ve done which incorporates different strategies and programs, step by step (one of my favorite things to do): 1. Preparatory Learning: Teach the 4 LH positions of Greensleeves (before we get to Greensleeves). That’s the whole assignment. 2. Comp & Improv: Once…

• Last updated 4 months ago
• arrangement, arranging, C & I, comp & improv, comp and improv, comp/improv, Greensleeves, ideas for improvisation, improv, improv ideas, improvisation, improvisation ideas, improvising, Laurie Richards, preparatory learning

I have a private student break his left arm. I need ideas for how to engage him for the next 6 weeks. He is just starting level 5. He is reading music and came from a traditional background. He is almost done with RR. I…

• Last updated 9 months ago
• audio, audio materials, audio recording, Audio recordings, audio SHMs, backing tracks, BH, both hands, broken arm, broken bones, duet, duets, duets with students, hands together, imagination, imagine, improv, improvisation, improvising, injured fingers, injuries, injury, left hand, LH, medical, play along, play SH along with audio, play SH with audio, playing along with audio, playing with audio tracks, practice SH along with audio, practice SH with audio, RH, right hand, separate hands, SH, trouble with hands together, using audio recordings, using audio tracks, visualize, visualize practice

Just wondering if the sheet music for ‘Lament’ in the Jazz program is treated as a completely separate exercise to the improvisation in the reference book. Alternatively, do we work out what 4 note chords to use in the LH for the sheet music version…

• Last updated 2 years ago
• Gordon Harvey, improv, improvisation, jazz, Jazz 1, jazz clue 1, jazz clue 2, jazz clues, jazz program, jazz program questions, JC, Lament, modes, stride

I have a student in her 70’s who is working on Walk at Eleven. We have been over all the clues many times (C to A to D to G, focusing on the notes a half step above or a half step below, etc.); despite…

• Last updated 2 years ago
• adult, adult lessons, adult student, adult students, adults, adults with memory problems, blues, blues songs, coaching adults, FL9, Foundation 9, foundation level 9, half steps, improvisation, improvising, it takes as long as it takes, Level 9, older student, older students, remember, remembering, remembering patterns, Robin Keehn, target notes, teaching adults, teaching half steps, Walk at 11, Walk at Eleven, walking bass

Sometimes in a shared lesson, one student is ready to move on from a project before others are quite ready. Let’s share some ideas for an extra “filler” project for that student. I’ll start: Utilize one of the Supplemental Programs – assign one project from…

• Last updated 3 years ago
• arrangement, arranging, Blues Infusion, Blues Infusion Program, Chord Drill, comfort in teaching groups, creative projects, different levels, different pacing in group, Elizabeth Gaikwad, foundation duets, Foundation Duets and Variations, genres, group, group dynamics, group lesson, group lessons, group obstacles, groups, improv, improvisation, keeping groups together, Laurie Richards, leading groups, managing groups, managing shared lessons, motivation, new variation, Notion, pacing, positive peer pressure, readiness, ready, shared, shared lesson, shared lesson ideas, shared lesson management, shared lessons, shared lessons management, siblings moving at a different pace, songs for children, Songs for Christmas, Songs for Everyone, speed of learning, speed of progress, students in groups with different abilities, students progressing differently, students speed of progress, styles, Teacher Collection, teaching groups, Tune Toolkit, variation, variations

How would you explain to 12-14 year old kids why learning to improvise and compose songs is part of the simply music program? How does it help them learn to play songs, if that is their goal? Do you have the Tune Toolkit Program? The…

• Last updated 3 years ago
• #ttci, arranging, benefits of improv, C & I, C&I, comp & improv, comp and improv, comp/improv, composing, composition, composition skills, CP, creative projects, creativity, cross-pollinate, developing creativity, developing generative skills, expression, fun, generative, generative learning, generative students, Gordon Harvey, handling mistakes, improv, improvisation, improvise through mistakes, improvising, interpretation, interpretation of classical pieces, jazz interpretation, keep going through mistakes, mistakes, musical expression, playing through mistakes, refusing to compose, refusing to improvise, resistance to c&i, self expression, self generative, skills, Tune Toolkit

I’m realizing something is missing in my musical life. I want to make music with other musicians (apart from just my studio students). What do you all do to express yourselves musically in the community? I’ve always mainly played in educational/church settings. Now I’d rather…

• Last updated 3 years ago
• accompaniment, band, bands, choir, chorus, collaborating, collaboration, duet, duets, ensemble, ensemble playing, folk music, gig, gigging, gigs, Gordon Harvey, guitar, guitarist, improv, improvisation, jam, jam sessions, jamming, jams, lead sheets, making music, making music with others, melodica, music group, open mic, other musicians, playing with other musicians, playing with others, praise band, public performances, singer, ukulele, vocalist, worship band

I am going deeper into “scale” with my more advanced students in the Development Levels and in Accompaniment 2. Having come from a very extensive classical musical training, I understand scale, key signature, and advanced theory. However, a student has asked me, and I ask…

• Last updated 4 years ago
• comp & improv, comp and improv, comp/improv, geography, geography of keyboard, Gordon Harvey, improv, improv ideas, improvisation, improvisation ideas, improvising, integrated theory, key, key signature, keyboard geography, Laurie Richards, naturally occuring 3s and 4s, NO34, Robin Keehn, scale, scale fingering, scale journey, scale maps, scale theory, scale tone chords, scales, teaching scale, theory

Since my email last night regarding the “Swim Coach” reference to teaching students who play better than you do, I’ve had a couple of emails asking about what exactly “Self-Generating” or “generative” teaching or learning is. What it means, in a nutshell, is the ability…

• Last updated 4 years ago
• arrangements, comp, comp & improv, comp and improv, comp/improv, composing, composition, compositions, developing generative skills, generative, generative learning, generative students, generative tools, identifying patterns, improv, improvisation, improvising, patterns, Robin Keehn, self generating, self generative, self-generate, self-generation

I recently had a recital in conjunction with another teacher and it was very successful. It was a noisy afternoon but lots of fun. All students played a piece of their choice. Then we had some accompaniment peices with words for everyone to join in.…

• Last updated 4 years ago
• C&I, chord games, comp & improv, comp and improv, comp/improv, concert, games, improv, improvisation, improvising, musical games, open stage, performance, playing duet at recital, recital