IMPROVISATION MATERIALS
FOR MS. POLASH'S 7TH GRADERS
Musical Improvisation - or “Soloing” - is exactly like speaking and listening in English (or any other spoken language). It is having a conversation. Like any language, music has vocabulary, grammar, syntax. Like any conversation, a musical conversation has a “topic”. Soloing is very much more simple if you understand these facts.
To Do It:
LISTEN! The biggest help is to KNOW your song.
*Know your own part.
*Know how the whole thing sounds all together.
(That's why I have videos below of orchestras playing these songs.)
The Song is: The Conversation.
PLAY! Make some sounds.
Once you know the song, you simply join in the conversation. What do you say??
You can play anything at all that you want! BUT: the Pitch Vocabulary I gave you will make it easier for you to “make sense” in The Conversation.
THINK! In other words, ask yourself how you liked the sounds you just contributed to this conversation?
It is not about right or wrong. It is simply about saying whatever you choose at the moment. How cool is that?!
REPEAT! Yeah, just do it again! This is not a one-and-done activity. In fact you may get really into doing it.
Ever make a drawing and go “eh, I wanna do it again differently”
Ever make a cookie and go “oh yes, more please!”
Ever make a foul shot that goes ‘swoooosh’, and wanna do it again? and then miss. and then make it, and then…..
That. All that.
PEPPERONI PIZZA ROCK
Performed by the Pickerington Junior High Orchestra
Notice how several kids take solos.
Performed by the FJH Publishing company orchestra.
This is adult professionals, and the solo is super cool! It's way more than you will play but listen to it for ideas and inspiration.
BOOGIE MAN BLUES
Performed by Locust Valley Middle School Orchestra
The kids who solo are playing one of the “Sample Solos”. Nice, but I'd rather hear what the kids had to say!
HIGH SCHOOL ORCHESTRA SONGS . . .
SMOOTH
Performed by - it doesn't say, but it sounds professionally done.
It is a great reference for you because it's the arranged version you will be playing.
However
The more you can make this baby groove like Santana's original, the better the world will be!
Crazy Train
Performed by the publisher's orchestra, with the amazing Mark Wood himself on solo violin.
LESSONS for guitar, uke, bass, improv, voice, songwrighting . .. . in the menu above or just Click Here!!!
BACK TO ORCHESTRA PAGE