Grab an Instrument and Play! A Journey into Improvisation Lauren F. Bevilacqua, MT-BC March 28, 2015 WHY ARE WE HERE? How will this work? Part I: Defining Improvisation General Clinical Improvisation Techniques Part II: Musicianship
Learning Objectives Participants will be able to differentiate between improvisation and clinical improvisation Participants will define and demonstrate at least 3 improvisation techniques discussed Participants will define and demonstrate at least 2 basic styles of music on piano, guitar, or percussion Participants will identify at least 2 clinical applications of improvisation techniques and/or musical styles. Defining Improvisation Improvisation is when the client makes up music while playing or singing, extemporaneously creating a melody, rhythm, song or instrumental piece Ken Bruscia - Defining Music Therapy (2nd Ed) Clinical Improvisation is the process whereby the therapist and client(s) improvise together for the purposes of therapeutic assessment, treatment and/or evaluation. In clinical improvisation, client and therapist relate to one another through the music, and the improvisation results in a musical product that varies in aesthetic, expressive and interpersonal significance. Susan Gardstrom - Music Therapy Improvisation for Groups: Essential Leadership Competencies
Side by Side Improvisation Client creating music spontaneously Clinical Improvisation Client AND Therapist Relating to one another for a SPECIFIC purpose in the therapeutic process Aesthetic quality may vary Improv as a Model Model - comprehensive approach to assessment, treatment, and evaluation which includes theoretical principles, clinical indications, and contraindications, goals, methodological guidelines and specifications, and the characteristic use of certain procedural sequences and techniques (Bruscia, 1998). Improv as a Method Method - a particular type of music experience used for assessment, treatment, and/or evaluation (Bruscia, 1998) Improvisation Techniques Technique - A single operation or interaction that a therapist uses to elicit an immediate reaction from the client or to shape the ongoing, immediate experience of the client (Bruscia, 1998).
Clinical Techniques Clinical Techniques Techniques of Empathy Structuring Techniques Techniques of Intimacy Elicitation Techniques Redirection Techniques *Kalani # Wigram Procedural Techniques Emotional Exploration Techniques Referential Techniques Discussion Techniques *# Dialoguing Techniques Techniques of Empathy Techniques of Empathy Imitating Synchronizing Incorporating Pacing Reflecting Exaggerating *#Matching *Marking #Mirroring *Kalani # Wigram
Techniques of Empathy Imitating: The therapist echoes or reproduces a client s response, after the responses has been presented. Must be used selectively and carefully (in a way that does not convey mimicry). Synchronizing: The therapist does what the client does as the client is doing it, timing the process so that their actions coincide. Incorporating: When improvising with the client, the therapist takes a rhythmic or melodic motif presented by the client and makes it a theme in his/her own improvisation. Techniques of Empathy Pacing: The therapist matches the client s energy level, by using the same intensity and speed of effort as the client. Reflecting: The therapist expresses the same moods or feelings that the client is expressing. The chief modalities of reflection are music, lyrics, verbalization, and movement. Exaggerating: The therapists exaggerates something that is distinctive or unique about the client of what the client is doing. Techniques of Empathy Matching: Improvising music that is compatible or fits in with the client s style of playing while maintaining the same tempo, dynamic, texture, quality and complexity of oner musical elements Marking: Momentarily synchronizing with the music the client(s). Mirroring: Doing exactly what the client is doing musically, expressively and through body language at the same time the client is doing it. Demonstration Imitating Synchronizing Incorporating Pacing Reflecting Exaggerating *#Matching *Marking #Mirroring
Structuring Techniques Structuring Techniques Rhythmic Grounding Tonal Grounding Shaping *Metric Grounding *# Harmonic Grounding *Accompanying *Reframing *Kalani # Wigram Structuring Techniques Rhythmic Grounding: The therapist keeps a basic beat or provides a rhythmic ostinato as a foundation for the client s improvising. Tonal Grounding: The therapist provides a tonal center, scale, or harmonic ground for the client s improvising. Shaping: The therapist helps the client to define the length and shape of a complete musical idea. Structuring Techniques Metric Grounding: The client initiates play without suggesting a meter. The therapist experiments to find a distinct meter Harmonic Grounding: The client initiates a melodic ostinato or melodic play. Therapist explores harmonic grounds Accompanying: Playing that supports the client s musical expressions. Reframing: Changing the musical background or musical environment to change the orientation of the client s playing.
Demonstration Rhythmic Grounding Tonal Grounding Shaping *Metric Grounding *# Harmonic Grounding *Accompanying *Reframing Elicitation Techniques Elicitation Techniques Repeating Modeling Making Spaces Interjecting Extending Completing *Prompting *Pairing *Kalani # Wigram Elicitation Techniques Repeating: The therapist presents the same rhythm or melody several times, either in succession or with brief interludes. Modeling: The therapist presents or demonstrates a target behavior, quality, feeling, trait, etc, for the client to emulate. Making Spaces: The therapist improvises and provides frequent spaces within the structure of the improvisation for the client to respond or inject sounds.
Elicitation Techniques Interjecting: The therapist remains silent and improvises only when the client pauses, giving the client primary responsibility for the improvisation while also suggesting options for continuation. Extending: In a musical context, the therapist lengthens the client s phrase. Completing: The therapist answers or completes the musical question presented by the client. Demonstration Repeating Modeling Making Spaces Interjecting Extending Completing *Prompting *Pairing Break? Redirection Techniques
Redirection Techniques Introducing Change Differentiating Modulating Intensifying Calming Intervening * Contrasting *Kalani # Wigram Redirection Techniques Introducing Change: The therapist attempts to redirect the client s improvising by introducing new thematic material, and starting a new section in the improvisation Differentiating: When improvising with the client, the therapist distinguishes and separates the two parts by playing rhythms, melodies, timbres, dynamics, registers, textural configurations, etc. that are very different from the client s yet compatible. Modulating: When improvising with the client, the therapist gradually changes meters or keys. Redirection Techniques Intensifying: The therapist stimulates the music by increasing dynamics, tempo, rhythmic tension, and/or melodic tension. Used to secure attention, excite and energize Calming: When improvising with the client, the therapist relaxes the music by keeping the dynamics and tempo within a moderate range, keeping the rhythm and melody simple and repetitive, and shaping the phrases downward to release tension. Redirection Techniques Intervening: the therapist interrupts or redirects fixations, perseverations, or stereotypes, which are manifested in the client s music, movement, actions or verbalizations. Contrasting: Playing that is opposite and differentiated with regard to musical elements.
Demonstration Introducing Change Differentiating Modulating Calming Intervening * Contrasting Intensifying Techniques of Intimacy Techniques of Intimacy Sharing Instruments Giving Bonding Soliloquies *Kalani # Wigram Techniques of Intimacy Sharing Instruments: the therapist and client play the same instrument either independently or interdependently. Giving: The therapist presents the client with a gift, such as a musical performance, an instrument, a score, a flower, food, or personal belongings.
Techniques of Intimacy Bonding: the therapist and client develop a musical theme that symbolizes or becomes associated with their relationship. Soliloquies: Improvising a song as if talking to one s self about one s partner or a group member. Demonstration Sharing Instruments Giving Bonding Soliloquies Procedural, Referential, Emotional Exploration, Discussion and Dialoguing Techniques Procedural Techniques Enabling Shifting Pausing Receding Experimenting Conducting *Kalani # Wigram Rehearsing Performing Playing Back Reporting Reacting Analogizing
Procedural techniques Enabling: The therapist gives the client instructions, demonstrations, physical assistance, or technical advice. Shifting: The therapist shifts from one expressive modality to another or from one medium to another within the modality. Pausing: the therapist has the client rest or freeze during an improvisation and stay suspended at that point in time until signaled to proceed. Procedural techniques Receding: The therapist steps back and allows the client to direct the improvisation. Experimenting: the therapist presents a structure, procedure, or idea to guide the client s improvising, as asks the clients to experiment with all of its expressive possibilities.. Conducting: The improvisation is directed by one person through expressive gestures, musical symbols, verbal messages, or other signal systems. Procedural techniques Rehearsing: The therapists has the client practice part o all of an improvisation. Used to help master a particular aspect of the medium or improvisation, or to prepare for a performance. Performing: The therapist has the client do a performance of an improvisation that has been worked out and rehearsed. Playing Back: The therapist records the client s improvisation and plays it back, either immediately afterward or at a later time. Procedural techniques Reporting: The therapist asks the client to report on various aspects of the improvisation experience, including what actually took place musically and any thoughts or feelings the client had a different points in the improvisation. Reacting: The therapist asks the client to react to the improvisation itself. Client talks about how they feel about the process itself. Analogizing: The therapist asks him/her to cite a real life situation that is analogous to the improvisation.
Referential Techniques Pairing Symbolizing Recollecting Free Association Projecting Fantasizing Story-Telling *Kalani # Wigram Referential Techniques Pairing: The therapist improvises different musical motifs to selected client responses and then plays the motif every time the client emits the response. Symbolizing: Having the client use something musical to stand for or represent something else. Recollecting: Having the client recall or imagine sounds that accompany a particular situation or event, and reproducing them Referential Techniques Free Associating: Having the client say whatever comes to mind upon listening to an improvisation, including imagery, memories or associations. Projecting: having the client improvise music that depicts a real situation, feeling, event, or relationship. Fantasizing: Having the client improvise music to a fantasy, story, myth or dream. Referential Techniques Story-Telling: Improvising music and stimulating the client to make up a story.
Emotional Exploration Techniques Holding Doubling Contrasting Making Transitions Sequencing Integrating Splitting Transferring Role-Taking Anchoring *Kalani # Wigram Emotional Exploration Techniques Holding: as the client improvises, the therapist provides a musical background that resonates the client s feelings while containing them Doubling: Expressing feelings that the client is having difficulty acknowledging or releasing fully Contrasting: Having the client improvise opposite qualities or feelings Emotional Exploration Techniques Making Transitions: Having the client find various ways within an improvisation to get from one quality or feeling to its opposite Sequencing: Helping the client to put things in sequential order (improvisation, events of a story, autobiographical information) Integrating: introducing elements of contrast into the improvisation, then combining, balancing, or making them compatible. Emotional Exploration Techniques Splitting: improvising with the client two conflicting aspects of the client s self Transferring: improvising duets with the client that explore significant relationships in his/her life. Role Taking: swapping various roles with the client while improvising Anchoring: Associating a significant experience in therapy to something that will enable the client to recall it easily or recasting the experience in a modality, medium, or form that will externalize or consolidate it.
Discussion techniques Connecting Probing Clarifying Summarizing Feedback Interpreting Metaprocessing Reinforcing Confronting Disclosing *Kalani # Wigram Discussion Techniques Connecting: Verbalizing or asking the client how various aspects of the client s experiences or expressions relate to one another. Probing: asking questions or making statements to elicit information from the client. Clarifying: Getting the client to elaborate on, clarify, or verify information that has already been offered. Discussion Techniques Summarizing: Verbally recapitulating events in therapy and stating them concisely, or reviewing the client s experiences or responses during a particular phase of therapy or life situation. Feedback: Verbalizing how the client might appear, sound or feel to another person Interpreting: Offering possible explanations for the client s experiences. Discussion Techniques Metaprocessing: Having the client switch to a level of consciousness that enables him/her to observe and react to what s/he is doing or feeling. Reinforcing: Rewarding the client or withdrawing reinforcement according to the client s behavior. Confronting: Challenging the client by pointing out discrepancies or contradictions in his/her responses/ Disclosing: Revealing something personal to the client, talking about oneself during a session.
Part II: Musicianship POP quiz Fact or Fiction: Clinical Improvisation Clinical Improvisation is free and unstructured! FICTION! The clinical efficacy of improvisation is not due to the absence of structure, but lies in the fact that it consists of spontaneously and flexibly evolving structures - Ken Aigen
Fact or Fiction: Clinical Improvisation Clinical Improvisation is whatever you feel like playing. FICTION! Improvising is not just doing anything you want to do. - Paul Nordoff Fact or Fiction: Clinical Improvisation Clinical Improvisation must always sound beautiful FICTION! In applying PSE the music has to fit the movement pattern to be practiced [the music therapist] needs to possess a considerable skill base in musical techniques such as improvisation in order to execute the musical translations. - Michael Thaut
Fact or Fiction: Clinical Improvisation Clinical Improvisation must ALWAYS be fresh and new. FICTION! Improvisation is most effective and creative where a simple idea is repeated, varied, extended and creatively expanded Tony Wigram Fact or Fiction: Clinical Improvisation You must be a music theory expert to improvise. FICTION! Notes, pitches, and that s it! All the fuss about learning music theory Their music theory only teaches you how to use notes, and it s only a theory! It should be called note theory, not music theory, because it doesn t teach you Music! Victor Wooten
Fact or Fiction: Clinical Improvisation Clinical Improvisation cannot be taught. FICTION! The same learning concept of trial and error applies to improvisation. As you practice improvising, the process will inform your practice and the improvisation itself will become your teacher. -Kalani Building improvised music 10 elements of music Notes Articulation Technique Feel Dynamics Rhythms Phrasing Space Tone Listening
You can t speak Music with notes alone, but you can speak Music without notes at all! Without [the other elements], notes are lifeless. - Victor Wooten 10 elements of music Notes Articulation Technique Feel Dynamics Rhythms Phrasing Space Tone Listening Building Basic Styles Play rules Play Slowly No pedal No Stopping No Turning Back No Apologies No Fear Keep it Simple
Wigram s rules for improvising 1-note, 2-note, 3-note and 4 note improvisation improvising on a single chord improvising with just one hand melody improvisation alone simple rhythmic dialogue Styles Pentatonic Children s Tune Pentatonic Blues Organum Spanish Middle Eastern Blues in a Key Rock N Roll - Contemporary Chord Progressions Pentatonic Children s Tune Pentatonic Children s tune 5 note scale - F# G# A# C# D# Start with 2 chords: F# (I) ; C# (V) Left Hand - Rocking Bass F# - C# Right Hand - Tone Clusters Chunks Single Notes
Pentatonic Children s Tune Variations: Bass Patterns : Rocking/Swinging Bass 1-5 - 6-5 Chunked Bass Experiment - Less Notes? Full Range of Keyboard? Pentatonic Children s Tune Clinical Applications 1. Allows for meeting a child in his/her own music. 2. Great for those who naturally play black keys 3. Goes with a variety of instrumental work - reed horns, percussion, piano, & vocal work 4. Good for setting up rhythm to allow you to focus on client. Pentatonic Blues Pentatonic Blues Characteristics: Three Chords : Eb (I) - Ab (IV) - Bb (V) Syncopation 12 bar pattern I I I I IV IV I I V IV I (V) Add A-natural to black keys for dissonance Beginning Bass Pattern - Broken Octaves
Pentatonic Blues Variations: Bass Patterns : 1-7 - use different rhythms Syncopated; sustained 1-5-1 Rolled - for more grounded music 1-5-7 Blocked 1-5 to 7 Pentatonic Blues Clinical Applications 1. Like Pentatonic Children s Tune but sounds darker and more sophisticated. 2. Works well with pitched instruments and rhythm work 3. Can open door for more challenging rhythm work 4. Vocal Work 5. Songwriting Organum Organum Characteristics: Based in D like dorian mode D E F G A B C (Bb) Add a Bb to keep a P5 (or P4) (instead of raising F to F#) Syllabic, Neumatic vs. Melismatic Use: Parallel motion (up & down) or just portions Stepwise motion (occasional leap to a 3rd) Unmetered vs. Metered Left Hand - Drone on 5ths or Octaves Right Hand - 5ths; Single Note Melodies
Organum Variations: Move from pulsing ostinato Play with the 5th in parallel motions - not necessarily moving at the same time Try Contrary motion - 5ths and 4ths Organum Clinical Applications 1. Vocal Music 2. Vocal work for those without pitch focus 3. Can be used to modulate the musical environment 4. Can be used with un-pitched rhythmic work Break? Spanish
Spanish Characteristics: Starting on D Major Chords tonal center (D major), 1/2 step up (Eb major), 1 whole step up (F major) Rhythmic - Use articulations on different beats. Duple, Triple or Quadruple Meter Left Hand: Root of Chord in Octaves Rigth hand: Chords in Root Positions Variations: Spanish Broken Chords in the Right Hand Accents on different beats Melodic Right Hand: D Eb F# G A Bb C Overlapping Triads Latin Tango Feel Right Hand: Sustain chords in Root Left Hand: 1-5-1-5-1 Spanish Clinical Applications 1. Vocal Work 2. Instrumental Work with nonpitched instruments (clave, castanets) 3. Movement - Dancing, Clapping, Foot Stomping 4. Use musical turn around to cue a desired response Middle Eastern
Middle Eastern Characteristics: Major Chord and a Minor Chord (1 whole step down) Right Hand Scale Tones: D Eb F# G A (C) Can Use Chords Left Hand: Drone (Octaves of P5s) Free Meter Middle Eastern Variations: Left Hand Variations: Rhythmic ostinato Right Hand Variations: Melismatic vs. Syllabic melodies Middle Eastern Clinical Applications 1. Vocal Work 2. Non-pitched Instruments 3. Transitions Blues in a Key
Blues in a Key Clinical Applications Major Keys - I - IV - V Blues Scale: 1 2 b3 3 5 6 b7 Blue Notes; Syncopation; Dissonance; Surprises 12 Bar Pattern I I I I IV IV I I V IV I V Major/Minor 7ths Ex. F Maj: F, G, Ab, A, C, D, Eb pitched Instruments Blues in a Key RH: Blues Scale: 1 2 b3 3 5 6 b7 LH: 1-5 Continue to play scale but add some syncopation Then play just parts of the scale Blues in a Key Variations: Barrel House Blues Bass Pattern Walking Bass Line Play with Tempo Blues in a Key Clinical Applications 1. Songwriting 2. Non-pitched Percussion 3. Pitched Instruments 4. Vocal Work
Chord Progressions Chord Progressions Characteristics: Popular Chord Progressions: I - IV- vi - V I-V-vi-IV I - vi- IV - V I- iii- ii - V Left Hand - Root in 8ves Right Hand - Chords Chord Progressions Variations: Triplet accompaniment (I - vi- IV- V) 50 s Rock N Roll/Do Wop Ballad Styles (I - vi - IV - V) Arpeggios and Suspended Chords Up Tempo Pop Songs (I - V - vi - IV) More Syncopation Octave bass lines Chord Progressions Clinical Applications 1.Songwriting 2.Vocal Work 3.Recreative Experiences
Other Helpful Skills Transitioning Between Styles Building anticipation Resources Josh Massicot - Functional piano for music therapists and music educators: An exploration of styles Practicing! Create a Clinical Scenario Practice with your clients in mind Practice for yourself Find a practice buddy
Play like a child with an air guitar... A child playing an air guitar never plays a wrong note. Questions?