Improv at the piano

I have been working - in my mind, at least - on an outline re: teaching improvisation. Usually my starting point is either a book of some sort, from which I pick up a pedagogical outline, or my own experience. In terms of improv, though, the books I've found seem insufficient. They are either way too theoretical, or way too tune-based. By the latter I am referring to the design where a book throws several tunes out and basically says, "Here, play this".

There deosn't seem to be material which walks a student through the process of working on an improvisation, which has started me thinking about the process you go through when improvising. What musical skills and knowledge do you have to have in order to imrpvo successfully? What ear capabilities?

In this, also, my own experience is proving deficient. I don't remember how I started improvising - other than I began by adding in parts to the boring piano accompaniments I was playing for my high school choir.

So, my initial thoughts:

1. Scales and keys play a part. You need to know instinctively what notes fit a particular key.
2. Knowing chords is also a part. You could work off the notes in a particular chord.
3. Some Rhythmic capabilities is necessary - being able to play rhythmic patterns for comping work, for example.
4. A sense of form - you'd want to play differently between the verse and chorus.
5. There's also the non-note-based but oh-so-important performance aspects such as tempo, dynamics, expressions, and articulations. Intonation, too!

So in what order would you teach these concepts? Using what material? At this point I am certain you can't segment the areas listed, but how to mix them together into a cohesive whole is a fairly knotty problem - not to mention the problem of keeping things interesting!

There are a few things i've worked - some commercial, some just for kicks, posted on my regular site. Take a listen if you've got some time!

The Piano Teacher

A blog about

• piano teaching
• piano pedagogy
• piano technology
• and music as a profession in general

by the macmusicguy.

First, a quick introduction. I have umpteen years experience performing piano and keyboards all over the country with various groups. I studied piano at the University of Tennessee @ Chattanooga (a.k.a. UTC) with Earl Miller, and at the University of South Carolina with Dr. Raymond Dudley and Dr. John Williams. I also studied piano pedagogy with Dr. Max Camp.

It's telling, I think, that three of the four teachers mentioned are now dead.

I am or have taught piano at Chattanooga State Technical Community College, Macon State College, and in my own private studio.

I also play with several bands, and have a fair amount of recording, writing , and arranging experience....and I'm an ASCAP writer.

So what is this blog for? I'll be adding entries about all things piano related- whether it's teaching teachniques, music reviews, technology tips.... it's all fair game.

The purpose? I'd like to start a dialog with piano teachers - especially teachers just beginning to teach. I've picked up some techniques I want to pass along (plus as i set them in the blog I can refer to them when I forget them!), and express some opinions along the way.

.........and maybe you will also see something interesting in the Google ads at some point. If you click on one, remember to smile because you just helped support a hungry musian with teenaged mouths to feed!