Hi Herb,
I'll add just a few more comments on improvisation to the ones I sent
before (below).
I feel that improvisation is spontaneous composition. A good
improvisation sounds like a fully formed composition. It's necessary to
let go of what we know to say something new. When the energy is right,
whether in the recording studio or in concert thought stops and new
ideas just flow. All the hours and years of practice are still with us,
but in a way that enables things to be fresh. I guess I don't believe
in pre-meditated improvising. It's a real thrill to go to a new place.
The fingers seem to move on their own. It's about the best feeling I
know.
For now,
Peter Ross, Seattle, WA
Hi Peter,
Thank you for taking the time to respond to my question on
improvisation.
Your comment about letting someone explore the instrument before taking
lessons is interesting. Before I started taking formal lessons on
shakuhachi I had played around for a couple of years on a native
american
flute, then on the shakuhachi, when I bought one.
Those early days of messing around were enjoyable, until I reached my
level
of inexperience. Then my limitations became frustrating. While I
enjoyed
just playing the shakuhachi I didn't feel I could progress. After I was
doing lessons for awhile, I found myself not "messing around" as much.
This
brought a different frustration, one of being focused on learning the
"correct" way to play and losing the free spirit of it. So all this talk
about "being or becoming the music" or "making it one's own" is
presently
out side of my experience while I was focusing on "learning the music."
I
think I need to go back and add more "messing around".
Your comment about getting into the mood of a piece is very helpful. I
have
a vague instinctive feeling to do that but haven't had the courage to
try
it very often. Yet, as you say, when I do, that's where its at!
I just remembered that at the last two summer camps, I asked Riley Lee
to
do a spontaneous improvisation with me during the student presentation
night. Both times they were the highlight of the camp for me. Playing
with
Riley was a blast as his superior experience helped provide a base to
support me as well as give me something to spring off from. My listening
was incredibly concentrated, trying to listen to him, me, the music we
were
creating and my feelings/hearing of what was next. A very rare
experience.
Probably and adjunct to this discussion on improvisation is to mention
that
playing with those who are better than you will improve your
improvisational skills. If I have time I may write the list and mention
it.
thanks for your comments.
Herb
At 2/27/01 01:30 PM, you wrote:
>Hi Herb,
>
>I'm a shakuhachi player to whom improvisation came naturally. I could
>always improvise from the first time I picked up an instrument. I'm
not
>sure why, other things were more difficult, but it might be that though
my
>training is on the shakuhachi I've listened to Jazz all my life. When
I
>improvise on my recordings of world music the Jazz influence enables me
to
>play the shakuhachi freely in a non traditional , or non Japanese way.
>
>I've also noticed that classically trained musicians can rarely
>improvise. I think improvisation needs to be encouraged from the
>beginning or else it's hard to do later on. It's probably best to
explore
>an instrument for a while before taking lessons. Before being giving
an
>approach.
>
>The thing to remember when improvising is to get in the mood of the
music
>you are playing with, and to tell a story. Don't get caught up in
>pre-arranged riffs or exercise-sounding phrases that have no
>meaning. Listen to the sound of your flute and see where it takes
you. I
>never plan my solos. When I've tried to repeat phrases that I like it
>never sounds spontaneous. So, like in life it's best not to have an
agenda.
>
>I don't know if it can be taught. I try to encourage my students to
>improvise but only a few take to it.
>
>Peter
>
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