Week 2: Improvisation & Creativity

Within the music classroom students are expected to take part in creating music. While creating music may mean singing or playing instruments, writing music, or improvising, in the classroom there is little original creating occurring. Typically in the band, orchestra or choir classes, students are re-creating music that is already written. In an elementary music classroom, creating original music may have the ability to occur more frequently, but it is on a very small scale. Unfortunately, improvisation occurs very little in a majority of music classrooms throughout the various classes. A lack of improvisation may be attributed to a lack of knowledge or experience for the teacher, comfort level of teaching improvisation, pressures to prepare for contests and concerts, or pressures from outside of the classroom over curriculum. In his magazine article, Improvising In Concert Bands and Orchestras, Barnhard II (2013) states, “Giving students opportunities for improvisation can be a win-win situation in which creativity is encouraged while actually improving instrument technique and musicianship, thus leading to better performances.”  As students grow and learn through improvisation, they will be better in tune with each other as an ensemble. Overall, the use of improvisation will give students the chance to be creative, grow as musicians, and become better performers.

There are several resources available for teachers to utilize in teaching improvisation. Resources range from informational articles online to method books to technological sites available for use. Informational articles give teachers a lot of insight as to reasons why it is important to teach improvisation but also provide ways to incorporate improvisation into the classroom. All Ears: Improvisation, Aural Training, and the Creative Process by Fred Sturm provides great ideas for activities to utilize in the classroom that encourage improvisation. Some of the activities include using simple songs, embellishments, drones, catch my pitch, penta-sonics, free play, and storytelling (Sturm). Some teachers may find that they are already utilizing various improvisational activities in the classroom already. If teachers are incorporating improvisational techniques, their classrooms are ready to do more in-depth improvisational activities.

Beyond articles, there are also several method books that may be used. One method book is the ImprovisationGames for Classical Musicians by Jeffrey Agrell. The Improvisation Games for Classical Musicians utilizes a series of games and activities to teach improvisation. This allows for students to be fully engaged in the process and activities. Furthermore, Improvisation Games for Classical Musicians links music to sports through analogies that will connect with many students as many music students also double as athletes (Agrell, 2008).

Even though it may difficult for teachers to know how to teach, or rather facilitate improvisation, there are also technological tools that may assist in utilizing improvisation within the music classroom. Bauer (2014) states “Technology….can help students develop aural skills and learn concepts of musical style and structure; it can also provide musical practice and ensemble participation” (p. 58). There is a wide variety of technological programs ranging from chord based programs, performance based programs, and notation programs.

Noteflight is an online notation program that is free when logged into. There is a higher version that requires a small fee, but for student use Noteflight is great. The program allows for teachers to create templates to promote student creativity and musical growth. Noteflight may also be shared between teachers and students for easy critiquing. While Noteflight is easy to use, I found that I missed the shortcuts I was used to using in Sibelius and the being able to use my 10-key to notate music. While I ran into difficulties, students would not have those issues if they are not familiar with the Sibelius program. Although I may like utilizing Sibelius for my own writing, I appreciate the ability to create templates for students and the ability for student work to be shared with me and other students on Noteflight. Using Noteflight, I will be able to look over each student’s progress, ask questions, offer ideas, and help students to really develop their creativity.

                While Noteflight is a great composition and improvisation tool, there are several more programs available for use. MuseScore is another program available for use for compositional and improvisational use. Unlike Noteflight, MuseScore is a free program that may be downloaded onto individual computers.  MuseScore is very similar to both Sibelius and Finale programs.  Although I am thankful that the program is available to be downloaded and does not require internet to be used in the case that internet may not always be available, I personally would prefer to utilize other programs that offer the ability to check student progress over time.

                Other technological sites available include Band-in-a-Box, iRealPro, and SmartMusic. Each program offers similar activities to help students improve as performers, composers, arrangers, or improvisers. In Band-in-a-Box, students are able to select from a wide variety of songs and styles to begin the improvisational process. Within the program, students are then able to change the chord progression or notes and add their own ideas into the song. The iRealPro program works very similar to Band-in-a-Box allowing students to utilize a variety of songs to change or edit chords, write their own music, learn instruments, practice and record.SmartMusic originally was designed for students to practice their solos with accompaniment. Students were able to change the tempo, follow along on the screen, and finally record their playing. SmartMusic now offers the same functions, as well as the ability to practice improvisation within the recordings. Students are able to record, critique themselves, and share their recordings with their teachers. On the other hand, teachers are able to assign specific sections for students to practice and record to be reviewed.

                Although improvisation is an important aspect of the music classroom, teaching students to improvise may be a difficult task if not handled correctly. Students may not understand the process or may be scared at the idea of improvising in the classroom. To prevent this, students need to be given constraints that will allow them to grow in one area of improvisation at a time. Bauer (2014) found that putting “constraints (putting limitations or restrictions on creative assignments) often help to facilitate the creative process, providing a framework, or scaffold, for creative efforts” (p. 51). Students need to be given the opportunity to improvise while being sure of success to further their musicality. If students attempt to improvise and are put in a position where they are in the spotlight, or unable to complete the task, students may became afraid of the idea of improvising. Bauer (2014) also believes that “Careful sequencing of concepts and skills will scaffold the learning process, allowing students to become skilled musical conversationalists” (p. 58). Careful planning and consideration of improvisational activities will allow students to develop a sense of success. Barnhard II says, “Improvisation can be used as a teaching tool to enhance traditional instruction, while simultaneously allowing opportunities for musical exploration, creativity, and collaboration.”  Allowing students to be creative and improvise supports student growth as musicians and individuals.

               

Work Cited:

Agrell, Jeffrey. (2008). Improvisation Games for Classical Musicians. https://www.giamusic.com/search_details.cfm?title_id=8899. Retrieved May 2, 2017.

Bauer, William I. (2014). Music Learning Today: Digital Pedagogy for Creating, Performing, and Responding to Music. New York, New York: Oxford University Press.

Band-in-a-Box. http://www.pgmusic.com. Retrieved May 3, 2017.

Barnhard II, Christian. (2013, January 11). Improvising in Concert Bands and Orchestras. SBO Magazine.

iRealPro. http://www.irealpro.com. Retrieved May 3, 2017.

SmartMusic. https://www.smartmusic.com. Retrieved May 3, 2017.

Sturm, Fred. All Ears: Improvisation, Aural Training, & The Creative Process. https://tritonejazz.files.wordpress.com/2008/02/all-ears-tritone.pdf. Retrieved May 2, 2017.