learning to improvise

I would consider myself to be an ok-ish organist. Except when it comes to improvising. Haven't got a clue.

Where does one start?

I would consider myself to be an ok-ish organist. Except when it comes to improvising. Haven't got a clue.

Where does one start?

The DIY approach is to screen You Tube. You will find there several good video lessons...which probably are not Your taste, but may help.

The best approach IMHO is to take lessons from an examined organist. Improvisation is part of their examinations and their profession. He will find out if You master all the prerequisites for improvisation (which are also theoretical) and guide You step by step.

Amun

Hi Adrian,

This is probably one of my favorite improvisations http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YiMnLsJK-qk and I happen to think the guy is pretty good at it as well (which is pretty evident). I've listened to this piece enough times (and liked it enough) that I've been able to come up with my own improvisation of this improvisation that sounds ok to me. I don't know, but when improvising you're going into uncharted territory and you have to be able to "wing it" as I call it. It's not like someone is going to say "you did a terrible job at improvising that song" unless you really did butcher things up which to me is pretty hard to do unless you have no ear or feel for things at all.

I'm less than an ok-ish organist for sure , but to me it's like playing any other instrument and coming up with a good riff (like the rock guitarist that pulls off the good sounding crazy lead), it's all about what sounds good to you and how you take a familiar (or even made up song) and add to it or change it in how you like, maybe you slow the tempo down somewhere along the way and add someting extra, maybe you go the other way and do the opposite, to me there's really no rules as long as in the end it flows.

If you are able to play a song completely by memory and need no music in front of you, to me that's a good start to improvise it. However, I've met some that have to stick strictly to the sheet music in front of them at all times and can't even play a basic version of "happy birthday" without it. If you can play from memory, know the progression of the song you want to improvise, know the chords and so on, it's all about how you alter and piece things together, keep a smooth flow going, make it sound legitimate and so on.

Where does one start? Are you able to listen to a song, get it in your head, and play at least a rendition of it by ear? Do you ever sit down at the console (with no sheet music) and just make things up as you go or goof around and play around with songs / familiar tunes and just make music? I take a few minutes to do this by habit each time I sit down. If you're able to do this you're well on your way to improvising.

Marc

These are random thoughts, presented randomly:

You might begin by immersing yourself with music theory, counterpoint, etc. These give you basic ideas and techniques for forming an improvisation. There are also several books about improvising at the organ. The American Guild of Organists has a recording of a master class with Paul Manz on improvisation, and several other materials on the subject.

Books:

First Improvisation Book by John R. Shannon (Wayne Leupold)

Jan Overduin: Improvisation for Organists

Gerre Hancock: Improvising, How to Master the Art

Robert Lau: A Practical Approach to Improv for the Church Organist

Breaking Free by Jeffrey Brillhart

Marcel Dupré: Complete Course in Organ Improvisation (two volumes, expensive, but appears sometimes on eBay)

How far you want to take it depends on your ambition. Some make a distinction between improvisation and extemporaneous playing. Improvisation is based more on skill and form: when you begin, you already know the basic form the improvisation will take and how it will end. Extemporaneous playing (what I often do during communion) is less structured and is something more like improvised alternate harmonies.

It is probably important not to be afraid to make mistakes. Even better is to use a mistake in a musical way, making it sound intentional.

I hope something helps.

Mark

Adrian,

Ultimately, lessons are probably a good idea, but you might consider starting by taking a melody-only hymn book and having a go at freely harmonising a few. The basic cadences (dominant or sub-dominant - tonic at the end) are useful, but generally getting used to making alternately sublime and horrible noises by choosing whatever lies under the fingers is a start. Also, playing a chord at random and trying to "hear" where it might go is a good exercise.
Once you have your "toe in the water", it needs practice like any other skill, and a regular daily session is ideal.
I certainly think that having had a go is a good plan before you go anywhere near a teacher.

A lot of improv books start you on harmonising scales, too, which can be instructive. In the end, building blocks such as sequence, modulation and set forms (dance, chorale, etc) need to be assimilated and added to the toolbox.

Reading this back it sounds as if I'm a master - I'm not, but I do improvise regularly and am gradually assembling a (small) toolbox ...

Hope this helps.

best wishes

Ian

Hello,

improvising is a wide field. Video courses have already been mentioned, books too. So improvising melodies I learned from a teacher, by simply starting with no more than 4 tones. Take a veeeeery simple Jazz-Riff (G-G-C-C) and 4 tones of the jazz-scale, e.g. G, Bb, C, D. Then start playing with only these four tones as long as possible.

Improvising a choral accompment I learned also the "jazz" way. In school choir, I usually got a melody with chords and had to accompany the choir on the piano. This was usually simple: left hand bass, right hand chords. For my first chorals I simply played the organ score given in the book (here in Germany there is an organ book to the hymn book). At my very first wedding, I messed up the numbers and had to "swim in the cold water" - I had to improvise the accompment from the hymn book. After that I usually first wrote the chords I wanted to play, and then given the melody and led by these chords improvies the 3 remaining voices. Now I do not even have to prepare chords.

And some day, you will find yourself sitting at the console, closing your eyes and just playing what comes into your mind.

Greetings,
Purator

Thanks for the thoughts, all. Lots of good ideas. Harmony, etc, I can do, have no difficulty making up an accompaniment part for a treble-line etc, or figured bass, but when it comes to improvising during services I just produce "Anglican waffle" - nice noises, but no real music. I have a good friend who is one of the most outstanding improvisers I've ever heard, whenever I ask him for help I just end up feeling dazed and confused.

If you already master harmony, I would suggest to start using sequences. As a simple example, if a tune in G starts with G-E-... then use the sequence G-E-A-Fis-B-G-C-A-D (third down, quarter up alternately) as a simple prelude. Actually, with the right harmonization, this particular sequence will feel quite stimulating to the congregation...!

The cycle of chords in fourths is a handy thing to get under your fingers.

One other book that is a great start for hymn tune improvising is by Jan Bender, Simple lessons and forms to start with that will begin to get you free from the written notes. The most basic organist can do the lessons in this book and get started improvising on hymn tunes. He was a student of Hindemith so he has a chapter on Hindemith's approach to harmony, which I would just ignore, but everything else in the book is great.

http://www.amazon.com/Organ-Improvisati ... 0570013127

I also highly recommend studying Linear (Schenkerian) analysis as way of learning how to structure music in a logical coherent way and understand how the same chord functions in a different way in different contexts and helps to structure the bigger picture. To that end I've recommended the book "Harmony and Voice Leading" by Edward Aldwell and Carl Schacter (which is based on a linear analysis approach to the subject) to several students. If you've had university courses in theory already and have some knowledge and fluency, put yourself through this book and do all the written exercises as keyboard exercises. It will be very slow going, but will help build an extremely a solid foundation. If you can find a used version of the 2nd or 3rd edition it will be cheaper. The 4th edition is nice and some slight changes, but is in color and very expensive.
John

...when it comes to improvising during services I just produce "Anglican waffle" - nice noises, but no real music. I have a good friend who is one of the most outstanding improvisers I've ever heard, whenever I ask him for help I just end up feeling dazed and confused.

What is it that you feel you lack? How would you define "waffle"? If you have and understanding of harmony and form, and sufficient technique (scales, arpeggios), the only other ingredient is cultivating a musical imagination. Use things you like to form the basis of things you want to make. Consider the ritornello form (e.g. Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring) and replace your waffle with it. Just because it's improvisation doesn't mean you can do it without practice.

Your friend may have too many ideas for you to assimilate. Take one idea and try it out.

Mark