Improvisation Games for Classical Musicians Variation 1: Use one or three soloists instead of two. Variation 2 Have solos overlap. Variation 3: Soloists may solo on their instruments. Solos should be more rhythmic than melodic. Variation 4: The group may add occasional random yelps, calls, or other interjections to the steady beat. Variation 5: Any group player may add random (but well-spaced) and sudden, forceful interjections of more dense and/or syncopated rhythmic outbursts Variation 6: Several group players may be designated to add another layer of rhythm to the quarter-nore pulse, such as an eighth-note pulse; or they may add after beats to the basic pulse. Variation 7 Change the number of soloists to one or three. Variation 8: Have half the group establish the strong quarter-note pulse, the other half doing some or all of the following: random brief but dense flurries of notes, subdivisions of the heat (eighths, triplets, sixteenths), sparse ostinati (e.g, clave only on the second half of beat four), syncopated (“in the cracks”) notes. Variation 9 Instead of a steady quarter-note pulse, the group may agree to leave some space—free choice of where rests fall. Examples: Quarter notes on one, two, and three; one, two, and four; one and three; two and four; one and four, Variation 10. Assign half the group to create a quarter-note pulse using any of the variations above. Assign the other half of the group to create an eighth-note pulse by making percussive sounds on any three eighths in a measure (see Eight-Count Rhythm Machine) One-Measure Rhythm Invention Three-plus players. Form a circle. Establish a beat in 4/4 at a moderate tempo. (Count off, tap toes, assign one or two players to play percussion, etc.). Each player in turn invents a one measure rhythmic motif and performs it by clapping, playing a percussion instrument, singing a vocal syllable, ete. At first the player may repeat the measure several times to become comfortable with it. Later, the pulse must continue unbroken from player to player as each invents a new thythm. Advanced players may make the game more challenging by gradually increasing the tempo each time around (a metronome or other rhythm source may be handy here). One-Note Chamber Music Two players. Trade instruments with any other player ot play the piano with one finger. Have your parmer show you how to hold the instrument and play one note—any note. Invent a piece that2: Rhythm Games tone note, inventing fascinating rhythms. Join forces with one or more other one-note d make some one-note chamber music. (Inspired by Keith Hill.) Eeho Rhythm r three players. As with One-Note Chamber Music, except that Player One plays a rhythm using © or two notes and Player Two must imitate it as exactly as possible. If Player Two misses, this es the new model. If Player Two gets it right, Player Two may make a new model rhythm for al Player Three. Foot Music ‘our players. Starting together or adding players one at a time, players stomp and tromp out ns with their feet on the floor. It helps if the floor is not carpeted. Wood floors are a plus. Shoes ard soles make more noise. aviation 1 Ostinati only. Change at command or will. Variation 2 Start with ostinati, and then switch to free/solo rhythms. Variation 3: Move in a circle, alternating solos with ostinati. ariation 4 Integrate clapping rhythms with foot rhythms (e.g., stamp on the beat, clap on off beats) Variation 5. Along with clapping sounds, add any other body percussion sound or is g y thythmic vocal noises/sounds, including text. Variation 6 For any size group: stand roughly in a circle and take turns making foot rhythms. Tiy overlapping rhythms. Variation 7: Instead of using the arms for percussion, move the arms around in a supportive way that mimics a kind of dance. Prepared” Invent ways to make different sounds with your feet, e.g., tap shoes, Foot Music ankle bells, crinkly plastic wrap, etc, Perhaps give each foot a different timbre. (Inspired by the Charaza Quintet.) What's In a Name? Tivo to four players construct a piece based on the rhythms of their names. Use of motivic develop- ment techniques (augmentation, diminution, etc.) is encouraged. Drumalogue/Dramversation Tivo players have a dialogue/conversation using only drums (or any source of percussive sound at hand). One way to do this is to imagine a sentence and play the rhythms of the words on the drum. Use lots of accents!Improvisation Gemes for Classical Musicians Against the Grain Two players. Player One plays or claps two quarter notes in 2/4, accenting the downbeat. Player Two claps three quarters against it (i., three claps in the space of Player One's two claps) Variation rc the two-beat first and add the triplet. Try three against four, four against five, three against five, four against six, four against seven. Experiment with starting with either number first. Mixed Meters I Two to four players, Establish a common eighth-note pulse then have each player enter in a different (pre-selected) meter (e.g., 4/4 + 5/8 + 6/8 + 7/8). ‘This game benefits from percussion accompaniment (especially low drums), such as a steady quarter-note beat, o one or more percussion instruments giving the prominent accents for each meter. Restricting the number of pitches available also helps. A penta- tonic seale works well, but using even one to three pitches is good. Variation Leave some spaces (rests). Mixed Meters Il Two to four players. Try this first with only percussion (instrument or clapping), then with a restricted number of pitches (a pentatonic scale works well) on your regular instrument. Players think of a number from one to five, and then play that number of quarter notes, adding one extra beat of rest. Example: If Player One chooses three, she would clap three times and rest once, repeating the pattern. If Player Two choose four against that, Player Two would clap four times and rest once, repeating the pattern. The beats (claps) line up, but the rests in this case only coincide every twenty beats. With more players and different numbers (i.e. meters), the rests of all players will line up much less often. pund Ideas.) (Source: Doug Goodkin’ Suggestion Goodkin suggests that when the tests do line up, players immediately continue with a new number. This may take some practice and require slower tempos at first. Also try this game once with five or six players, assigning the numbers one through five (or six) for a complete set of mixed meters. Mixed Meters Ill: 3/4 vs. 6/8 Two players. Player One improvises a tune in a predetermined key in 6/8, accenting the first and fourth eighth notes to emphasize the meter. Player Two improvises in the same key, but in 3/4, accenting the first, third, and fifth eighth notes, Except for accent placement, choice of note value is free 34 Doug Goodkin, Sound Ideas (Warner Bros. Publications, 20 4APRARARARARRARARARRRD PR ATR EARAL Chapter 12: Rhythm Games Variation: Aca signal from Player One, players swap meters. Rhythm Palette Four-plus players. Notate (or memorize) one, two, or three simple rhythms ahead of time (example: short-short-long), and rehearse them with the group. In the course of an improvisation, use the Soundpainting sign for palewe: Left hand palm is flat and vertical; right hand fist touches it. Palecte indicates any bit of rehearsed music. Follow the palette sign by holding up one, two, or three fingers to indicate which of the rhythmic palettes is to be played (or make up your own system). The leader then indicates a beat and the players improvise using the rehearsed rhythm. The thythm may be used in any degree of augmentation (long notes) or diminution (short notes), as long as the basic rhythm is preserved. Variation: The rhythm palette may be given (on the spot or prearranged) to only one group, such as percussion, brass, the left side of the room, etc., while other players solo in turn, Rhythmic Canon/Rondo/Palindrome (cr Subdivision) Three players. Player One plays two whole notes in 4/4 at a moderate tempo. Key may he agreed upon ahead of time or not. Player Two then begins with two whole notes as Player One plays half notes After two more measures Player One plays quarter notes as Player Two plays half notes. Player Three enters playing with whole notes. This continues until Player One reaches eighths or sixteenths (what- ever is comfortable). Player One then reverses the procedure, playing ever longer notes until he reaches whole notes again, after which he is either silent or plays a subtle rhythmic pulse in some manner. The piece is finished when the last player is alone. She finishes by playing a fermata on the last whole note. Variation 1 Each player must play every level of rhythmic subdivision, but may choose the order. Variation 2 Each player must insert some kind of rest (short or long) between or among measures Baby Grand Opera Two players: one singer and an accompanist on piano or mallet percussion. The soloist should mentally assume the role of an opera singer, singing to begin a pulseless “recitative” using either scat lables or commentary on an event (¢.g., “And as I gazed upon the discount cheeses, I said to myself, ‘O Self, What Grand Cheese Be This?”) The accompaniment consists of simple triads built on any diatonic scale step but in random order in any selected key. At some point, the accompaniment becomes pulsed, and the soloist begins her “aria” (e.g., "Gorgonzola, Mi Amor”). End in grand style, and take an elaborate bow when finished Wave gracefully with great emotion and showmanship to your fans in the balcony; touch your heart as you accept the roses thrown from the loges, blinking back grateful tears.