Musical Variables as a Foundation in an Improvised Performance
Dr. Ari Poutiainen, University lecturer of music education at the University of Turku, Teacher of string improvisation at the Sibelius Academy
An improvised musical performance (i.e., a performance that is based on or includes a considerable amount of musical improvisation) can be prepared by making choices and plans that concern musical variables. In this paper, I introduce an approach in which these variables are used for setting a distinctive, characteristic, and coherent foundation and focus to a performance. I employ variables that are easy to identify and understand.
1. Approach
According to the goal of the performance, its foundation or focus can sometimes be set, for example, in few minutes in a short discussion between the performers. When preparing the performance in this fashion, the following three-step approach is often sufficient. In this approach performers
- pick one (or several) musical variable(s),
- invent, plan, design, or agree a process (or change) that they wish to express through or with the help of the chosen variable(s), and finally
- interprete and improvise what was prepared.
2. Musical Variables
Below appears a commented list of 17 recognizable musical variables. For stimulation and inspiration, I have included some unanswered, slightly philosophical questions in the comments. According to my experience, these questions can easily and successfully be answered in improvised musical performances. The order of the variables does not indicate any preference or hierarchy.
2.1 Sound color and timbre
A significant amount of musical information is conveyed as sound colors and timbres. That is, many interesting aspects can be expressed through a sound color, timbre, and related processes.
2.2 Rhythm
One of the most distinctive elements in music is rhythm. Rhythm already appears when an action follows another. Rhythm can indicate a variety of things. It can mean, for example, pulse, pace, breathing, swing, and groove. Rhythm can be complex, simple – or anything between. Often performers can freely decide what their relation to the rhythm in a particular performance is.
2.3 Dynamics
In performances including improvisation the expressional power of dynamics is frequently forgotten or neglected. Especially softer dynamics are rarely effectively employed. Silence is a significant musical element. Perhaps performers could try revealing the silence hidden by the music?
2.4 Intervals or intervallic structures
One of the most popular ways to create coherence to a musical performance is to focus on few intervals or intervallic structures. If performers decide to rely on these variables in improvisation, they could consider applying motivic development as the next step.
2.5 Effects
Performers can pick an effect or effects and conduct a performance that focuses on this aspect alone. What then is an effect? An effect can be something related to instrumental technique. It can also be a musical phenomenon or action. In addition, an effect can be a sound or sounds produced with an electronic device.
2.6 Instrumentation
Surprises in the choice of instruments and performers often grant an unexpected creative impulse, an extra push. If a performer can play a particular instrument well, he or she typically can express something quite interesting on another. There is no need to be shy to try.
2.7 Registers
Every instrument has a register in which performing is convenient and practical, and it is common to use only this register. Every instrument also has registers in which the performing is inconvenient and impractical. These registers are not so popular. Regarding improvisation, the inconvenient and impractical registers are an area that could be more frequently studied or employed. A performance can also employ only a high or low register or, for example, a process from one to the other.
2.8 Textures and the frequency of incidents and actions
Changes of texture are another common way of expression. Performers should pay a special attention to textures when performing in a larger ensemble and designing the accompaniment of a performance. Sometimes it is necessary to make decisions concerning the frequency of incidents and actions in advance. Typically this means agreements that are summarized as short assignments such as “first we play less (e.g., tones) and then gradually we play more” or vice versa.
2.9 Ways of playing and producing sound
For each instrument there usually are several established ways of playing and producing sound. Some of these are frequently employed while some of them are practically neglected. Performers should reflect how they define “a good sound”. Is the sound “good” only when it is produced using an established instrumental technique?
2.10 Tuning and intonation
There are many different tuning systems. Employing a system that performers are not familiar with can be a refreshing and surprisingly rewarding experience. Playing in tune appears to be such a concern that musicians frequently forget experimenting on adjustments of intonation (or micro intervals). Bowed string players, for example, commonly employ and refer to tempered, scalar, or chordal intonation when they discuss the performance of Western classical music. This indicates that they are very skilled in controlling their intonation as tiny finger adjustments and bends. Could this specialized skill not also be employed in exploring tuning and intonation?
2.11 Scales
One of the most popular ways of influencing the harmony of a performance is to make decisions regarding scales (e.g., which scales should be employed). Performers should bear in mind that relying on a scale or a setting of scales as the framework of a performance can make the music sounding scalar. Playing scales up and down is rarely musically that interesting. [1]
2.12 Chord progressions and harmony
The most popular way of influencing the harmony of a performance is to design one. The performance can be based on a chord progression that is expressed in some ways. How then? There are many possibilities, established systems, styles, and even schools available.
2.13 Atmosphere, ambience, and mood
Sometimes it is necessary to verbalize in advance the desired atmosphere(s) or ambience of a performance. This typically means that performers describe, shear, and discuss the (visual, sound, or other) images or emotions that appear as the background to a particular performance. In improvised music, attention is seldom paid to creation and maintenance of a particular, characteristic mood. Like I noted earlier, also softer dynamics are rarely employed. Could there be a relation between these matters?
2.14 Text and human voice
Performers can utilize texts and text samples in several ways in improvised performances. A text can act as a motivator, framework, or purpose. Text interpretation (i.e., typically reading or recitation of a text) can also be a significant element in a performance. Human voice is a rich instrument that is relatively easy to control. Often instrumentalists forget that they also have an option to use their voice.
2.15 Singing
Almost every instrumentalist is also trained to sing, at least moderately. Why instrumentalists sing so seldom? Voice – also an instrumentalist’s voice – is one of the most expressive musical devices!
2.16 Form and structure
All the variables mentioned in this paper have an effect on the structure of the performance. That is, in a musical performance everything has an effect to the form, everything is about the structure. Performers can also focus only on designing special forms and structures.
2.17 Non-musical stimuli
A performance can have a non-musical stimulus or origin as well. I wish this paper, for example, could act as an inspiration of this kind. Performers’ surroundings are full of elements and aspects that can be connected to their music and music making. They only need to find those that could communicate through them.
3. Not to Impress but to Express
It is common to try to accomplish too much in one single improvised musical performance. Performers should notice that improvisation – and improvised solos especially – need time to occur, build, and resolve. When many aspects or matters are simultaneously concerned and conducted (i.e., “when too much is going on at the same time”) a performance typically appears as chaotic. Performing a chaotic piece can be quite dissatisfying. Surprisingly, a simple performance is often more effective and exciting than, for example, a structurally complex, over-intellectualized, technically demanding collection of storming and overlapping ideas and impulses. Moreover, a piece that is not that demanding or that is purposively simplified a little leaves more room for interpretation, expression, and team work.
Improvisers tend to forget that listeners frequently hear a particular performance including improvisation the first time in their lives. (If not, then the amount and quality of improvisation can be questioned.) In ideal circumstances, listeners face a performance with open ears and minds, without any prejudices or expectations. What seems obvious, easy, and perhaps dull contents for performers can appear quite challenging, difficult, interesting, and exciting to the audience.
Some listeners can be quite impressed by the sheer fact that someone improvises. Therefore improvising performers usually do not need to underline, for example, their technical skills, sophisticated thinking, cultivated education, or richness of ideas in order to be especially expressive and artistically successful. When a performance gets so sophisticated that its complexity makes the performers worried or nervous – and this seems to happen more often than not when some true creativity, inspiration, and invention begins to occur – the following popular idioms can be of help:
Less is more.
Keep It Simple, Stupid! (This is often abbreviated as “KISS”.)
Not to impress but to express.
