1. Describe your musical background in a few sentences
2. What is your experience with free improvisation?
The information collected describes the free improvisation experience of ten people: five students and five professionals.
Many of the people come from very different backgrounds. Some people practice free improvisation on a daily basis, whether it is at work, at concerts, or in their daily practice. In other cases, some subjects have only been exposed to this tool on rare occasions.
For all these reasons, the results of this questionnaire are interesting because they contain experiences and opinions from different backgrounds.
3. What made you interested in free improvisation?
One of the most repeated words is "connection", both in relation to connection with oneself, with the music one is playing, as well as connection with the group (in the case of group improvisation) and connection with the audience (in some cases hospital and elderly home patients with dementia).
Some examples are, on the one hand, Subject 6 who explains "The connection to the music feels greater, it feels both freeing and challenging, and like a very important skill for any musician/artist".
On the other hand, Subject 5 responds, "It has allowed me to connect with my instrument and find a new way to enjoy myself while playing. It made me remember why I love music so much". To rediscover the passion for the profession, to find one's own voice and to reconnect with what is most important and sometimes forgotten: the joy of playing.
Regarding the development of creativity and freedom offered by this tool, subject 4 states: "The surprising sounds I could get out of a cello fascinated me and I continued to explore them while studying classical cello". That is, experimenting with his instrument motivated him to discover new sounds, colors, textures that were not taught in classical cello lessons. The freedom to explore the instrument through free improvisation led to the development of his creativity.
In addition, Subject 6 describes his experience of free improvisation as "liberating", as does Subject 1, who states that what interests him most about this tool is "the liberation of the instrument, but also the world of sound", adding later, "You work with texture and sound quality on a whole other level when you free improvise, which I find very interesting". This quote again points to the power of free improvisation to expand our own knowledge of the possibilities of our instrument through creativity and experimentation.
In the latter case, his answer can also be linked to that of subject 4. Free improvisation gives them the freedom to creatively explore all the sonic possibilities of their instrument.
Finally, subject 3 explains that what interests him most about free improvisation is "the openness and exploratory element in it. There is no wrong or right". A concept that is far from free improvisation because, as we have already mentioned, the search for perfection is one of its most important characteristics. In addition, the freedom and lack of pressure of "there is no right or wrong" helps to overcome stage fright, because the focus of interpretation is not on the pressure to make no mistakes, but on enjoyment, play, creative exploration and connection with oneself, the music and the audience.
4. What exercises or tools did/do you use to develop your improvisational skills?
The following suggestions and advice for developing free improvisation can be found in more detail in Appendix 1. In this section the exercises that I think can be done in individual practice are ordered.
-Using only one note, improvise with the shortest sound you can make and then with the longest. In addition, try to make very contrasting sounds to explore all the sonic possibilities.
-Another suggestion is to think about each sound, either to develop it further or to react to it.
-Use extended techniques and explore your physicality and imagination with the simple acoustic principles of the instrument and my body.
-Furthermore, the use of compositional techniques such as inversion, retrograde, counterpoint, extended time, speed, melodic and harmonic theory.
-To isolate and play with specific elements in the improvisation: different textures, concepts, a rhythm, a melodic idea or images.
-Listening, having fun and exploring, being open to everything.
-Be open-minded: there are no good or bad musical ideas.
-Translate landscapes into improvisations or make music based on people's stories.
5. What differences can you find between improvising by yourself and in a group?
In the answers collected, there are differences between improvising alone and in a group:
- Individual improvisation. The subjects agree that when you improvise alone you have much more freedom. For some, this is a positive quality, but for others it means a lot of responsibility. In this sense, subject 2 comments: "It puts a lot of pressure on me to make sure that the piece of improvised music develops well and that the musical idea is clear enough".
For others, it also requires greater technical proficiency. "My improvisations take on a more studied and technical quality", responds subject 1.
In general, they would describe individual improvisation as a musical monologue where you have the responsibility to keep going.
- Group improvisation. The subjects agree that there are more aspects to pay attention to. You need to actively listen and respond within the dialogue of the group, learn how to give space to others and how to step back and add to the piece when needed.
This can be challenging, but it also brings the joy of sharing and being inspired by others. The participants describe group improvisation as a musical dialogue.
6. What obstacles did you find because of your classical formation when diving into this tool?
6
The main obstacles that people face when diving into free improvisation because of their classical training are:
- Intolerance of failure. They describe it as a feeling of not being good enough, a lack of ideas. In this line, subject 2 comments: "I felt the need to do it right and that I did not have the skills to do it".
In addition, it is difficult to get out of the comfort zone and sometimes this means that we judge and are very critical of ourselves. A trait that comes directly from a classical music mindset: "During my classical studies, everything had to sound beautiful, which is still sometimes an obstacle in my contemporary or jazz improvisations" (subject 3).
- Difficulty in finding classically trained people to play with, as improvisation is not common in our field.
It is worth noting the answer of subject 7, who stresses the lack of ability to coordinate his eyes and hands on keyboard instruments, as he has only been trained to read written scores and not to play what he imagines.
Finally, the only positive answer to this question came from subject 6, who was the only one who didn't find any obstacles: "My cello teacher at the conservatoire was supportive of my exploration of improvisation and there were classes offered at the school". This response highlights the importance of the main teacher as a guide who should show the student the full range of musical possibilities so that they can find their own voice within the profession.
7.
7. How has free improvisation affected how you play or approach classical repertoire?
In terms of how they approached the classical repertoire after experimenting with this tool, the subjects described an increase in confidence: "It gives me a tremendous amount of trust in my skills as a musician" (subject 5). This is fostered by a deeper understanding of the technique and expressiveness of their instrument and an exploration of the full range of sound: "I am also able to create something from my own stream of consciousness" (Subject 5). In short, a deeper understanding of the possibilities of the instrument, together with an increase in self-esteem, translates into a freer and more technically proficient interpretation.
In regard to the more technical part of the performance, free improvisation brought them other benefits:
1. More confidence and freedom in playing from memory.
2. Less fear of failure.
3. Ear training.
4. Rhythmic training.
5. Connection between the inner musical ideas and the instrument.
In addition, benefits such as enjoying music again like I did as a child, enjoying performing classical music again, this time with a different mindset, and the search for one's personal voice are repeated. In relation to this last benefit, Subject 7 comments, "I have realised more the importance of my individual voice and the validity of my intuition", adding that even when improvising on certain pieces of classical music, she feels more connected to their essence.
8.
8.What are the elements from free improvisation that you can take with you to your classical music practice?
The main elements that recur in this question are
- Sensitivity to musical parameters such as timbre, rhythmic nuance and counterpoint, deeper emotional understanding of the composition, technical proficiency: "it makes your classical performance much more informed and nuanced" (subject 1).
- Physical relaxation.
- Exploration and invention.
- Joy of playing. Finding passion in every note.
- Freedom and courage to take risks, embracing mistakes.
- Focusing on the music rather than the notes.
9.
9. Do you have any experience with stage fright and if so, could you describe it?
In my opinion, the most remarkable thing about the answers to this question is not the experiences themselves, but the fact that all the subjects have suffered from stage fright at some point. Considering that all the subjects come from different musical backgrounds, it is valuable information that only two subjects answered that they do not suffer from stage fright very much. Still, the answer is "not much", which doesn't completely negate the experience of performance anxiety.
10. How do you experience free improvisation on stage when performing to an audience?
On the one hand, some subjects find that the freedom offered by free improvisation on stage can be overwhelming. On the other hand, most subjects report that they experience less stage fright when using this tool on stage. This is the case of subject 10 "Much less stage fright!" or subject 8 "I have much less stage fright when improvising, it feels more natural".
Again, the subjects emphasize characteristics such as:
- Greater enjoyment during the performance "Easy and one of my most joyous challenges" (subject 9).
- Greater connection with the audience and other musicians: "It makes you connect with the audience and your colleagues in a different way" (subject 7).
- Limitless musical possibilities to explore.
- Less worry about making mistakes: "I am worried about connecting and having fun with the rest of the impro group" (subject 1).
Finally, some subjects describe that it can be challenging and frightening how the audience might receive the performance, as it is such a different genre from classical music.
11. How do you relate experiences as an improvising musician to your experiences as a musician performing classical repertoire?
In relation to this question, one of the responses to be highlighted is that of Form Subject 4, who expresses that "My experiences as an improvising musician are way more positive. I'm trying to incorporate that feeling into my classical performances". That is, to bring the benefits of free improvisation to the instrumental practice of classical music.
Others talk about the change of role they experience in the audience: "When I perform as an improviser, I consider the audience as part of my ensemble" (subject 1). Adding that the audience goes through different processes than in a classical music concert, where the expectations are virtuosity and perfection. In this case, the audience is part of the creative process: "They go through the same ups and downs and in and out of the creative process with me. They need to be able to do that and I appreciate their focus, patience, loyalty and flexibility" (Subject 1).
On the other hand, the sense of connection with oneself ("I feel they are strongly connected in my musical identity", subject 5) and with the other musicians ("The stronger sense of connection with the other musicians", subject 9) is mentioned again.
Finally, it is emphasised once again that the search for perfection takes a back seat to enjoyment and creativity: "My goal was not about how many things I did right or well, it was not about collecting pearls of perfection, it was more about trying to create something beautiful together with other people" (subject 2).
Lastly, subject 6 expresses that he does not feel that his performances of classical music and those of free interpretation have anything in common, being the only subject in the survey who feels that he needs more experience to be able to relate them.
12. What is the difference for you as a member of the audience to listen to a musician that is improvising or a musician that is interpreting repertoire?
In this section the question is reversed. If you were part of the audience, we discuss what it would be like to experience a performance of free improvisation as a listener.
When listening to an improvised performance, people tend to listen more openly, not knowing what will happen next. In this way it is a more positive active listening than what happens in a performance with repertoire (less judgement of the performer). They describe improvised performances as something unique that will never be repeated in the same way, because the improviser "has more chance of creating a unique, one-time connection with the audience that is influenced by the specific place, time and people" (subject 5).
On the other hand, some subjects comment that they only have expectations of the performance if they know the repertoire beforehand, although they are generally better able to judge a classical performance.
Others emphasise their curiosity to see where the improviser will take them next, and they pay attention to the improviser's creativity in presenting his work, which is also possible in an interpretation of classical music: "how a musician improvises is (even) more based on feeling" (subject 9).
13. Is there anything else you would like to add?
In this question we can find two very valuable answers.
On the one hand, a reflection on the difference between improvisation and free improvisation, which fits perfectly with the use of the term throughout this research. It also highlights the use of free improvisation as a tool to counteract the fear of failure, as there are no mistakes, only different ideas:
“Randomly playing (or even venting) on one instrument can have a therapeutic and healing effect and it can be an amazing tool to discover new sounds, phrasess and tecniques. Nevertheless, if improvisation is a pourpose itself, those discoveries and sensation need to be internalized, which requires discipline, practice, and intention - only once this work has been done, one is capable to 'turn off' the switch and freely and spontaneuosly improvise. The most wrong steretype of improvisation is that there are no mistakes... Improvisation is the art of making mistakes (as such), and thanks to that we can learn to have a different and healthier relation with making mistake in music.”
The second and final reflection goes beyond the technical benefits and re-emphasizes the use of free improvisation as a tool for sound exploration and as a tool for finding one's own voice and maturity with the instrument:
“Free improvisation is an environment where one can explore how their own sound creation is directly associated with emotional content. Using free improvisation regularly in one’s practice whether that is on or off stage, can potentially deepen one’s musical and artistic maturity in complex and valuable ways”.
The following section analyses the results of the questions asked to five professionals and five students with experience in free improvisation.
The aim of this survey, based on the personal knowledge of other musicians, was to examine the consequences of practicing and implementing this tool and to know different techniques and compile advice in hot to develop and implement it in the practice of a classical musician.
A transcription of all respondents' answers can be found in Appendix 1.
The answers to the survey questions are presented and discussed below:
