Ask Me Help Desk

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wondergirl

I think I'm mostly interested the group dynamics in improv, although your explaining all those other things has merit (plus it will keep you off the street).

Ahemmm! I am here! Although not zipping around this site very quickly, because the phone line connection in this very fine home is not the greatest!

You're right about keeping me off the streets! Participating here like this does help! Thank you for being thoughtful and so caring! :)

Quote:

although your explaining all those other things has merit

You are correct. It does have merit to explain the other things, because in order to understand the dynamics of improvising as a group together, one really needs to know what goes into the process of improvising as an individual. The way of improvising as an individual within a group can vary greatly because of the role that the individual might have within the group musically. The roles can be interchangeable.

Oh, I also forgot to say "Good evening, Wondergirl!" Or should I say, "Good morning?"

Ok, question. Define improvisation (briefly).

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wondergirl

Ok, question. Define improvisation (briefly).

Defining improvisation can be like defining "What is love?"

Do you mean just in music? And, also as an individual or as a group, if it is in just music? There may need to be two, separate definitions if it is about a group of an individual. We might also have to pick just one instrument, if it is about an individual improvising by themselves. Also, there are the styles of music to be considered as far as a definition is concerned. I might be able to provide my own brief explanation if it is just about music, although it will still be hard to keep it brief.

I'm sure that you can see that this can get real complicated very quickly...

Would you please narrow down as to what the definition is concerning, please? Thank you!

I suppose that I wouldn't have such a problem with a definition if I only played one instrument and played in only one style of music.

After you went offline, I did some googling and found several sites about jazz improv. There were MP3 thingies to click and lots of big words were used. I was out of my depth. I'm afraid I'm going to have to opt out of this thread simply because I have no piano and don't remember enough terminology to make sense of improv. I think hearing and doing would work the best, and that won't be possible.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wondergirl

After you went offline, I did some googling and found several sites about jazz improv. There were MP3 thingies to click and lots of big words were used. I was out of my depth. I'm afraid I'm going to have to opt out of this thread simply because I have no piano and don't remember enough terminology to make sense of improv. I think hearing and doing would work the best, and that won't be possible.

Quote:

I think hearing and doing would work the best, and that won't be possible.

That just might be possible, and you know that.

After all this work so far on this thread, and you now want to quit? :(

I am a live person here and not just some MP3. I can answer your questions, and would love to do so! I don't think that I have used any "longhair" type words in my answers so far in figuring out what you know about music. I do hope that you get a piano or at least a keyboard of some kind. Playing music and learning about it is something that you can do the rest of your life, unlike so many other things.

From earlier on this thread:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clough
Would you now like an example of how to improvise? Say, in a very simple form and being explained so in written word?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wondergirl YES!! What has taken you so long?? (You can use big "music" words.)

I would hope that you might want to continue here! :) In addition to helping you, what is posted here could be helpful to someone else who might have the same types of questions. This place gets excellent coverage with people doing searches on the Internet for various things.

Please answer my questions: Simply put, what IS improv and why bother? Why not just stick to printed music?

My answers are coming. I just need time to get through this weekend. I haven't forgotten about you. This subject is something that I know that you know is very important to me. Your even being willing to continue discourse on it is something that I feel is a blessing. It's very rare that I find someone else on this site who might also be in "tune" to some of the same things that I am, musically. As a matter of fact, you are the first one to come close to that!

Did you ever get that keyboard that you were going to get, Wondergirl?

Thanks!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clough

Did you ever get that keyboard that you were going to get, Wondergirl?

Thanks!

Nope. My health began deteriorating in early March, and I'm on a slow climb back uphill.

Okay, I remember... That you were in the hospital for awhile.

I do hope that you're much better now!!

Thanks!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clough

Okay, I remember... That you were in the hospital for awhile.

I do hope that you're much better now!!!!

Thanks!

Yes, I'm doing very well. Maybe Santa will bring me a keyboard.

Are you still interested in learning about the inprov stuff?

Thanks!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clough

Are you still interested in learning about the inprov stuff?

Thanks!

Not right now, Clough. I'll let you know when I'm ready.

Okay. Thanks! :)

Just stumbled on this thread while looking for something for my essay. It's a great one and I'd love to go through the thread. Right now, I just don't have the time and there are so much posts to read!

As a note, I don't know why, but I always seem to try finding a 'second' voice to a song. I know there are various 'voices' like sopran (sp?), alto, etc. Every song that I like, I try to do it ( I don't know what voice I'm trying to get though :o). Sometimes, I find it fitting great! :p Or at other times, I fit in some echo between the small pauses between lyrics.

Ok, I'm making it a must to read that thread now. Thanks, WG for starting that thread :)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Unknown008

Just stumbled on this thread while looking for something for my essay.

Glad I made someone happy today.

I'm an alto (which I hate 'cause I like to sing the melody), and alto is the bottom notes of the cord that contains the melody line as the top notes. In other words, musically it balances the melody line and fleshes it out.

One thing that always interested me was descant. Also contrapuntal technique. Google those two (for your essay) and see if chills don't go down your spine.

My essay's finished. I was looking for 'how could music be used for communication' and searched communication in the music board. And from the 5 results, yours and Clough's posts fell in the first two:)

I now have an essay on marriage, the causes of divorce and how to remedy to it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Unknown008

My essay's finished. I was looking for 'how could music be used for communication' and searched communication in the music board. And from the 5 results, yours and Clough's posts fell in the first two:)

I now have an essay on marriage, the causes of divorce and how to remedy to it.

I would love to read that essay! In grad school, I took a course called "Counseling Through the Expressive Arts" which had a several lessons on music as a way to get in touch with a client's inner world and to help him communicate more clearly. Wow!

In fact, the actual title was 'what is the place of music in the modern world?' and I thought that it would be good to have a paragraph about music as a means of communication. I didn't find much about it. As a already have a paragraph about music therapy, the only new thing I came up with is that some animals can use 'music' to communicate. The cries of dolphins and whales are similar to a melody. Some people can convey their feelings better through the music they play.