CMUS 360 Commercial Improvisation Techniques

Improvisation has historically been a requisite skill of all musicians. In recent years, this ability has unfortunately been relegated to the ranks of jazz music almost exclusively. The emphasis of this class will be to reintroduce improvisation into the myriad styles in which a musician of this day and age is expected to be proficient. While recognizing and exercising the harmonic material common to all styles studied, also addressed will be the performances subtleties of melody and rhythm of each genre.

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After reading the Course Syllabus and Student Expectations, the student will complete the related checklist found in the Course Overview.

Discussions (2)

Discussions are collaborative learning experiences. Therefore, the student will complete two discussions, creating an initial post and replying to two classmates for each discussion. The thread must be at least 200 words, and the replies must be at least 100 words each.

The student will submit Video Performance Assignments demonstrating weekly techniques and improvisation skills. The student should be sure to check the Improv Video Grading Rubrics for each assignment to see how his/her work will be graded.

Improv Video: Getting Started Assignment
The student will make a video with backing Track 1a improvising a solo using scales, rhythmic precision, and chord arpeggiation to the best of his/her ability. The student should not get frustrated or overwhelmed; just keep it simple and musical. The student will do this throughout the course and, by the end, with practice and applying the professor’s instruction, the student will be able to hear an enormous difference!

Improv Video: Pentatonix Assignment
The student will use Track 2a to make a video using the pentatonic scale for his/her improvisation. The pentatonic scale does not need to be used exclusively, but it should be the primary tool for this exercise.

Improv Video: Using Scales and Arpeggios Assignment
The student will make an improv video using scales and arpeggios to outline the chords and highlight color tones/chord extensions with backing Track 7a.

Improv Video: Compositional Elements Assignment
The student will make an improv video using the demo Track 1 using compositional elements such as repetition, sequences, scales, and arpeggios.

Improv Video: Solo Transcription Assignment
The student will make a video of him/herself playing along with a recording of a solo by a famous musician of his/her choice. The student will play a minimum of two choruses of a 12-bar blues or an entire chorus of a 32-bar AABA composition with the original recording. The genre, artist and instrument are the student’s choice. He/She can write out the solo to help present it but should not use previously transcribed (written) solos for this assignment. The student can play the solo on his/her instrument and not the instrument of the artist. The student should include a link to the video/recording he/she is using and can reach out to the professor with any questions or recommendations.

Improv Video: Getting in the Groove Assignment
The student will make a video demonstrating his/her improvisation over Track 2a using good time-feel and rhythms that fit the groove of the track.

Improv Video: Blues Assignment
The student will make an improv video playing over the blues, Track 11. He/She will play 360 Blues as the melody and use the blues scale, pentatonic scale(s), and other compositional elements in the solo.

Improv Video: Final Assignment
The student will make a video playing the melody and improvising over a track for How Great Thou Art or the track of Blues for 360. The student must play in tune and with a tone that is appropriate to the style/groove. The student must have good technique—scales and arpeggios that are metronomically even and in time. The student will play with a good time-feel and line up his/her rhythms with the drums and bass. The student will use the many compositional elements  discussed in this course to be expressive and tell the story.

Quizzes (7)

Quizzes will cover material taught in the videos and pdfs. Each quiz will be open-book/open-notes, contain 4 multiple-choice, true/false, short answer, and fill-in-the-blank questions, and will have a 45-minute time limit.

Quiz: Written Final

This quiz will have 5 multiple-choice, true/false, fill-in-the-blank questions with a 45-minute time limit.