Module 2: Reflection

In most cases, improvisation and composition become topics of discussion when music educators approach the idea of creating music. As is the case with most complex tasks, specific knowledge and skills are useful in this endeavor. In his discussion on facilitating musical creativity, Bauer (2014) began with the influence of the external environment. A student is less likely to succeed in creative output if they do not have the opportunities and necessary resources to engage in the activity; additional stress was placed on intrinsic motivation and time. Knowledge and skills fall into the realm of resources; in the case of music creation, this would include developed aural skills (audiation), the ability to imitate genres/styles, the analysis of musical structure, and engaging with others (Bauer, 2014).

A closer look at improvisation alone will argue this case further. As a student improvises new material, and are trying to communicate musical thoughts by ear; again, aural skills become essential to the process. Kratus (1996) posited that improvisation occurs on seven different levels of complexity, and audiation is already referenced in the first level. This could be accomplished simply by teaching students to echo rhythmic/tonal patterns or exploring the idea of call-and-response. Additionally, as one moves upward level by level, it can be seen that the musician devotes more attention to structure and style while mastering the necessary motor skills to communicate ideas. As in his previous discussion, Bauer (2014) also communicated the importance of engaging with other performers when improvising in order to gain the ability to react and adapt to what their peers are doing, especially when they are providing the accompanying material.

Currently, there is a myriad of technologies available to those who desire to create music. Standard-notation platforms like MuseScore or Noteflight are free to use and allow similar experiences provided by higher-tier programs like Finale or Sibelius. Notated projects can be played back for the creator at any time and even be shared with peers. For the improviser, such a program would be invaluable for the transcription of solos and/or other vocabulary. However, these programs do take time to learn, and students who struggle with using standard-notation will not benefit as much from these kinds of programs. Such students may do better in programs that utilize looping/sampling capabilities, like GarageBand. For improvisation, students can benefit from a program like SmartMusic in which one can play along with recordings/chord-changes while recording themselves in the process. Simply the ability to record oneself performing (and is valuable technology as it aids in the self-diagnosis of issues within one’s performance along with current strengths.

References:

Bauer, W. I. (2014). Music learning today: Digital pedagogy for creating, performing, and responding to music. New York: Oxford University Press.

Kratus, J. (1996). A developmental approach to teaching music improvisation. International Journal of Music Education, 26(1), 27-38. DOI: 10.1177/025576149502600103