This is my improvisation for Assignment One. I improvised for 32 bars, so that is one of the three full repeats. I am very new to improvisation, so I kept this simple. I look forward to your feedback. Thanks!

COLETTE Assignment One

This is my improvisation on the following modes, in order. (The timings are approximate, to give you an idea of starts and finishes):

B Lydian (start to 1:06)
D Dorian (1:07 to 2:11)
Eflat Aeolian (2:12 to 3:32)
C Locrian (3:33 to 4: 21)
A Lydian (4:22 to 5:12)
F7 Altered (5:13 to end)

These days, I am practicing for a classical technical exam, and I think these sound more classical than jazz in many ways. I think that's the more challenging part of this that is more difficult to explain: how do you "play on" these modes in a jazzy way? Any suggestions or ideas would be much appreciated!

Thanks for listening!!!!!

Colette

P.S. I would like to thank the members of St. Mary Magdalene church in town here for allowing me the use of their beautiful Yamaha C7 grand piano for my practicing!!! 


Assignment Two

This is my attempt for Assignment Three. I decided to play the melody for the first and third times through and improvise for the second and last times through.

I appreciate all constructive criticism! I am already learning so much from my Sound Cloud friends.

Assignment Three

Well, my fellow improvisers, I have to say that this assignment was a lot more difficult for me as a pianist than I expected! In the end, I wasn't able to play with the back track, because it was total cognitive overload trying to keep track of everything (chords, melody, backtrack, rhythm, etc. etc.) at the same time. Rather than give up, I came up with a solution: I played solo piano without a backtrack and just did my best to complete something.

Mea culpa: It took all the hours I had available just to do the analysis and learn the melody. I kind of ran out of time for working on the improv further. This is something I will work on in the future, though. There: enough excuses! I welcome your input!!!

Thanks for listening!

Assignment Four

Hi Everyone,

  This is my take on Assignment Five. I really enjoyed trying this out, but found that I needed to set up an idea for each 12 bars in advance before I did my recording. I used the principles that Gary Burton introduced and applied different ones to each section (see my labels on the recording). There is a surprise song in this improv that just spontaneously came out in the middle of an improv try. What fun! I have always wondered where those came from when players are improvising, and now I have had my own experience with it. What a thrill!

Unfortunately, I was not able to complete the other part of Assignment Five, Part Two: Olhos de Gato. I wil leave that for future explorations. Please mark accordingly.

I appreciate all constructive feedback. Thank you to all my listeners and followers. I hope that we can keep this up after the course is over.

Take care,
Colette

Assignment Five

These tracks are part of Gary Burton's online course "Introduction to Improvisation," which is offered through www.coursera.org . I am an amateur classical pianist and huge jazz fan. This course has been a fantastic opportunity to make the leap from music on the page to music not on the page! Thanks for visiting/listening!

cpcanada