Stage 1
- Complement, don't clash - practice only playing notes that complement the chords in the accompaniment
- Be rhythmic - make sure that your timing is steady
- Experiment with notes that clash with the chords in the accompaniment
Stage 2
- Take the patterns you made from the previous stage and play them backwards
- Start developing spontaneity by re-arranging your patterns in a more random order
- Remove notes from your patterns and investigate how you can use silence for expressive effect
Stage 3
- When listening to music, ask yourself questions about what you are hearing
- Pick out defining features of the music - what makes it distinctive?
- Try to imitate the characteristics you have identified
Stage 4
- Introduce clashing notes into your playing - but always resolve the dissonance
- Start breaking rhythm with the accompaniment - but always come back in time
- Push the boundaries of what sounds you make with your instrument
Stage 5
- Repeat stages 1 to 4 with more advanced accompaniments
- When listening to music, imagine yourself improvising over it.
- First, imagine what you would play at your current level.
Then, add in progressively more complex ideas that are beyond your current abilities.
Classroom resources for teachers
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