Jump Ahead or Fake It

May 1, 2007

Learning Music, Music Performance, Memorization, Improvisation

For the past couple of weeks, my students have heard me tell them to "jump ahead" or "fake it" (i.e., "make it up) when they do a run-through of their festival songs for me. Those are really a musician's two options on stage when we have a memory lapse.

Rhona-Mae Arca

October 25, 2006

Improvisation, Learning Music

Musing about Music Improvisation

Rhona-Mae Arca

October 25, 2006

Improvisation, Learning Music

Composer Robert Rosen said that the first step to composing is improvisation, while one student described composing as "improvising with an eraser".

Rhona-Mae Arca

March 21, 2006

Improvisation, Practicing Music

Improvising at the Piano

Rhona-Mae Arca

March 21, 2006

Improvisation, Practicing Music

I’ve had my students work on for the past couple of weeks is to play around with the following chord progression…

Rhona-Mae Arca

October 21, 2005

Improvisation, Learning Music, Teaching Music

Friday Fun Link #6

Rhona-Mae Arca

October 21, 2005

Improvisation, Learning Music, Teaching Music

I stumbled upon A Passion for Jazz when I was searching for a good “How to use a Fake Book” recourse.

Rhona-Mae Arca

September 15, 2005

Learning Music, Music Performance, Improvisation, Teaching Music

Adventures in Teaching and Playing

Rhona-Mae Arca

September 15, 2005

Learning Music, Music Performance, Improvisation, Teaching Music

I'm chording more these days. For the wedding that I'm playing at this weekend, I have no idea whether I will be asked to play the music for the parts of the Mass. I have a version of "Glory to God" but last night, I just realized that it's not the one we usually sing at church.