Improvisation in any of the available manifestations is an important and quite interesting part of our life, both social and creative. It covers many areas and types of activities, and therefore the question of what improvisation is and what are its distinctive features can arise regardless of employment and personal qualities. Consider it in detail.
So what is improvisation?
The word "improvisation" is heard by most of us. Derived from the Latin "improvisus", it denotes an act of unexpected, unforeseen and momentary creation, whether it is inspired painting by pure inspiration or the ability to deliver a report from the scene without any preliminary preparation. For example, the ability to play a melody on a musical instrument and to support a conversation sliding down an inclined conversation - what is this? Improvisation in all its glory!
Classification
As you might have guessed, improvisation exists in many manifestations and types, the main ones being:
- Musical improvisation - the ability to create a melody from nothing. At the same time, the genre and instrument do not matter: there are lessons on the development of the improvisation skill in jazz, rock music and even hip-hop.
- Dance - for example, contact improvisation or hip-hop.
- Literary improvisation, or impromptu. The ability to invent and dress up plots as ballads, stories or poems.
- Theatrical improvisation is stage mastery in which the actor is able to maintain the course of the performance and guide his character through the plot, regardless of the given scenario, but as the situation requires.
These types of improvisation can be considered the main and most capacious: each of them includes many additional topics and trends that affect one way or another almost all aspects of human life.
Improvisation on stage
We all know examples of improvisation on the stage where an actor, having forgotten the text of his own role or faced with unforeseen circumstances, was forced to continue the performance on his own. Sometimes the retreat of the actors from the role and small improvisations on their part are even welcome. However, in professional theaters, the attitude to this approach is extremely serious: inappropriate improvisation can completely distort the intended stage image and thereby leave a stain on the performance itself.
The roots of theatrical improvisation stretch back to antiquity, when only a general vector of development was chosen for the performances, for example, an important palace event, a turning point in the war or a natural disaster. The details varied depending on the decision of some “higher forces”, and, faced with the latter, the actors should have given themselves entirely to improvisation.
Improvisation in dance
Dance is a sacrament in which, as it may seem, there is no place for liberty and free style, however, such a belief is quickly refuted by representatives of such dance movements as hip-hop and so-called contact improvisation. And if the first option is a set of specific movements and actions, then the second is often called a manifestation of true harmony. Contact choreography is built on the interaction of partners, in which they can seek inspiration in each other's movements.
In any case, improvisation can be useful for any dance style, and it certainly will not be superfluous in the growing youth and stage movements. To achieve something serious in this field, a dancer requires, first of all, good body possession and
physical fitness. Having these, you can proceed to the next step: the study of a number of simple movements and techniques that can later be connected into a single whole, diluted with free improvisational elements.
Improvisation in music
Perhaps the most mysterious part of improvisational talent: the ability to take a couple of familiar chords, sit down at a familiar instrument and give out, perhaps, an unpredictable, but completely finished and independent melody. This is what improvisation is when creating music: instantly composing something without any preparation while simultaneously performing what was invented.
So, at the beginning of his musical career, Johann Sebastian Bach not only outplayed the melody of the brilliant musician and composer Louis Marchand, who participated in a musical competition, but also supplemented it with such masterful and ornate improvisational intersperses that easily eclipsed his opponent. Marchand simply evaded the challenge to the next musical duel, not daring to confront such a skilled improviser.
Methods of Musical Improvisation
With a musical ear and the ability to play a specific instrument, you can join the community of improviser composers. The first steps may not be very successful, but with the study of new techniques and an understanding of the basic concepts, experience should come, and with it - positive dynamics.
As an example, consider several improvisation techniques for piano:
- Basic: you should study as many melodies as possible to make an impression of the process, then understand all the frets and keys, and, finally, master the simplest three-sounding chords.
- The musician chooses a certain key and uses it as an accompaniment with one hand, while playing the melody with the other. It makes sense to change the tonality during the game - this allows you to get comfortable with the instrument and increases the technicality of the composition.
- The game within one chord. The meaning is the same as the paragraph above, but the basis for the melody is the selected chord, which can be changed depending on the beat.
In any case, the fundamental element of mastery is practice and the ability to handle music and use it at one’s own discretion.
Improvisation in communication
The most common and understandable version of improvisation is everyday and relating to each of us: verbal improvisation. What is sometimes so difficult to achieve and what will help you find yourself in any company is the ability to speak freely on any topic without hesitation and pause, without parasitic words and internal stress. It is not surprising that at present dozens of proposals are heard from all sides to take special courses and trainings, to try out a new method of improvisation in a dialogue, or to undergo innovative training. Although the basic concepts of any training come down to simple techniques: you need to be clearly aware of the topic raised and squeeze as much out of it as possible by addressing suitable associations, lyrical digressions, or questions that you can ask your interlocutor.
Despite the general diversity, the methods of skill development for all categories are similar: a person needs a good imagination or a desire to develop it - the ability to navigate within a given topic and the desire to give oneself to practice.