Vocal Improvisation Nation Blog Trying Something New

Improvisation is a wonderful and exciting aspect of non-traditional music. It can be a bit scary at times going into unknown territory and improvising. There will be pitfalls and times when you feel uncomfortable. This key is to take your time and practice methodically. If you think of it like trying on a new pair of shoes you may have to try on a few pairs of shoes until you find the right fit. Listen to some songs that you like that you feel will be challenging and then begin to analyze them, sing them, and take them apart section by section. Practice them section by section then put the pieces back together again. Remember that you don't have to do everything at once in one practice session. It may take a week to learn some songs, techniques or improvisational lines and 2 hours to a day to learn others. It will depend on the difficulty of the song, the improv pattern, and your ability at any given time to grasp the information. Give yourself a break if it's not perfect right away, but strive to perfect it over time. I hope these words of advice will help you in your musical journey.

Cheers,

Gabrielle Goodman