What is improvisation? Types, methods and techniques of improvisation

Improvisation in any of the available manifestations is an important and rather interesting part of our life, both social and creative. It covers a lot of directions and activities, and therefore the question of what improvisation is and what are its distinctive features can arise regardless of employment and personal qualities. Let us consider it in detail.

So what is improvisation?

The word "improvisation" is on the ears of most of us. Occurring from the Latin "improvisus", it denotes the act of an unexpected, unforeseen and momentary creation, whether it is an inspired writing of a picture by pure inspiration or the ability to conduct a report from the stage without any preliminary preparation. For example, the ability to play a melody on a musical instrument and support slipping on an inclined conversation - what is it? Improvisation in all its glory!

Classification

As it was possible to guess, improvisation exists in many manifestations and types, the main among which are:

• Musical improvisation is the ability to create a melody from nothing. In this case, the genre and the instrument do not matter: there are lessons on developing the skill of improvisation 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 cover subjects as ballads, stories or poems.
• Theatrical improvisation is a stage skill in which the actor is able to support the performance of the performance and guide his character in the plot, regardless of the given scenario, but in the way the situation requires.

These types of improvisation can be considered the main and most capacious: each of them includes a variety of additional topics and trends affecting in one way or another almost all aspects of human life.

Improvisation on stage

We all know examples of improvisation on the stage, when the actor, forgetting the text of his role or facing unforeseen circumstances, was forced to continue the performance on his own. Sometimes the retreat of 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 play itself.

The roots of theatrical improvisation stretch to a deep antiquity, when for representations only a general vector of development was chosen, for example, an important palace event, a turning point in the war or a natural cataclysm. The details varied depending on the decision of some "higher forces", and, faced with the latter, the actors should entirely give themselves to improvisation.

Improvisation in dance

Dance is a mystery in which, as it may seem, there is no place for freedom and free style, but 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, the second is often called the 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 increasingly popular youth and stage movements. To achieve something serious in this field, the dancer needs, first of all, a good body and physical fitness. Having such, you can proceed to the next step: to study a number of simple movements and techniques that can later be linked into a single whole, diluted with free improvisational elements.

Improvisation in music

Perhaps the most mysterious part of the improvisational talent: the ability to take a couple of familiar chords, sit down for a familiar instrument and give out, perhaps, an unpredictable, but complete and independent melody. That's what improvisation is when creating music: instant writing something without any preparation with simultaneous execution of what was invented.

So, at the beginning of his musical path, Johann Sebastian Bach not only outplayed the melody of the brilliant musician and composer Louis Marchand, who participated in the musical competition, but also supplemented it with such masterful and ornate improvisational impregnations that he easily eclipsed his opponent. From the call to the next musical duel, Marchand simply evaded, not daring to resist such a skilful improviser.

Methods of musical improvisation

Possessing a musical ear and playing skill on a certain instrument, you can join the community of composers-improvisers. The first steps may not be very successful, but with learning new techniques and understanding the basic concepts, experience must come, and with it - positive dynamics.

As an example, consider several methods of improvisation for pianoforte:

1. Basic: you should learn as many melodies as possible to get an impression of the process, then to understand all the modes and keys, and, finally, master the simplest three-chord chords.
2. The musician chooses a certain key and uses it as an accompaniment with one hand, while playing another melody with another. Tone has a sense to change in the game - it allows you to learn with the instrument and increases the technicality of the composition.
3. Game within one chord. The meaning is the same as the point above, but the basis for the melody is the chosen chord, which can be changed depending on the measure.

In any case, the fundamental element of mastery is the practice and ability to handle music, to use it at its own discretion.

Improvisation in communication

The most common and understandable version of improvisation is everyday and touching each of us: verbal improvisation. What is sometimes so difficult to achieve and that will help find yourself in any company is the ability to freely speak any topic without pauses and pauses, without words of parasites and internal tension. It is not surprising that nowadays dozens of proposals to pass special courses and trainings from all sides, try out a new method of improvisation in dialogue or undergo innovative training. Although the basic concepts of any training are reduced to simple techniques: you need to clearly understand the raised topic and squeeze out of it as much as possible by appealing to suitable associations, lyrical digressions, or questions that you can ask your interlocutor.

Despite the general diversity, the methods of developing the skill for all categories are similar: a person needs a good fantasy or the desire to develop it - the ability to navigate within the given topic and the desire to give oneself to practice.