(IGE: IMPROVISATION BERKLEE PRESS OCAL de Biblio’ rie eke MPROVISATION P282708514 AN INSTRU-VOCAL APPROACH FOR SOLOISTS, GROUPS, AND CHOIRS ) , Edited by Jonathan Feist BOB STOLOFFCONTENTS CD TRACKS INTRODUCTION CHAPTER 1. Music in Motion Activity 1.1. Icebreaker Song Activity 1.2. Soundtrack ‘Activity 1.3. Snake Activity 1.4. Imaginary Ball Activity 1.5. Pass the Imaginary Object Activity 1.6. Human Machines CHAPTER 2. The Groove Activity 21. Alphabet Drum Sat Activity 2.2. Instru-Vocal Drum Grooves Activity 2.3. Name Game Activity 2.4. Multi-Name Game Activity 2.5. Melogic Mutl-Name Game Activity 2.6. Pitch Grooves Variations, CHAPTER 3. _Instru-Vocal Bass Grooves Activity 3.1. Pop/Rock Instru-Vocal Bass Groove Activity 3.2. Jaz2/Swing Instru-Vocal Rass Groove Activity 3.3. Funk/R&B Instnu-Vocal Bass Groove Instru-Vocal Bass and Percussion Grooves Activity 3.4. Pop/Rock Bass and Percussion Groove Actvity 3.5. Jazz Swing Bass and Percussion Groove Activity 3.6, Funk/R&B Bass and Percussion Groove Adding Motifs to the Groove Layering Parts over Ure Gruuve Aativity 8.7. “Groove in G" CHAPTER 4. Basic Scales for Improvisation Pentatonic Scales Activity 4.1. Pentatonic Patterns Activity 4.2. Pentatonic Patterns against Chords Activity 4.3, Pentatonic Bass Lines Dorian Mode Activity 4.4. C Dorian Patterns Aclivity 4.5. Three Dorian Suis Activity 4.6. Dorian PattemsCHAPTER 5. CHAPTER 6. CHAPTER 7. CONCLUSION APPENDIX The Bluss Scale Activity 47. Blues-Scale Patterns Activity 4.8. Bluos-Sealo Solos Integrating Minor Pentatonic, Dorian, and Blues Scales Activity 4.9. Integrated Scale Patterns Activity 4.10. Integrated Scale Solos Activity 4.11. Integrated Dorian and Minor Pentatonic Activity 4.12. Harmonie Minor Solo Activity 4.13, “Blue Yan” Scat: The Voice as a Musical Instrument Rhythmic Phrasing Activity 5.1. Seat Phrases Activity 5.2. Scat Solos Activity 5.3. Scat with Pitch Activity 5.4. Stories Actwity 5.5. Tortoise Shell Samba Dominant 7 Chords Activity 5.6, Mixolvaian Patterns Activity 5.7. Mixolydian Solo Ideas Team Improvisation Activity 6.1. Mirror Imago Activity 6.2. Musical Mirrors Activity 6.3. Ice Sculptures Variations ‘Activity 6.4. The Singing Wheel Advanced Group Improvisation Aativty 7.1. Hanu Signals Specific Hand Signals Rhythmic Variation Aativity 7.2. Tho Improv Ferrio Whee! Activity 7.3. Adding Choreography Activity 7.4. “Bait and Switch’ Improvisation Word Games Activity 7.5. Text Improvisation: 1-Part Inventions Activity 7.6. 2-Part inventions Activity 7.7. Multipart inventions “Ooh Yah” ABOUT THE AUTHOR 35 36 7. 39 39 40 4 42. 42 50 50 60. 51 €BSaR8 70 ” n 72 73 73 74 74 SRsssairaagcD TRACKS Track Track 4. Alphabot Drum Set (Figure 21) 7” 27, Blues-Scale Pattems, Sixteenth Notes (Figure 417) a7 2, Instru-Vocal Drum Grooves, Kick & Snare, Pop/Rock Straight-Eighth Feel (Figure 2.2) 8 28. Blues in C Major (Figure 4.18) ar 43, Instru-Vocal Drum Groove, Kick & Snare, Boise. D Minor (Eigue 4:19) am Funk/R&B Straight-Fighth Feel (Figure 2 3) 8 age cuee i ANaln (Rane 20) a | 4. Instru-Vocal Drum Grooves, Kick & Snare, 31. Integrated Scales 8-Bar Solo, Straight Eighth Feel Swing Feel (Figure 2.4) 9 (Figure 4.22) 20 | instru-Vocal Orun Grooves, Ride & Hi-Mal Gyinbals, 32, Integrated Soales 8-Bar Solo, Swing Eighth Feel Pop/Rock Straight-Eighth Feel (Figure 2.5) 9 (Figure 4.23) 40 | 6. Insiru-Vocal Drum Grooves, Open/Closed Hi-Hat, 33. Inlegrated Scales 4-Bar Solo, Straight Sixteenth Pon/Rack Straight-Sixteenth Feel (Figure 2.6) 10 Feel (Figure 4.24) 40 | 7, Instw-¥ocal Drum Grooves, Cymbal Patterns, 34, Blues in D (Figure 425) 40 | Teplets in 4/4 vs. Eighths in 12/8 (Fi inlets in 4/4 va Eighihs in 12/8 (Figure 27) 1035 sues in U Minor (Hqure 4.28) a 8. The Name Game: Bob Song (Figure 2.0) eee ian % 9. Pop/Rock Insiru-Vocal Bass Groove, vacci Straight Cighth Fee! (Figure 9.1) Aigiset SAP NeMrIOe. 22), x 98. 1-Rar Pentatonic Phrases (Figure § 410. Funk/R&B, Swing & Straight Sixteenth aa eed dente 2 Instru-Vocal Bass Groove (Figure 3.3) 19 39, 1-Bar Dorian Phrases (Figure 5.9) 54 11. Grnowe in G (Figure 97) 27 40, 2-Bar Blues Phrases (Fiaure 5.10) 85 42. C Major Pentatonic Scale (Figure 4.1) 30 41, 12-Bar Minor Blues Solo (Figure 5.11) 56 13. A Minor Pentatonic Scale (Figure 4.2) 30 42, Tortoise Shell Samba (Figure 5.12) a7 ee 31 43 GMivolydian as a Mortal Seale (Figure (513) 68 44. G Minolydian as an Altered Major Scale 416. 12-Bar Pontatonie Solo, Straight Eighth Foo! (Faure 44) ” (Figure 5:14) 68 ixolydian ae an Altored Major Seale eee poeta oor ai osteo 48. © Miya ton Aero No (Figure 4.5) 2 5 46, Mixolydian Triplet Patterns (Figura 5.17) 69 417, Major/Minor Pentatonic Bass Linos (Figure 4.6) 32 47, Mixolydian Eighth-Note Patterns (Figure 5.10) 69 18. Dorian Mode as Related to Major (Figure 47) 33 48, Mixolydian 2-Bar Phrase Solo Ideas (Figure 5.19) 70 10, Doian Mode ac a Modal Scale (Figo 48) 836s | na nantatoni Inventions (Figure 7.4) a 20, Dorian Practice Patterns (Figure 4.9) Ba tar Far oon branes RTO 3 Bee Dorin Beton: (Eloures4l0): 94 51. 1-Part Blues Inventions (Figure 7.6) 82 apo boss. Lines: (ome 441) 3592. -Part Mixvlyuian Inventions (Figure 77) 69 23, Blues-Scale Pallerns, Hall Notes (Figute 443) 3859, Additional 1-Part Inventions (Figure 7.8) 83 24, Blues-Scale Patterns, Quarter Notes (Figure 414) 38 54, 2 Part Inventions (Figure 7.9) 84 25, Blues-Scale Patterns, Eighth Notes (Figure 4.15) 36 55. Multi-art Inventions (Figure 7.10) er 26, Bluos-Sealo Patterns, Triplets (Figure 4.16) 36 56. Ooh Yah (Figure At) 1vi INTRODUCTION ‘Teaching vocalists to improvise has been my passion since I decided w become a music teacher forty years ago. As a trained instrumentalist on trumpet, flute, drums, and bass, I never expected to be a worldwide mentor of vocal jazz. and improvisation, yet here I am coaching singers in the art of solo scat and group, improvisation with much success! There was a brief period when I felt that all the years I practiced trumpet jonal time I could have etudes aud drum rudiments were a sactifice of adk devoted to vocal training, until I discovered that singers, like myself, like to emulate musical instruments. | also realized that many of the techniques 1 had learned playing them could be applied with equal success to the voice. This “instru-vocal” approach to singing evolved into an alternative method of improvisation pedagogy purely by coincidence. While solo scat singing has been around for many years, the idea of vocal ists improvising in groups is still relatively new. The concept was introduced by Rhiannon, explored by Joey Blake and Bobby McFerrin’s Volcestra, and Is currently the focal point of Roger Treece’s recently recorded vocal arrange- ments of McFerrin’s improvisations. My own contribution to communal singing, reflects the experiences I had playing in bands, orchestras, and studio rhythm, sections where teamwork and cooperation were always essential. Vocal Improvisation represents a culmination of my years teaching at Berklee and presenting vocal improvisation semi States and Europe. All the exercises and activities I've included are intended for a diverse range of musical backgrounds and experience. Learning to improvise book! jar throughout the United should be fun, so Thope you enjoy t