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Basic Improvisation

Lesson 6:
Techniques for Soloing
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 Berkleemusic Home Syllabus Discussion Help
Course Home -> Lesson 6 -> Topic 2 Page 1

Lesson 6 Solo Length

Topic 1
Topic 2
Page 1
Topic 3
Topic 4 There are two different ways of looking at solo structure and
Topic 5 length: inner form and outer form.
Activity 1
Activity 2 ● Inner form is where we detail different devices such
Topic 6 as melodic fragments, motives, scales, chords,
Topic 7 phrases, and sections.
Activity 3 ● Outer form encompasses the whole solo, from the
beginning to the end—"the big picture."
Course Contents
Syllabus
In this topic, we'll focus on outer form—techniques to develop
Grades
ideas over the entire length of a solo. Using devices such as O
Bookmark
range, dynamics, tone color, and rhythmic density can give
Communication your solo a sense of forward motion.
Announcements
Class list Instead of working measure to measure, also think in larger
Discussion terms. What is your solo going to achieve, overall? What is
Chat your intent? Will it begin piano, crescendo in the middle, and
then decrescendo at the end? Click the image to start the video.

Also consider rhythmic density—the number of events happening over a given length of time.
Your solo can begin rhythmically inactive, relatively, build more activity in the middle section
then, and then decrease the rhythmic density toward the end.

Varying registers over the courses of your solo can be another effective development tool. Your
solo might peak to a high register and then drop down to a middle or lower register.

These are some possible schemes for you to work on over the whole length of your solo.

In the video, Ed discusses how these musical elements can evolve over a solo's entire length:
beginning, middle, and end.

Previous Page Next Topic: Register

Berkleemusic Online School -- BMP-110.01 Basic Improvisation

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 Berkleemusic Home Syllabus Discussion Help
Course Home -> Lesson 6 -> Topic 3 Page 1

Lesson 6 Register
Topic 1
Topic 2
Topic 3
Page 1
Topic 4
Topic 5 Varying registers can be a very effective way to develop your
Activity 1 solo.

Activity 2
Topic 6 Think about using your low, middle, and high registers with a
specific intent. This gives your solos (as well as compositions
Topic 7
and arrangements) a call-and-response or question-and-
Activity 3
answer quality, like a conversation. For example, playing the
Course Contents motive in the middle register will be Player 1, an answer in
Syllabus the low register is by Player 2, and then Player 3 responds in
Grades the high register.
Bookmark
Communication In this video, Ed demonstrates using range as a development
tool, repeating motifs in different registers to create this
Announcements
conversational effect. First, listen to Ed's solo, and then play
Class list
along with the video or the MP3, below.
Discussion
Chat

Click the image to start the video.

Previous Page Next Topic: Rhythmic Density

Berkleemusic Online School -- BMP-110.01 Basic Improvisation

© 2002-2004 Berklee College of Music. All rights reserved. Our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.