Functional String Improvisation

Several months ago, my friend Chris Selby, at the Charleston County School for the Arts in Charleston South Carolina, invited me to come to his school to give a weekend seminar on string improvisation. I was hesitant to accept his invitation at first because, as many of you know , I am not really a jazz educator in any way. I am an improvising violinist and a string educator. But, I really haven't taught a great deal of improvisation over the years. Nor, am I an expert in jazz or even formally trained in improv.  My improvising skill and style is much more self-taught and from the school of hard knocks.  So, I really wasn't sure if I wanted to tackle the daunting task of a weekend seminar explaining and teaching my approach to improvisation.

With that in mind, I thought for a while about my values in teaching and decided that if I could come up with a systematic, sequential system that outlined my journey as an improviser, I may be able to give the students something that would be useful and practical. I began putting my thoughts together and as a result of some discussions with Chris and with my wife I came up with the title, "Functional String Improvisation" for the weekend. This notion of being functional is very important to me. I am so aware that I am not a jazz performer nor an expert improviser. But, I am a functional violinist. I am able to go into almost any performing situation and provide something that is interesting, stylistically appropriate, musical, and enjoyable. I am as comfortable playing over chord changes in a recording studio as I am playing in the middle of a violin section of an orchestra.

So, here is the system that I articulated that weekend.  It is my approach.  It is an articulation of my journey and experience.  I don't hold it up as the gold standard, but I know that it has worked for me.  Working on and developing these concepts and skills has helped me to become the improviser that I am today.  This is all built on time, practice and experience.  The system is effective, but practice and repetition is the key.

I am providing my outline and annotations here.  My hope is that other string teachers may find something here that resonates with them and begin the journey for themselves.  Or, if already on that journey, find a different twist or approach.

FUNCTIONAL STRING IMPROVISATION
with
SCOTT LAIRD

Basics of Functional Musicianship

• There is no substitute for core technique and tone
• Functional String improvisation is a combination of the following:
• Functional/Applied Music Theory
• Internalized concepts of harmony, chord tones, and voice leading
• Listening
• Understanding the function or role you are playing at any given moment in the tune
• Imagination
• Practice!

Skills to Develop:

Free Improv and musical conversation

• Listen and respond/react
• “Yes, and…”

This skill encourages the musician to play without fear of wrong notes. There ARE no wrong notes in free improv.  This is an opportunity to take chances, listen and respond at any level. Players can be rhythmic or a-rhythmic, tonal or atonal, the same or different, and the list goes on. This is the time to get comfortable without the notes in front of you.  I also like to discuss that idea of "Yes, and.." from the improv world of theater.  The idea is that you never deny an idea. Rather the only response is, "Yes, and..."

Imitation (learning by ear) and playing with radio (15 minutes)

• Listen to the tune. Identify and imitate the various voices
• How do you imitate guitar, snare, bass, vocals, lead guitar

This, too, is an opportunity to get away from the written page.  I loved listening to my son spend hours in my studio with Pandora on and just playing along on his bass guitar.  That is how it is done.  You just have to be willing to spend the time.   This is a great way to learn keys, hand positions, cool licks, and ideas in songs.  The player can imitate all of the instruments (drums included).  When I was a kid, my parents would get mad at me when I was in my room "practicing" and playing with the radio.  I was supposed to be playing my classical rep.  Little did they know that this was a really good use of my time!!  Oh how times have changed!

Major and Minor scales in first position,

• scale patterns 3rds, 4ths, etc
• Alternate ideas on scales, jumps
• Pentatonic scale
• Shapes (finger patterns) - thinking like a guitar player

I really believe in making etudes out of scales.  Put on a drum beat and make them fun.  I also strongly believe in playing all of the major and minor scales in first position - all the way from the lowest possible not in the key to the highest possible note without changing positions.  This really establishes all of the possible scale "patterns" that are necessary for quickly and functionally performing in all keys.

Diatonic Harmony

• Triads - know your 3rds and 5ths (7ths too!)
• Patterns
• Key
• Playing pads (whole notes)
• (Extreme ranges)
• 3rds and 7ths

This is  where the hard work begins.  It is where your functional understanding of music theory and harmony intersects with your playing.  The player must develop the skill of thinking on their toes.  Can they name and play the triads?  Can they find the 3rd and 7th for any chord?  I think this where many would-be improvisers get hung up.  It is easier to think melodically as a string player.  We do THAT all the time.  Be persistent and don't give up.

Bass lines -

• Roots
• Riffs

I played bass in bands as a kid.  I feel like this skill has served me well over the years.  Playing bass lines is a whole different feel and idea than focusing on melody.  Listen to bass lines on the radio.  Imitate them. Practice playing them on violin, viola or cello.  It is really fun.  And, it takes you another step in the journey to becoming a functional improviser.

Melody vs Off melody

• Does the range blend with or cut through ensemble appropriately?

This is really important in my opinion.  Where is there space for notes in the tune?  Are you the primary melodic voice?  Or are you a secondary voice?  Listen to songs you like. Listen for the melody and for other voices that are responding to the melody.  Then, play over songs where you are the melody, then respond to the melody instead.  I use this skill all the time when accompanying in church and creating parts for singer/songwriters.

Rhythm

• Importance of 2 and 4
• Chops
• Chords
• Strum bowing

This is where classically trained players can be a little square.  Listen to popular music.  Listen to the snare drum.  Where is the weight of the pulse?  Usually on 2 and 4.  We need to get aware of this and try to imitate it.  There are numerous times that the string player provides a rhythmic role in a band.  What should you do?  

Blues patterns

• Check out Blues back-tracks in various on Youtube.
• Listen to blues artists and imitate them.  Play along a ton!

Every kid that learns the guitar in the garage starts here.  We need to spend some time on it. Listen. Imitate. Repeat.

Interpreting a lead sheet (the thought process)

• Slightly modify the melody 
• Think “Theme and Variations”
• Build the piece dynamically

This is a skill that must be developed. It takes time. But all of the above skills will get you into the right ballpark.

The Art of Listening

There is no substitute for listening with purpose.  Think about the things you are hearing.  Think about the function of every voice that you hear in the tune.  

So, there you have it.  Let me know what you think.  And, good luck with your journey to improvisation.  It is so much fun to be able to express yourself without notes in front of you.  But, remember, it takes time.  So, get to work!

Peace.
Scott

By the way, if you are really ready to dive into the world of creative strings and improvisation and want some individualized training, I highly recommend attending Christian Howes' Creative Strings Workshop as part of your summer professional development.  He's the best.  Hands down.  My son will be attending this summer.  I don't give a higher endorsement.

The Advantage of a Diverse Perspective

During a recent conversation with my colleague Dan Teague, Math Instructor at NCSSM, we were telling each other a little bit about our respective personal and educational backgrounds. For those of you that don't know Dan, he is one of the most highly respected math instructors in the United States and is it true leader at NCSSM.  He is a humble and understated scholar who lives his life as a role model for others. Both students and colleagues look up to him in a variety of ways. It would be impossible to overstate the number of lives that he has impacted in his time at NCSSM, both through student interaction and teacher education, as well as curriculum development. He is certainly a trusted friend and respected colleague.

 During that conversation, Dan told me that as an undergraduate he was a physical education major. I was a little bit surprised at this and asked them to tell me a little bit more. His answer was really interesting to me. He went on to tell me that he had decided to go into physical education and was thinking that as a coach or athletic director he would be a bit more marketable in the world of education and have more career options at his disposal.  And, as a non-math major, he would be free to take whichever advanced math courses interested him, rather than taking the classical math curriculum that his peers in the math major path were required to pursue.  So, he did just that.  He enjoyed the a la carte nature of his math courses. In his words, he sometimes comes at math problems from a non-traditional perspective as a result. This non-classical training led to his unique perspective on math, problem solving, and math education which he has championed and shared for many years at NCSSM.   This has proven to be a great benefit to his students.  His diverse perspective has led him to develop strong teaching philosophies, methods, and curricula in math modeling, combinatorics, complex systems and a number of other advanced mathematical topics.

 As he told me about the benefits of his diverse perspective I couldn't help but think of the benefits that a diverse perspective in music provides as well. Music students that have a strong background in classical repertoire and technique certainly have a leg up on their competition. But when that is combined with a deep understanding of music theory and analysis, skills in improvisation, skills in composition and songwriting, background with both the melodic and harmonic role of their instruments, interest and ability to be creative with their music studies, or even multiple instruments, they are so far ahead of the game.  I strongly believe that the more diverse a musical perspective the student gains, the more functional that musician will be in the long run.  So, for me, functional musicianship is a primary goal for my students.  Classical training is certainly important.  But, when training in the classics is brought to life through functional experience and perspective, a true musician may truly develop. 

 I feel strongly that those of us that began our musical training with a Suzuki background and a strong philosophy of rote learning and ear training are certainly functionally ahead of the game. The ear to hand skills that I had the opportunity to develop as a six and seven year old music student have been invaluable throughout my life as a musician and music educator. The experiences that I had as a middle school student learning the bass guitar, drum set, guitar, and mandolin provided me a diverse perspective that I brought back to my violin studies on a daily basis. Every rock band that I played bass or drums in has made me a better violinist. Every day that I sang in chorus made me a better violinist, conductor, and musician. Every music theory class and lesson that I attended with Jeff McGee during my junior year of high school made me a better musician. I took those skills and began songwriting which definitely enhanced my functional musicianship. In high school and college I  played bass in jazz band which enhanced my violin playing and musicianship. All of the harmonies that I learned and sang in church during the hymns added to the skill set.  Even in my thirties when I began seriously improvising on the violin, I could sense my classical violin skills growing.  And, my classical skills certainly informed my improvisation and sense of melody. This diverse perspective makes me a better classical musician and my skills as a classical musician make me a better pop and rock musician. My skills as a conductor make me a better violinist and my skills as a violinist make me a better conductor. My understanding of the guitar, mandolin, and bass guitar fretboard definitely makes me a better violinist and conductor. All of these skills come together to build a core of functional musicianship for me.

 And so, I make this a priority for my students. I try to bring a diverse perspective to class every single day. In my classical guitar and piano class, I stress the importance of applying music theory to music performance.  I also stress both reading skills and improvisatory skills.  In my orchestra class, I try to stress understanding functional harmony and melodic line as they apply to the repertoire at hand and I encourage listening and rhythmic skills that improvisational musicians use on a daily basis. I often ask my orchestras to develop the type of listening skills that are used in rock and pop bands. In these types of performance settings, the players naturally listen for the inner rhythm and groove of a piece. This is an important skill that many students in orchestra have never been encouraged to develop.

 It was such an eye opening experience for me to learn of Dan’s background and diverse perspective. It gave me a greater understanding of his broad range of interests and the way he relates so perfectly to his students and colleagues. Many of us who teach at NCSSM aspire to the level of instruction that Dan demonstrates on a daily basis. And, through conversations like the one that I had with Dan, I feel like I have a more diverse perspective is well. He is always teaching. I will continue to learn.

 Peace.

 Scott

Lamar Stringfield Summer String Camp and NS Design Instruments

Hi all! Today, just a quick note about the Lamar Stringfield String Camp and NS Design Instruments.

For the past two weeks, Meredith College in Raleigh, NC has been hosting the Lamar Stringfield String Camp, a day camp for students to focus on string playing, technique, and ensemble playing. Students may attend for 1 or 2 weeks and the camp is open to students ranging in age from early elementary students through high school age students.

As part of the final concert on Friday, Orchestra Conductor, Kirk Moss programmed a really cool funk tune called Mercy, Mercy, Mercy (By Josef Zawinul, arranged by Bert Ligon, and published by Latham Music) that includes several open sections for improvisation. Kirk invited me to play on the tune and opened it up for student solos as well. As part of that performance, my son, Matt (in the photo on the right), and violinist Jacob Henderson (in the photo on the left) jumped in on the fun and performed improvised solos on their NS Design Wav violins. The performances was really well-received and the Wavs were perfect for the guys.

Thanks to NS Design for making such great instruments and making performances like this possible for so many!

Peace.
Scott

Festival at the Eno

Hi all!

Happy 4th of July weekend!

This weekend, I am spending a great deal of time a the Festival for the Eno. It is an awesome gathering of musicians, artists, and conservationists coming together to enjoy a beautiful place and event together on a very hot weekend. It is always a blast and this weekend should prove to be the same.

This weekend, I am working with the folks at High Strung Music in Durham, a wonderful little string shop that specializes in bowed string instruments, acoustic guitars, mandolins, ukuleles, and other folk instruments, giving daily seminars on violin improv. High Strung really provides a wonderful service at the Festival. They have guitar repair services right on site at the Festival and daily seminars that include, in addition to mine, beatboxing, learn to play the ukelele, open jams, and others. High Strung is centrally located at the festival and really embody the spirit of the event.

My seminar is a very low key introduction to string improv for those that haven't ventured away from the page before, but if a more advanced improviser comes by, I will give them feedback on their playing and tips and tricks that may help them out. And, if folks prefer, my friend and guitarist Adam Sampieri, and I will just play a little bit and talk about the thought process that goes into generating an improvised solo. I am there to represent D'Addario Bowed Strings and Coda Bows, both of which High Strung carries.

One of the highlights of the day for me yesterday was getting to know the guys in the band, Fiddlefoxx. This is a cool little trio of fine musicians from the Boston area. They feature some fine fiddle playing, acoustic guitars and mandolins, and a really good beatboxer on percussion. Their music is influenced by a variety of styles, but reminds me of some of the early Bela Fleck and the Flecktones stuff. It is really cool and I encourage you to check them out. Also, they are available to work with school orchestra programs and I think they would be a super addition to any program. I know that I am going to try to have them in to the NC School of Science and Math at some point to work with my kids. The beatboxer from the band also gave a masterclass on his art and it was really cool. There were a bunch folks there to check it out and he is really a wizard at the mouth percussion!

My family and I also really enjoyed checking out all of the artists' displays and various booths around the festival. We bought some pottery, learned about the new Mountains to Shore trail, played games, ate a ton, and generally had a wonderful time.

The festival runs for 2 more days (July 4, and 5) and totally recommend that come out and check it out. I'll be giving my seminar at 3:00 each day and would love to see you there. I can't think of a better way to spend some time over the holiday weekend.