Introducing Students to Improvisation

The students now know 12 one-bar patterns. Spend some time playing them, mixing up the order. When you feel like they know the patterns well, try this suggestion:

"We've learned 12 one-bar patterns. Let's try a call and response. When I play a pattern to you, play back a different pattern. It can be any pattern we've learned, as long as it is different from the one I play to you."

Don't single out students at this time. Let them all play back together so they feel free to get comfortable with this activity without any pressure to perform.

Change your background accompaniment to the key of A, and teach them all the same patterns on the A string. Start with "play back what I play to you," and then try "play back a different pattern."

Change your background accompaniment to a 4-bar progression: 2 bars of D, 2 bars of A. When the accompaniment is on D, do a call and response on the D string.When the accompaniment is on A, do a call and response on the A string.

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