Music Information

Creating Caverns - an Improvisation Exercise


In a recent post to my Yahoo group, I mentioned that I created the piece "Caverns" using one chord. I'd like to explain how I accomplished this.

First off, Caverns is an improvisation exercise. Certain things I knew about this piece. One being technique. I knew that my left hand would just be playing an ostinato pattern using a D minor chord. My right hand was to play melody and bass notes.

With these decisions out of the way, the piece really created itself. I start by playing the pattern, then jump in with a right hand melody. Then come the bass notes. These are played by crossing the right hand over the left but at no time does my left hand stop playing the ostinato pattern. This is really a unique little improvisation because it requires some skill in keeping the music fresh sounding. After all, I'm just using one chord. However, and this is important, the freshest sounding music will always come when the thinking mind lets go and the intuition is allowed full rein.

Once intuition takes over, the music that is created will always sound fresh. Why? Because it comes directly from the source. And this source also knows when to wind down. There is no ending planned out. The music winds down when the performer senses that it has played itself out.

Edward Weiss is a pianist/composer and webmaster of Quiescence Music's online piano lessons. He has been helping students learn how to play piano in the New Age style for over 14 years and works with students in private, in groups, and now over the internet. Stop by now at http://www.quiescencemusic.com/piano_lessons.html for a FREE piano lesson!


MORE RESOURCES:

Telegraph.co.uk

Amazon, Apple and the price of music
CNET News, CA - 1 hour ago
Ever since Amazon began selling digital music and offering lower prices than rival iTunes, the suspicion by many iTunes fans is that the music industry was ...
Apple Finally Dumps Most DRM for iTunes, Gamers Rejoice Seattle Post Intelligencer
Apple iTunes Music Store Going DRM-Free InformationWeek
Apple Still A Big Fan Of DRM Outside Of Music Techdirt
Motley Fool UK - Macworld
all 1,226 news articles


The end of Zune? It’s not just the music anymore
ZDNet - 3 hours ago
The piece hints that Ballmer is more interested in the music player business from an angle that Microsoft knows well - software. As products like the iPod ...
Is the Zune About To Become Extinct? Rolling Stone
Microsoft's Bach: we'd do Zune differently CNET News
CES 2009: Microsoft's Mr. Xbox looks beyond year of record results Seattle Times
all 47 news articles


Fresh News

Parton, Smith picked for Gospel Music Hall of Fame
The Associated Press - Jan 8, 2009
(AP) — Dolly Parton, Michael W. Smith, Dr. Bobby Jones, the Dixie Hummingbirds and producer Lari Goss will be inducted into the Gospel Music Association ...
Dolly Parton for Gospel Music Hall Of Fame NME.com
Dolly Parton Chosen For Gospel Music Hall Of Fame AHN
Dolly Parton Will Join Gospel Music Hall of Fame CMT.com
Chicago Tribune - Youngstown Vindicator
all 215 news articles


Contactmusic.com

Jermaine Dupri Reportedly Leaves Island Records Urban Music Gig
MTV.com - 8 hours ago
According to Variety, the producer/rapper has reportedly ended his brief tenure as the president of the Island Records Urban Music department. ...
Reports: Jermaine Dupri Exits Island Billboard
Jermaine Dupri Removed From Post As President Of Island's Urban ... BallerStatus.com
Jermaine Dupri Out Radar Online
TheCelebrityCafe.com - Eurweb.com
all 44 news articles


PC World

SanDisk Sansa slotRadio takes a page from Slacker's book
CNET News, CA - 3 hours ago
Still, the fact that the cards are static--meaning you can't update them as new music comes out--is a bit of a problem in my book. What do you think? ...
SanDisk offers bulk music in slotRadio format Prefixmag
SanDisk unveils memory card-based music player Reuters
SanDisk releases music player with slotRadio card TopNews
San Francisco Chronicle - RedOrbit
all 106 news articles


Motown turns 50, proud of musical, social legacy
Reuters - 3 hours ago
DETROIT (Reuters) - Motown has always been about more than music. As the soul empire turns 50 on Monday, its founders are looking back at its brand of music ...
What's going on for Motown's 50th birthday? A global party USA Today
From the archive: Smokey's Miracles -- black was a barrier DetNews.com
Motown hits create the soundtrack for Boomers' lives Sun-Sentinel.com
USA Weekend - Monroenews.com
all 52 news articles


Access Hollywood

People: New music and book from Sanjava Malakar
Dallas Morning News, TX - 14 hours ago
Both works share the title Dancing to the Music in My Head. Look for them Jan. 20. Lindsay Lohan bemoans the state of her career, among other things, ...
Sanjaya Is Back, American Idol Alumni Talks Album? Singersroom News
The argument for a fourth American Idol judge Metro Canda - Edmonton
The World Is Complete, Sanjaya's Long Awaited Album is Here: Listen New York Post
PerezHilton.com - E! Online
all 14 news articles


CNET News

LG Rhythm puts music first
CNET News, CA - 3 hours ago
The Rhythm, if you'll recall, is a music-focused phone with 3D sound capabilities plus it boasts a graphic equalizer designed by none other than Mark ...


CNET News

Linksys offers full wireless alternative to Sonos
CNET News, CA - Jan 7, 2009
It was also easy to sync up multiple rooms with the same music stream, or opt for separate content to each room. Of course, this was in a hotel suite under ...
Cisco Gets Social With Entertainment OS PC World
CES: Cisco Calls A Blitz On The Digital Home CRN
Cisco Multiroom Home Audio Solution Enhances and Extends the ... CNNMoney.com
PC Magazine - CNET News
all 279 news articles


Washington Times

Downloads can't buoy Canada music sales
Hollywood Reporter, United States - 23 hours ago
By Etan Vlessing TORONTO -- Revenue from Canadian digital music sales jumped in 2008, but not enough to offset a continuing drop in physical music format ...
Canadians continue to buy more music, but album sales still sputter The Canadian Press
Another tough year for music industry Tahoe Daily Tribune
Crunching the numbers Buffalo News
WebProNews - National Post
all 36 news articles

Music - Google News

home | site map
© 2006