Why Learning How to Improvise is So Important

Imagine asking a beginning writer to write a short story from scratch. Our writer does not yet have much experience in writing but accepts the challenge and begins to plunge ahead.

He has to start somewhere so he begins to examine how to construct a short story. He learns all about plot, character, and structure and now believes he is ready to begin writing.

As soon as he begins to write, he discovers something. He can't move forward. He is blocked. What's the problem? He knows how to construct a short story and should be able to forge ahead right? The problem is he has not allowed his "voice" to unfold naturally. His internal critic is blocking the natural voice inside his head and the pen stops cold. What to do?

Our writer must learn to freewrite so words can flow freely and not be stopped by the editor voice. The same principles can be applied to us as musicians!

We may want to compose our own music and we may also know all about how to do it, but unless we are able to improvise freely and allow our own natural "voice" free reign, the music stops and we lose the ability to move forward.

This is why learning how to improvise is so important. It allows us to move forward! This benefits us in two ways. One, we begin to understand that the joy of music making itself is its own reward. Second, we begin to trust our voice and feel confident in our ability to move forward without judging the "quality" of the music.

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! Stop by now for free piano lessons, articles, sheet music, and more!