When Michael Pollock asked me to tackle the subject of common mistakes to avoid in musical improv, hundreds popped up, so I waited four months or so. Once I’d paid off my Christmas mistakes and had gotten used to the world’s cutest puppy, I finally had some time to just sit with the laptop. So I posted a bunch of high school pictures on Facebook. After that, I dawdled, did some shows and ate a pizza. Finally, I got off my ass and focused on good sir Michael’s request and came up with this:
Around the city of Los Angeles, there
Continue reading Five Conceptual Mistakes
This is an example of excitingly organic musical improv expertly tempered with solid technique to create a well-organized, theatrical piece. The sections are very clear:
A “preamble,” during which Lani fishes for a catchy idea that she can turn into a chorus.
Then the “chorus” materializes, followed by
A “spoken interlude” which launches cleanly into
the recurrence of that chorus.
A “bridge” section comes along and takes us climactically RIGHT back into a final section,
the chorus. This time around, the chorus becomes a soaring conclusion to the song. Overall, it’s no particular “song form” or formula; it’s just the singer using great musical sense as
Continue reading Great Use of a Chorus in an Improvised Song
Getting Suggestions from the Audience
You need something to sing about, something to launch a song. The audience is going to give it to you. Here are sample questions you can use to get suggestions from them:
What’s a good reason to burst into song?
What’s a word that begins with the letter T (any letter)?
What’s the last thing you bought at a convenience store?
What’s the nicest thing anyone’s ever said to you?
How about some advice your mother gave you?
Give us a natural phenomenon, like rain, or the Grand Canyon.
What’s something that makes you nervous?
What costs more than $50 and less than
Continue reading That Reminds Me of a Song…
This book uses clear, everyday language to clarify each element of an improvised song. Simple building blocks are combined with performance tips to bring your musical improvisation to its highest level.
The included CD provides 47 tracks of examples, exercises and practice accompaniments, featuring the author at the piano and cast members from Improv Olympic West’s Opening Night: The Improvised Musical.
Improvise a solo based on any audience suggestion
Create a song in any musical style
Play musical improv games with expertise
Perform in duets, trios, quartets and ensemble numbers
Listen to samples from the included CD:
Backup vocals Example
Backup Vocals Example
Ballad practice accompaniment
Ballad practice accompaniment
Blues practice
Continue reading Musical Improv Comedy: Creating Songs in the Moment
Clear, friendly explanations and recorded examples introduce each musical principle and encourage individual creativity. Masteryear Publishing is proud to present this guide to musical skills long considered mysterious and practically unteachable.
Step by step, author Michael Pollock explains the thinking process behind comedy accompaniment and musical direction in clear, simple language. Each concept is illustrated by audio examples, featuring actors from The Second City Los Angeles and Michael at the keys.
The best comedy troupes in the world have live keyboardists. The musicians who can provide this kind of expert accompaniment and direction are relatively rare. Want to learn? Get the ony
Continue reading Musical Direction for Improv and Sketch Comedy
