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 $100?
- Where do you go when you’re in love?
Sometimes the audience response is funny in itself: “Where do you go when you’re in love?” “Michigan!”
The audience provides subject matter (“Dolphins!”)…what will you do with it? The unexpected. This is part of the magic trick that is musical improv. You’re going to create an illusion of sorts.
”Ladies and gentlemen, I propose to take this ordinary suggestion, and before your very eyes…”
You will craft a song in the air where none existed before. People love a good song and they love to be the catalyst for your brilliance. We’re going to take “dolphins,” divine melody, rhyme and rhythm in the moment, and make a hero of the person who suggested it. An audience member becomes the proud owner of a suggestion when we use it in a great way.
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These are good options to think about, in addition to asking for a location, relationship or emotion.
I really like that these are so specific. We often get offers based on an occupation, or location, or… quite general stuff. These questions are great because they will let an audience member focus more easily on an answer, while still encouraging a pretty diverse set of answers.
I used one of them while teaching a class the other day. Sadly I asked for something that “costs less than $50 and more than $100.” And that’s why I’m neither an accountant nor an MC.