Some Improvisations

I was playing on one of my university's best pianos and decided to record myself playing random stuff (didn't have sheet music on me). I rarely do this so I'm not quite sure if it's any good/bad. I gave it to my friend, he said it was alright, but I needed to work on my pacing which is true.

Here are some samples, out of the few or so I did that day.

http://www.mediafire.com/?mnaj0jgmemz

Improv #8

'>Improv #9

'>Attempt at Russian Dance

-- edited sept 29 09

Should I continue practicing improvising? And how would one improve? Any ideas?

Thanks for listening.

edit: Adding new links.

I guess no one takes improvisation seriously. xD Then again, I wouldn't =P

Hey I really enjoyed these

Im no expert on improv but these sounded great

I was playing on one of my university's best pianos and decided to record myself playing random scraggy (didn't have sheet music on me). I rarely do this so I'm not quite sure if it's any good/bad. I gave it to my friend, he said it was alright, but I needed to work on my pacing which is true.

Here's two samples, out of the few or so I did that day.

2.mp3

twinkle.mp3 (Based on Twinkle Twinkle - tried using 20th century harmonies)

Should I continue practicing improvising? And how would one improve? Any ideas?

Thanks for listening.

it was very good, I liked it, it sounded like a contemporary piano piece. You are very good but unfortunately correct that not many people take improvising too seriously (at least not here). And you're right that piano does sound very good, what type is it? Doesn't sound like a Steinway to me is it a Yamaha grand or something? Seems a tad bright.

I had an error trying to download the Twinkle one so I only heard the first one but definitely keep working on your improvising as it was very impressive and sounded like you were playing a real piece so keep improving you definitely have the skill for it.

Hey I really enjoyed these

Im no expert on improv but these sounded great

Thanks! I'm hoping to improv at some bar or restaurant as a temp job this summer -- especially where people have no knowledge of music so I guess there's a chance xD

it was very good, I liked it, it sounded like a contemporary piano piece. You are very good but unfortunately correct that not many people take improvising too seriously (at least not here). And you're right that piano does sound very good, what type is it? Doesn't sound like a Steinway to me is it a Yamaha grand or something? Seems a tad bright.

I had an error trying to download the Twinkle one so I only heard the first one but definitely keep working on your improvising as it was very impressive and sounded like you were playing a real piece so keep improving you definitely have the skill for it.

Thank you! I guess people don't take it seriously because it's like a rough unedited composition -- no one wants to hear that. But thanks for the nice comment! The piano is actually a Kawai. It has a hard touch which I love and yeah, a beautiful bright tone. And it's weird that I can only improv on this piano. I think the sound of pianos inspire me :P

Here's some more that I improvised. You can tell I use a lot of weird harmonies. I've been listening to a lot of 20th century music.

5.mp3

8.mp3

Thanks again, you two!

Thanks! I'm hoping to improv at some bar or restaurant as a temp job this summer -- especially where people have no knowledge of music so I guess there's a chance xD

Thank you! I guess people don't take it seriously because it's like a rough unedited composition -- no one wants to hear that. But thanks for the nice comment! The piano is actually a Kawai. It has a hard touch which I love and yeah, a beautiful bright tone. And it's weird that I can only improv on this piano. I think the sound of pianos inspire me :P

Here's some more that I improvised. You can tell I use a lot of weird harmonies. I've been listening to a lot of 20th century music.

5.mp3

8.mp3

Thanks again, you two!

I knew it was a Japanese piano. Not a warm enough tone to be a Steinway but very good piano nonetheless.

And one of the biggest reasons improv is not taken as seriously is not just for the reason you said but because 90% of improvisation attempts (here and anywhere for the most part) sounded atrocious, played by people that don't have much skill at improvising. You obviously have great talent at it and your IMPROVISED pieces sounded better than 60-75% of actual written contemporary pieces that I hear on here so that's really something.

The only suggestion I have is try to improv something faster. I know it takes a lot more mental processing power but it will go a ways towards improving your musical synaptic fast twitch abilities so to speak. For now your pieces all sound similar in that they're very slow, ambient, impressionistic sort of introspective lounge pieces, try to speed them up a bit and see what you can come up with with a faster tempo.

I don't know, I really love the Kawai than the Steinway. Maybe it's just the room setting. It's really enclosed so the bass is more prominent. Same with the touch... don't you just love thick touches of the keys. It makes it so much easier to be expressive in dynamics, I think.

And you're too kind. I still need a long way to go. But your nice words are simply enough to inspire me to continue practicing. =D Also, you're right, I need to improvise faster music. I guess it does get boring after a while... I did attempt a battle-esque music but I think it's weird. Thanks again for the comments. ><

9.mp3

Ohh, I forgot. I uploaded it youtube. (Blatant bump) >.>

And I'll probably record some new ones on my scrafty upright Kawai, if I feel inspired.

Here's my attempt at a "Russian" dance. And yes, I do hammer out the E minor chord for too long. I thought at the moment that's what all dances sound like. I don't even know if this is a dance! Thanks for listening!

Sepharite - Russian Dance Improv - SoundCloud

Ah poo poos, didn't know you had to create an account to listen to that.

http://hellfireinferno2045.googlepages.com/RussianDanceImprov.mp3

man your improvisation is amazing. you have a great talent.

i really enjoyed your improv no. 2, 8, 9

great stuff :D

Hi, Seph--been meaning to check something of yours out since I got here. Unfortunately, I don't like downloading things from the sites that many people use here. I prefer to upload mp3s and whatever to a file sharing site like Speedyshare.com (free) where the listener can just click on a link and the music starts playing almost immediately. I'm surprised more people don't use file-sharing sites--you can upload larger files (wavs as opposed to mp3s) without causing lesser computers to choke as well.

But now I'm digging the two you put up at youtube. Very nice, some good jazz voicings in there. I'm an improviser myself and these sound like great starts. what I'd like to hear someday is what happens when you push yourself to keep going for a longer stretch of time.

In terms of getting people interested, I think you shoot yourself in the foot saying things like this:

"I was playing on one of my university's best pianos and decided to record myself playing random scraggy..."

Yeah, that's what I want to rush out and listen to, something the composer actually calls 'random scraggy'! ;) Self-deprecation is wonderful, but calling your own music 'scraggy' turned me off--it's not like we were sitting around with a beer after a gig and saying 'Man, I sucked tonight!" Maybe it's me, but I'm just more drawn to checking out things the composer or player seems proud of. Just a little marketing advice from one who knows! :)

Oh, speedyshare. That works great. I'll use that from now on, thanks.

If I improv for too long, I usually trash the original theme and swerve into another one, like in 2 unless I stick to one goal like Twinkle. It's tough, sometimes I can improv sometimes I can't. I'm a little weird. =S

In terms of getting people interested, I think you shoot yourself in the foot saying things like this:

"I was playing on one of my university's best pianos and decided to record myself playing random scraggy..."

Haha. True. I really have no confidence in it, that's probably why. But you're right, I'll edit the first post with new links as well.

Thanks for the comments =D

http://www3.speedyshare.com/data/697158558/16817821/60633602/1.mp3

There are a bit of "wrong notes". I was trying to be atonal as possible :P

New one: 3.mp3

I know you guys don't care but I posted a few more on youtube ><

Hopefully, I can find a grand to record on soon. Uprights make me cringe.

Some improvisations fresh from the oven =)

Speak your mind. I will not get offended!

Really nice improvisations, and you've got a nice step up from the first ones you posted here... good job, still to refine of course, but the more you do the better it is!

and mind "NEVER EVER CONSIDER THOSE THAT TELL YOU NOT TO IMPROVISE" ok??

never.. those are just envious losers that can't create music on the spot, that's why they say they don't care.

Otherwise all the masters from the beginning of music till late romantic period are all stupid since they brought improvisation at the same height as regular composition, and it was espected that everybody in music, composer or performer, could improvise to a certain degree... so GO ON and DON'T LET YOU STOP!!! :)

You have a lot of nice ideas. Why dont you write them down, and polish them a bit, structure them in a nice set of piano works?

punkitititi: Thanks =) I'm surprised you'd think those are better, I personally don't like the newer ones as much - I'm more impressionistic than atonal... is there such thing as atonal impressionism? :P Thanks for the comment too. It's true that a lot of ppl don't take it too seriously and simply ignore them altogether. I know I'm not a genius, but sadly, that's all the world is looking for. I hope I can get better =S

jrcramer: Thank you! If only I had perfect pitch... D:

nothing you can't train

One I based my composition on: 4shared.com - online file sharing and storage - download 2.mp3