Composition - Your first steps into improvisation and composition

Introduction

Good composition starts with basic improvisation. Today you’ll begin your improvisation and composition journey. 

The approach

The Akousunesis method starts with a hands on approach to composition before moving into an analytical approach. You'll start by visualising all the default chords in the key of C, one at a time. You'll take advantage of a concept called chord stacking, killing two birds with one stone and giving you a little more insight into how chords are constructed.

Constraints

The use of concentrates allows you to focus your learning by reducing your options. When improvising on the piano, here are a few things to do to make the improvisation flow.

• Don’t concentrate on constructing chord shapes.

• Don’t concentrate on trying to make inversions.

• Don’t change chords too quickly, experiment with intervals.

• Stick to notes of the chord

• Visualise the chord by scanning all the chord intervals on the piano.

• Experiment with intervals by lifting off notes.

Moving between CM7 and Em7

One way to describe a chord is a collection of stacked thirds. The first chords CM7 is stacking a major third, a minor third, a major third which ends on the 7th interval, the note B before the patter repeats. The Em triad is embedded within the CM7 chord, the notes E,G,B.  The Em triad is a minor third stacked with a major third.

Start on the note C, right hand thumb on any C above or at middle C, left hand pinky on any C below middle C.  First roll your fingers as shown in the video to get familiar with the CM7 chord. Scan the keyboard up and down looking for the notes in the CM7 chord, don't worry about what type of C chord your constructing, forget about thinking about chord names, inversions.  Before moving your fingers to a new note, focus on the note you want to hit before you move to it, you'll also need to think about how your fingers will adjust, this will become mostly subconscious when you develop your skills.

Locating the next chord requires one tonal movement, moving the note C to the note D, by doing this, you have the chord Em7/D, D at the bass instead of E, this doesn't matter, don't worry about slash chords, just listen to the sound you're creating, if you move your left and pinky to the note E, you no longer have a slash chord.

Experiment by lifting off the bass notes to create slash chords, you don't have to play C or E at the bass, just stick to notes of the chord for now, these are the following goals.

Goals:

• Quickly finding the notes on the piano.

• To memorise the notes of a chord.

• To develop good finger placement.

• Developing good finger mobility.

• Listening  to intervals which make up the chord.

• To develop smooth rhythmic movement.

Moving between Em7 and G7

Moving between G7 and Bdim

Moving between Bdim and Dm7

Moving between Dm7 and FM7

Moving between FM7 and Am7

Moving between Am7 and CM7