Cutting Down On the Material
(from Mauricio Kagel)
Engage in free improvisation for a few minutes. Participants should have only one or two short sound(s) or event(s) at their disposal. This forces attention away from the continuity in one's own playing and toward the sound as a whole. Often, by subsequently listening to a recording of the music (which I strongly recommend!) people will be surprised at how much is nevertheless happening, and it will be evident how the process is clarified when we are not overwhelmed by an excessive density of sound. Playing this way might make people feel frustrated or perplexed — probably because it demands much attention and resolute initiative while at the same time continuous physical playing activity is not possible. Rather, a sort of meditative quietness must be sought after.
Charlotte's Relay Race
Imagine standing in a circle and throwing a ball to each other. The one who has the ball soon throws it out into the middle of the circle where another person catches it. The ball may, however, also be taken from you.
Do the same thing in music: one at a time, play for a very short time and "throw the ball" again (that is, become silent). Conversely, the ball may be "taken" by someone else (that is, the other person plays and the first person must stop).
Here is a variation that allows more persons to "seize the ball" at the same time (that is, play simultaneously): Imagine that the ball, when played, may for a short time split up into several balls — how many and for how long may be agreed upon. With this variation, the exercise approaches a free improvisation while the quickly changing process of people contributing to the music is retained.
Multi-Exercise
Create two series of simple instructions written with a marker pen on sheets of paper and read instantly by the group. One could be of concrete instructions, like “looong tones”, “melodies”, “very individual dynamics”, etc. The other could be of a more suggesting kind, even also absurd or paradoxical, like “bubbling”, “like the sun”, “something you don’t like”, “boring”, etc. I recommend having the sheets ready in a numbered sequence in separate stacks, and to have one index sheet for the teacher showing all the instructions. Then you will be free to choose from section to section and to find the desired sheet quickly. I also recommend bringing a marker pen and some empty sheets — who knows whether you will be inspired to some new idea…
Instruct participants that at each section, they are shown (by finger signs) the number of people that are to play. Within 10 seconds, one should decide whether to participate this time or not — this should be possible with some care given to look and hear around. Sections last as long as the teacher thinks they should — and terminate when a sign is given, followed by a new hand-sign for the number of players and a new sheet.
Instrument-Storm
developed from an exercise by Inge Nygaard Pedersen
Choose one instrument and — rather than focusing outwardly on the group — attend to your instrument by exploring possible ways to contact it, such as how to touch, manipulate, and move it. Explore the variety of sounds it can produce. As individuals have been well engaged in doing this for some time, go on but direct your attention to all the sounds in the room and be aware of playing together. If time allows, let your attention alternate freely between an inward and outward focus.
Variations: 1) Use an instrument you are not familiar with. 2) Use an instrument you know well, but use it in new ways. 3) While playing, be active with your body and be aware of working hard and becoming tired (precautions may be taken in the form of warnings and even earplugs to prevent possible noise of harmful strength). After this, play while being completely at rest. 4) Utilize a material you do not use much (for instance, metal, skin, wood, etc). 5) Sit or stand without movement (not being stiff, but at rest). 6) Try dancing. 7) Try playing "nicely," "not nice," etc. 8) combine with directions of the kind focused upon in the other exercises.
Homage to Nils Harbo
See the recipe (enclosed [in the original]).
I now usually use it as a basic training in making different and contrasting kinds of musical sound, and use the individual concepts (staccato-legato etc.) for the whole group alternatingly. These words can be read aloud, thus avoiding the necessity of photocopying. As you see, the sound categories are then taken one by one, avoiding the thick texture of many at a time. The exercise functions very well as a preparation for parameter exercises but uses more well-known words.
This may be also be performed polyphonically ad lib or on one tone, with either few or many parameters set for each musician. Take care, however, that the sounds does not get too thick. It is also good for training of improvisation in jazz, rock, and other popular forms. It can be done with improvisation which follow scales, too.
Graphic Notations
Enclosed [in the original] is an example of a free, "doodling" type notation (Madison Music by Joergen Lekfeldt). I recommend translating the visual impression directly into music without any prior agreements among the musicians as to the significance of the visual notations. I have also included examples of notations with symbols having specific significations, although they are not specific tones. The notations should be studied carefully before playing. Prior to playing Psychogramm, the explanation should be read carefully.
See the sections "Composition for improvisation" and "Playing Material" [?] in the section dealing with specific subjects. For copyright reasons, not everything can be quoted here.
And, please go on making your own notations.