Improvising with Mozart: learning the basic material

Welcome to the post for our next improvisation session! Last sessions were a blast with themes like Greensleeves and Pachelbel’s Canon. Come to our next session on january 13th! Reserve your space here!

In this post you will find:
Step 1 – How to learn a melody by ear?
Step 2 – Learn rhythms on top of a basic melody
Step 3 – How to make your own melody?
Step 4 – How to accompany?
Finally you can listen to an example improvisation bringing all these aspects together.

Stap 1 – Hoe leer je een melodie op je gehoor?

In deze video leren we je hoe je het begin van Eine Kleine Nachtmusik op je gehoor op je instrument kunt beginnen te leren.

There are several aspects which you can listen to. First you should find
the first note. Often the first note is an important note which comes back
several times. In this case, it is the note G.

What is the time signature?

Also ask yourself what the time signature is. Is it in 3 or 2, or perhaps
in 6? (If you are not sure, just jot down a time signature, write down a few notes and try to play it). Which time signature is this for example?

It is more difficult if you only hear a melody. Clap a rhythm with it or
think of an accompaniment:

This is in six. Bellow you will find what the music looks like!

If you know what the metre is you can find the basic structure of the piece.
Where are the most important notes (the Gs)? It is good to know where
these are.

 

Does the melody go up or down?

Once you have the basic structure of starting note and time signature,
the next step is to ask if the melody goes up or down. Is the second note
higher, or lower? The next is a G, but then after that does the fourth
note go up or down?

 

Big or small steps?

Small or big steps?
Once you know the direction, you can then ask how big the steps are. Is it
small, big, or even bigger? Try out different intervals. Perhaps write it
out and play with the recording.

Recording:

This is what it could look like in 6:

Mozart’s melody looks like this:

next step: improvise on this melody.

LINK