How To Teach Improvisation

Drawing on his years of experience teaching improvisation to adult learners, school children and music conservatoire students award winning jazz educator Buster Birch presents a series of simple step by step method books dedicated to developing the skills required for improvising. As well as clear instruction and a logical pathway these books include many practical exercises, which are tried and tested methods, with notation and audio play-along files embedded directly in to the book. 


How To Teach Improvisation: A simple method to get every student improvising is written for teachers who want to introduce improvisation into their lessons and are looking for a simple method with all of the resources included. It can be used for 1-to-1 lessons or group teaching in the classroom. 


What is presented here is exactly the process he would use for his “Introduction to Improvising” series of workshops, which usually involves 3 one hour sessions. Within this book is a tried and tested step-by-step method with all of the exercises and routines transposed for Concert Pitch, Bass Clef, Bb Pitch and Eb Pitch, which covers virtually every instrument. All of the audio examples and backing tracks are embedded, enabling students to work alone (for individual practice) or in a group setting. With everything that is included here almost any music teacher could to deliver the workshops and achieve the same success helping their students to improvise with confidence and understanding. 


• Ear Training exercises

• The Minor Pentatonic Scale

• Using “Question & Answer” phrasing to create a melody

• Play-along backing tracks in different styles and tempos to practice the improvisation techniques taught in the book 

• How to compose your own 12 bar “riff” blues

• Learn an arrangement of an original composition and solo over the form, with backing track included. 

• All exercises includes notation and audio tracks in Concert Pitch, Bb Pitch, Eb Pitch and Bass Clef


Suitable for… 

Vocalists interested in scat singing and all instruments including: Piano, Organ, Guitar, Vibraphone, Flute, Violin, Viola, Cello, Oboe, Bassoon, Bass Guitar, Double Bass, Trombone, Trumpet, Cornet, Flugelhorn, Tenor Sax, Soprano Sax, Clarinet, Alto Sax, Baritone Sax.