Lucy Dolling 24101813
Creative Practice Reflection Blog
SHR3C003R~002
Word Count: 1,023
Improvisation and adaptability in music performance is an essential part of being a musician, which is why the creative practice lessons have helped me to become a better musician. I have learnt to adapt to each ensemble, as it would vary each week, whether that be to create songs with lyrics or just instrumental work, and also how to experiment with different styles and feels of music. Being able to create music out of minimal ideas has helped my improvisation skills and my ability to create ideas out of different things like words and sayings.
One way I have developed my improvisation and my adaptability skills is by working with a different group of people each session. Upon my own analysis of project 3, often there wouldn’t be the same instruments each week, so learning to adapt to the resources we had was useful in these sessions. For example, in our lesson of January 30th 2025, we created a musical idea based off the word “narcissist” with vocals, guitar, drums, bass and piano. We started this idea with an atmospheric like section using the chords Bm9 and Dmaj7, which we used synthesizers, electric guitar and vocals. We then introduced a groove on the drumkit and sustained chords on the piano before we created a vocal melody to go over the top, which had the lyrics of “An ego that will never miss. With a smile as nice as this. Hides an insecure abyss. You’re nothing but a narcissist. You’re nothing but a narcissist.”, (see appendix A.) Then on the 27th February, we didn’t have any vocalists, so we were then able to develop the instrumental side of this project without focusing on accompanying any vocal melodies. We were able to pay more attention to detail with this as well. This project also taught me to experiment with different instruments, as I ended up playing piano for this project. Before these sessions, I was only really confident with straight forward chords, and to start with, our chord sequence was B minor, A major, G major and D major in 4/4 in the groove section (see appendix B.) After gaining some confidence, in my spare time, I experimented with adding a C# diminished chord in after D major, and although we did not use this change in the sessions, I now feel like I can develop chord sequences to be more complex, such as adding 9th and 6th chords. We also gradually moved our chord sequence from 4/4 to a 6/8 groove (see appendix C), which meant adapting the drum beat and the overall feel to the piece. This helped us as an ensemble as we had to listen to each other to get the feel correct and equal, whilst also tuning into yourself.
Upon reflection of project 3, this project also taught me to experiment with different instruments, as I ended up playing piano for this project. With guidance from James, I was able to progress from block chords into new rhythms and become more confident in my piano playing, as piano is not one of my primary instruments. Having the ability to play multiple instruments helps with writing music and improvisation as you can experiment with the sound of melodies on each instrument and blend them together. It’s also knowing how to play multiple instruments when working with different people as you can’t always guarantee what people can play, so if you are able to adjust to the materials you have by being able to play multiple instruments, it makes you more employable and flexible as a musician. These creative practice sessions have pushed me out of my comfort zone, making me a more confident player, and has brought me confidence in working with different people, and also in playing different styles of music, as before I would stick to very structured forms of music, such as pop songs, big band arrangements and classical orchestral works, whereas now, I can experiment with what sounds good, rather than sticking to a specific structure in music making. These lessons have also taught me that not all music has to follow the rules of music theory. Rather than creating chord sequences and riffs based on certain intervals, learning to experiment with what “feels” right rather than theoretically accurate has helped me become a more free player and has helped me to expand my ideas outside of traditional chord patterns. After speaking with friends on this course, similar opinions are clear and understandable. For example, one person said that practise is important to be able to be more creative, and that the first idea created is unlikely to be the exact same idea that you perform at a gig or on stage. This supports the workshops purpose in terms of experimentation and developing of ideas and that any idea can be developed and improved. Another one is that it is easier to be creative when your playing something you enjoy, with people who enjoy listening to the same music and playing the same styles that you like. This can demonstrate the importance of being able to work with other people who may not share the same musical interests as you, however, it is also important to have that challenge of playing styles you are unfamiliar with or inexperienced at, as it can help develop your musicianship and then you are able to implement what you already know at the same time. However, the point is valid as regardless of being able to experiment with new ideas, I am still much more confident and would rather play with the skills I already had and play styles I enjoy.
Overall, these creative practice workshops have helped me improve my improvisation and adaptability skills as I have been able to work with different musicians and have experimented with different styles, instruments and themes that I probably wouldn’t have tried otherwise. Although it was difficult sometimes to create initial ideas and to work with people who don’t share the same interests, especially when it’s different people each time, but that has pushed me to be more confident and a better musician.
Appendix
Appendix A: a word document with ideas and lyrics (Squire. JS, 2025, page 1)
Appendix B: a word document with ideas and lyrics (Squire JS, 2025, page 1)
Appendix C: a word document with ideas and lyrics (Squire JS, 2025, page 2)
