Reflection Questions for Improvisers
Reflecting on our performances makes us stronger musicians and collaborators. You can ask and answer the following questions:
- Immediately after playing
- After listening to a recording
- Letting weeks or months pass before listening to the recording
Listen and reflect with a detached and compassionate curiosity.
– When was the music most compelling? Why?
– When was the music not effective? Why?
– What surprised you about the performance?
– What patterns emerged?
– What changes would make the music better?
– Did you discover any material you would like to explore in a future improvisation or composition?
– What did you learn from the experience?
Additional Questions for Members of an Ensemble
– When was your playing an integral part of the music? Why?
– When was your playing a distraction? Why?
– When was your playing nonessential (it could be removed without changing the character of the piece)?
– ST
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