Improvisation
Improvisation, in music, the art of extemporization or creating all or part of a composition at the moment of performance. To improvise effectively a musician must thoroughly understand the conventions of a given musical style. These conventions provide a sort of mental library for the musician-effective chord sequences, rhythmic patterns, melodic motives, and so forth-that are combined, varied, and used as a starting point for new inventions. Such resources help give the resulting music the cohesiveness it needs while allowing room for spontaneous creativity. Some musical cultures also include specific aids for improvisation. The ragas of Indian music and maqams of Arab music include typical melodic motives, ending formulas, and prominent notes, and the unfolding of the improvisation follows a customary sequence. Improvised counterpoint and harmony-whether added to plainchant melodies by 12th-century church singers or to folk tunes by U.S. southern singers-adhere to characteristic intervals and ways of relating to the original melody. Similarly, African drummers are guided by complex rhythm and ensemble traditions, and jazz musicians follow various chord sequences.
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