TC214: The 5 Myths of Improvisation with Bradley Sowash

by Tim Topham in Podcast on October 30, 2020.

This episode on improvisation myths features guest Bradley Sowash. It originally aired in 2017.

If called on to improvise on the spot, do you feel out of your element? Learn about the five most common myths and roadblocks that hold musicians back from creative playing and improvising.

Bradley helps us sort out the incorrect assumptions and to understand how to play like a personalizing artist, which is simply bringing your own notes to other people’s music.

While we’re at it, we’re throwing in some quick and easy accompaniment patterns you can use to teach creativity right away.

0:00

00:40:22

TC214: The 5 Myths of Improvisation with Bradley Sowash

Apple Podcasts Leave a Review Download

Transcript of the show about improvisation myths

If you’d like to download a PDF transcript of this episode, please click below.

In this episode, you’ll learn about the 5 myths of improvising effortlessly on piano:

[04:52] Bradley defines improvisation.
[10:22] 1st myth.
[13:56] 2nd myth.
[17:09] 3rd myth.
[20:19] 4th myth.
[27:07] 5th myth.
[31:01] Improvisation styles using left hand patterns.

About our Guest

Bradley Sowash is a jazz pianist, composer, and educator specializing in improvisation. After many years as a touring performer and recording artist, he turned his attention to introducing “recovering classical pianists” to the joys of musical creativity in online jazz piano classes, at teacher conferences, and through his widely-acclaimed publications. Find him at BradleySowash.com

Thank you for tuning in!

In conclusion, there are a lot of podcasts you could be tuning into today, and I’m grateful that you’ve chosen mine. Whether you’re at the gym, on the bike or in the car, I know that you and your students will get lots out of what you learn in the long run.

Just make sure you try out some of the ideas before they get lost in the business of your next lessons!

If you enjoyed today’s show, please share it by using the social media buttons on the left of the page.

Also, kindly consider taking the 60-seconds it takes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes or on my Facebook page. Reviews are extremely helpful when it comes to show’s ranking and you can bet that I read every single one of them personally.

Lastly, don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, to get automatic updates every time a new episode goes live.

Subscribe to The Integrated Music Teaching podcast

Spotify iTunes Google Podcasts Stitcher E-Mail RSS Feed

Integrated Music Teaching Piano and Guitar

by Tim Topham

Are you one of those teachers who want to expand their business while not trading time for money anymore? You can do it with a little bit of imagination and a lot of help from TopMusicPro Evolution. In this episode, Tim unpacks Evolution Innovation from inspiration he has found in some of our current Evolution ... TC243: Quick bites: Unpacking Evolution innovations with Tim Topham

by Tim Topham

So many students can play well – but how many can write and compose? Do your piano students know essentials like 4 Chord Composing? Get them started easily with this simple composing framework. Learning the essentials of chord progressions can lead students to a better understanding of music. It can also give them the skills ... TC226: What is 4 Chord Composing All About? (archives)

by Tim Topham

We’re now in day 4 of our Hesitant to Hero Challenge series on the podcast and today’s topic is all about hook, line and sinker. The idea is to teach your students classical and pop hooks and riffs. We’ll be talking about how giving students modern pop hooks to play can build their identity as ... TC287: Hook, Line and Sinker – Hesitant to Hero Challenge Day 4

by Tim Topham

This episode of the podcast is a little bit different. My podcast producer, Nicola Cantan, has taken over the show today to give us 10 strategies for finding more time for music teaching games in our lessons. If you don’t know Nicola, she’s the writer behind the Colourful Keys blog and the creator of the ... CPTP155: 10 Ways to Fit Music Teaching Games into Your Lessons with Nicola Cantan

by Tim Topham

Philip Johnston brings a fresh take to music teaching ideas and preconceptions. The piano teaching unthinkables we discuss in this episode may be controversial, but even if you disagree they provide fantastic food for thought. In today’s show we bring video game thinking into the piano studio, abolish long-held beliefs about piano practice and throw ... CPTP131: Piano Teaching Unthinkables with Philip Johnston

by Tim Topham

Take your teaching to the next level with productivity hacks and music teacher badassery tips with Elisa Janson Jones. Elisa specializes in helping music educators build, manage, and grow thriving school music programs, and have long and happy careers. She joins us today to talk about how you can prevent burnout, be happier, and become ... TC228: The 10 Musts for Music Teacher Badassery with Elisa Janson Jones

About the author

Tim Topham

Tim Topham is the founder and director of TopMusic. Tim hosts the popular TopCast show, blogs regularly at dev.topmusic.co and speaks at local and international conferences on topics such as pedagogy, business, marketing and entrepreneurship. Tim has been featured in American Music Teacher, The Piano Teacher Magazine, California Music Teacher and EPTA Piano Professional. Tim holds an MBA in Educational Leadership, BMus, DipEd and AMusA.