#13 How to Teach Improvisation in The First Lesson (No Jazz Degree Required)
When you hear the word ‘improvisation’, if you picture one of these smoky dens where these really cool jazz dudes sit in an almost meditative state, playing and improvising with their mates whilst being completely immersed and at one with the music? They have these crazy cool riffs at their finger tips and you think how on earth can you do that? How on earth could I ever teach that? I can't even do it myself!
For most we just weren’t taught improvisation. It wasn’t part of how we learned piano. So the whole improvising piece seems a mystery and belongs to a select few.
But here's the thing: that gap in our own learning doesn't have to become a gap in our students' experience. If we keep waiting until we feel "qualified" to explore improvisation, we end up passing on the same limitation to the next generation of pianists. And that's a cycle worth breaking
In this episode, Paul and I tackle one of the most requested topics from piano teachers worldwide. We show you exactly how to get a complete beginner creating their own music from the very first lesson
We walk you through a beautifully simple approach that gives you the confidence to introduce improvisation right away, whether you've ever improvised yourself or not.
And as a bonus, we share a video of Paul doing this exact activity with a real adult student in his very first lesson — so you can see it in action before you try it yourself.
In this episode, you'll discover:
Why So Many Teachers Avoid Improvisation (t's not your fault)
What Paul's Master's Research Revealed
Why Improvisation Belongs in Lesson One
The Copy Me Game: a simple activity that works with any age or level
How to Use Backing Tracks to Support You
The Science Behind Why Improvisation Matters
Resources:
Get the free activity on the Piano Teaching Success website via The Studio.
Studio Members
Here's a direct link to this improvisation activity. The teaching example video, track & the teaching guide which includes some of the melodic phrases Paul used are all there waiting for you inside The Studio, inside the Music Skills Builder module. Simply log in and ➤ Access goodies instantly
If you’re not a member yet and would like access to more activities and all the resources that go with them you can join The Studio here. It's only $49/mth. Join The Studio Not a Studio Member? We have a simple accompaniment that you can play as you work with your student. Having an underlying beat and harmonic structure is the foundation to making this activity successful.
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