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  Principles of Playing
     General
    Teaching in a group

  I. Basic Knowledge
     1. Sitting position
     2. Holding the Plectrum
     3. Plectrum style
     4. fingers-style plucking
     5. Our notes' sings
     6. Tuning
     7. Qualities of sounds

  II.  Playing
        General
    1. Contents of playing
        a) Playing one string
        b) Playing two strings
        c) Playing accompaniment
    2. Creativity
         a) General
         b) Composing
         c) Composing board
       d) How to improvise
         e) Imp. with drawing
         f) Progressing   
       
  III. Music pieces
         Go to the Pieces...

The New Music Educational Project • My Ancient Harp • Playing [Creativity]

Improvisation

General
Improvisation is defined as spontaneous, unplanned playing.
However… every improvisation is based on a ground, that is, an accepted foundation (excluding the concept of independent improvisation). The importance of improvisation lies in the fact that it gives students more freedom, choices and the results are fast and in some cases amazing!

In our program the improvisation method based on two factors:
a) The base line (the ground), a given line.
b) The improvisation line, spontaneous playing.

The base line can be given by the teacher, and it may be connected to material recently learned, which we would like to develop, For example:

How does it work?
First the whole class learns the base line, almost by heart. Then the class is divided into pairs. In each pair student A - the accompanist - plays the base line repeatedly four times (X4).

Student B - the improviser - joins in, exploring and improvising by ear and by the sense of rhythm. All this will lead to improvisation experience.

After several experiments the two players will reach an agreement as to how to begin the piece, how and when to end it, whether or not to switch roles in the middle, whether and how to include percussion, etc.

Note: This method can be practice with thirds while two students may take the accompanist role, as the third improvising. We can suggests also an Orchestral improvisation, as all the class will play the base line, whilst a single soloist will improvising, than after 4 repeats, another soloist will take the solo lead...

Options in improvisation:
a) Switching roles between the improviser and the base line player.
b) A soloist improviser accompanied by an orchestra (the whole class will play the base line quietly).
c) Suggest that several students improvise in singing.
d) Combining percussion (striking the back of the instrument) in the parts of the improviser and accompanist.
e) A soloist improviser in percussion, while the whole class plays the base line.
f) "Chaining" - combining several improvisation pieces so as to form a chain of improvisations made up of pair work. Everyone joins in for the last improvisation. Such a piece could have great potential as a piece for the final concert.

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