It’s high time we returned to a timed-improvisation Prompt. For the singer who is new to improvisation, these provide a chance to find the courage to Just Keep Singing, and to break through to a place where they discover that they do, indeed, have plenty of wonderful ideas. For the experienced improvisor, these provide the option to stretch what they may be able to do to create a cohesive musical idea that goes the distance. Use this for whichever you need!
What’r’we up to, 10 minutes? 10 minutes. But our intent was never to create barriers to participation, so take that 10 minutes to be a suggestion, and check out the Options below to do something more to your needs.
Your Prompt: Sing solo and unaccompanied for 10 minutes. Just you and your recording device (plus any mics and interfaces you like to use, if you do); no loops or accompaniment. You may use this time to free-associate from one musical idea to the next, each of any duration you wish, all totalling 10 minutes. Or you may use this time to unfold a unified musical journey with a beginning, middle, climax, and end. It’s your time. Make songful use of it.
Options
It’s good to have options. Here are ways to perhaps make the prompt a bit easier, or ways to go a bit further with it.
Option A: Plus One – for an easier stretch, let not the number 10 daunt you. Pick a number of minutes that you feel confident you could do this exercise for. Add 1 (one) to that number—the pinch to grow an inch. Sing for that number of minutes, instead of 10. You’ve got this!
Option B: Double Your Time – For a deeper stretch, let not the number 10 limit you. Pick a number of minutes that you feel confident you could do this exercise for. Now double it. Sing for that number of minutes, instead of 10. Who knows what territory you’ll find on the far shore?!?
To Contribute
The steps are as follows:
- Step 0: Sign up for a free SoundCloud account here. Join the SSS group.
- Step 1: Record yourself singing your timed improvisation.
- Step 2: Upload to SoundCloud and post the track to the SSS group.
- Step 3: Listen to and comment on tracks uploaded by your fellow singers. (Play nice!)
Deadline: Your tracks should be uploaded by midnight wherever you are on Monday, June 22, 2015.
Length: The length of your finished work should be… see above!
Description: It would be awesome to include a short description of where and when you sang your piece—and how it felt.
Title/Tag: When uploading to SoundCloud, put “[sss-mytime1]” in the title of your track. Also include the term “sss-mytime1” as a tag. This will help us find it.
Group: Once the track is uploaded, click on the “Add to group” button below the waveform and make sure to select the Society for Spontaneous Singing group. (This option will only appear if you have already joined the group! So do that now.)
Linking: You are welcome to include this info in your description:
This track is a reply to “SSS Prompt 21: It’s Your Time!” More on the Society for Spontaneous Singing at http://singthis.org. You can join the SSS at https://soundcloud.com/groups/society-for-spontaneous-singing
Thank you, sweet singers!