Methods of Improvisation

The aim of this essay is to examine six styles of improvising music. Each different method is unique has a different pioneer who led the music forward and a birthplace, which not only changed the way people played music, but introduced whole new exciting cultures into these areas.
The first method of improvisation that this essay shall examine is blues. Blues came to America through the early music of slaves and sharecroppers in the plantations of the Deep South, particularly in Mississippi. It has even been suggested that one town, Cleveland, may be the exact birthplace of the blues itself. The music written usually consisted of an old farmhand song, which was sung by slaves working in labour in places such as cotton fields. They were written on guitar and often a harmonica was also used. The first blues star to come to light was Charley Patton. However, it was not until the 1940’s that blues enjoyed it’s golden age. The 1940s were the height of the blues age. Many great blu...