Secret Strategies for Composing and Improvising

This is a music textbook of strategies for improvising and composing; a simple guide to creating music today. This book contains a variety of methods for creating chords to put with melodies, a necessary skill in songwriting. The reader will also discover many strategies for improvisation as well as for composing music like generating new chords and arrangements, how to start, and where to find inspiration. By following step by step the reader will discover a systematic approach to developing a complete understanding of chords and use them in an automatic fashion. There are exercises at the end of each chapter to greatly increase skills in improvising and composing as well as develop a mind set that supports these. Anyone one with a modicum of theory understanding will greatly benefit in as little as 1 hour. It is an excellent guide for teachers and professionals as well. This is not only a method book, but also a self-help book. There are ideas and even a “how to” integrate the material into one’s life and beliefs.

This is a music textbook of strategies for improvising and composing; a simple guide to creating music today. This book contains a variety of methods for creating chords to put with melodies, a necessary skill in songwriting. You, the reader, will also discover many strategies for improvisation and for composing music, like generating new chords and arrangements, how to start, and how to get inspired. By following this systematic approach, you discover a complete understanding of chords, and find yourself using them automatically. There are people who believe creativity can’t be taught. Hence many people believe improvising or composing is out of their grasp. The author asserts creativity is based on ways of thinking, combinations of strategies and good old practice. This book directly addresses that challenge. It offers step-by-step instructions, a system with practical tools for composing, improvising and arranging music, adding joy and interest to the lives of people who want to make music. To the reader this means instant access to musical and creativity pleasures that may have been previously off limits. What makes “Secret Strategies for Composing and Improvising” so different? The author has a standing challenge: "Give me any amateur pianist or guitarist who has a simple vocabulary of the major and minor chords, and I’ll teach her to improvise and create original arrangements of pop, show or jazz tunes in 1 hour. " These claims aren’t tossed off lightly. Simple experiments were run with people who have a modicum of skill and knowledge on either piano or guitar. They were given only a single chapter for forty-five minutes then left to their own devices. Eighty percent made INSTANT use of the material and were so excited they asked to have the rest of the book "now." In ALL cases they had FUN, that was most important. This makes a fine manual for teachers, students, and the self-learners because it is not only a method book, but also a self-help book. There are ideas and even a “how to” integrate the material into one’s life and beliefs. A fascinating feature is that a fairy tale type story is embedded throughout. Each adventure the protagonist has is a metaphorical example of didactic principles being taught. This isn’t meant to trip you up only to trip you out to bridge confusion to learning. Thus, the book is purposely “whole brained” in it’s approach. Even so, the reader can skip over the story sections and jump right into the “meat” of the book. Books are available for the smaller population of well-trained musicians well schooled in music theory. These are often difficult (conservatory level) and not fun. So if you’ve been frustrated trying to improvise or compose the author's goal is that you are smiling at some point in this book with enthusiasm and AHA.

Todd Rice is a recording artist, film score and musical theater composer. His music is heard on CD, TV, films and theaters (off Broadway and in Florida). He is fluent in many styles of music: Classical, Jazz, New Age, Latin, and Rock. Besides playing on Broadway, giving recitals, and doing the New York Jazz and Cabaret circuit, he has played with artists such as Meatloaf. The author was the house pianist for Garvin’s Jazz Club in the “Village” of New York City for four years where he flowed constant improvisations on famous tunes and his own originals. Listeners and enthusiasts made many complements on “Todd’s fascinating sound and arrangements”. Becoming curious, the author carefully examined his own process for composing and generating chords. This book is the result. Additionally, Todd has performed staff development for the New York City school system. In the course of that work, private teaching and giving workshops, a method for teaching teachers evolved. This was further refined to make it accessible to anyone with a modicum of music theory knowledge. Finally Todd is a Trainer, Master and consultant in the field of NLP (Neuro –Linguistic Programming), a novel science of communication used extensively in education, business, and therapy. Todd has also worked on the staff of Tony Robbins in this capacity and has co-lectured with Louise Hay. He continues to work with groups and individuals assisting them in removing blocks to creative and personal expression. and feeling more fully alive.