Hi,

I'm planning a project for composing/improvising a sound track with my pupils and I've just found this series of books:

Pattern Play

I don't think they are available in the UK, but wondered whether anyone has used them?
I'm looking for a book that will provide structure for my pupils, foster creativity and also appeal to teens

Before I go and order from the US I thought I'd try and find out whether they are worth it, as there doesn't appear to be any pdfs of the actual lessons/music on their website.

Any other recommendations?

Thx

I ordered the first two of these a week or so ago as I thought they looked interesting and several teacher friends highly recommended them. I'm expecting them to arrive in the next few days/early next week. If you look on the publisher's website there is a sampler pdf which gives you and idea of what's in them.

I've also just ordered Scales, Patterns and Improvs which Scooby Doo posted about on another thread recently. There seems to be a set of two books with or without CD.
Available from Musicroom: http://www.musicroom.com/se/ID_No/0703290/details.html

Edit: here's the link to the pdf sampler
http://www.frederickharrismusic.com/wcm/Co...Sampler2011.pdf

Never seen the series but just been looking at the site and it's interesting stuff.

The web site has a lot of sample pages and Youtube has tons of sample duets/solos etc if that's any help.

Just curious, Louise, did you order the Pattern Play 1 and 2 of the new series or the Pattern Play Melody vol 1 and 2 of what I take to be the old series ?

http://patternplay.com/index.php?option=co...&Itemid=105

I've ordered the new ones. One of my friends has the older ones which she said are more designed for teachers. She's not local to me so I haven't been able to see them and don't know what the difference is. I'm not quite sure how I'll use them with my pupils other than in the lesson at the moment - I've a few pupils I'd like to try them out with and see how they work.

Thanks for the replies - really helpful.

I somehow managed to miss the sample pages on the publishers website, so thanks for pointing me in the right direction!

The link from the Pattern Play website doesn't work but looked for it the long way instead!

I've just gone and had a go with the sample pages from the new one (and I'm REALLY useless at this sort of thing) and I was very impressed with myself !!! I know a couple of pupils who would love it.

(I didn't like the sample pages from the old one either - there was no 'music' - I don't knwo whether they'd chosen those pages specifically - to prevent printing ? - or if that's a reflection of the book, which would tie in with your friend's comments that it's more aimed at teachers than pupils).

As for just having a copy for lessons only, well, without wanting to do the publishers out of funds, I think that's all that's needed. They specifically say that the patterns should be learnt by heart, they all start off as duets to be played in class anyway and then if the pupil goes onto solo they'll have learnt them by heart already (and you can hardly copyright a couple of notes that you just jot down in the notebook).

I'd be interested to know what you think of them when they arrive and after a couple of weeks try-out.

. .

Will do - the pupils I'm thinking of using it with are doing exams in the next couple of weeks so whilst I'll probably try them out for a change after the exams, there will probably only be one or two weeks at most before the Easter holiday.

Great. Many thanks.

It sounds like a great thing (a) to have in reserve for those lessons where not much practice has been done and you want a bit of variety and to do something different, and (b) it's very much the sort of music that a lot of teenagers love (Einaudi, trance/mood music) and I know that some of mine will/would love it,
I also have several pairs of pupils who either come at the same time or cross over and I've got several pairs doing duets together - this sort of impro duet would be great too.
My main problem is I'm pretty lousy at it personally (or I certainly feel that I am) so I'm on very unsure territory but it's no good being cowardly - I'm going to try out the sample they give on the site and, subject to that and how you find it with yours, I might well buy the first book.

I really like the look of these and am going to order a couple of the new ones. However, I have an adult pupil, about G5, who is very keen to learn to improvise and has been exploring chords and chord progressions. I think one of the older books would suit, but can't work out which of the three would be best. Does anyone know anything about them - eg there is Melody, All Keys and Harmony (triads). I suspect the third would be best.
If no-one knows I shall get the whole set. I love teaching improvisation and would probably get a lot out of them.

My books arrived on Saturday and my first pupil did her exam today, she has her last lesson of the term at school on Friday so I'm going to try one or two things out with her this week.

They came quickly ! Which site did you order them from ?

I tried out the sample piece with one pupil on Friday and she did remarkably badly but I think that this was because it was way our of her comfort range, never having done anything like it before.
I'm going to try it with a few others this week.

Look forward to hearing how it goes with your student (what exam did she do, by the way ?)

.

I ordered from sheetmusicplus and paid the ?3.78 postage by air as opposed to the ?2.75-ish for budget ground/sea route. It gave 6-10 days delivery time and it came in just on the 10 days - I ordered on 28th Feb, it was dispatched on 29th and arrived on 10th March. I've used them once before and it was a similar delivery time.

My pupil did TG Grade 1 piano - I will choose something appropriate for her ability. The first duet and solo piece (4 pages) are based on the black keys so I'm thinking of going with duet and essentially improvising on the pentatonic scale. Playing on the black keys will always sound 'right'. Unfortunately as she's a school pupil, I only have one more lesson with her for this term but it's going to be a fun and experimental lesson!

Just got Pattern Play 1 after waiting 6 whole weeks for it to arrive. I like it! Will be really useful for lazy teens who can't be bothered reading notes. I'd be interested to hear from anyone else who's used this book: how do you incorporate it into the regular lessons, with what ages does it work best, how do you get them to expand and develop their work etc. Cheers.

I've just started using this, and I've yet to get to grips with how to use it properly. However, so far the response has been pretty good. I use it for a few minutes at the beginning or end of longer lessons for different reasons and with very different results. All beneficial.

I have an 8 year old who really likes it - partly because she doesn't have to work at reading. As her reading is good anyway, and as she's already had a long and intellectually fuelled day by the time she gets to me, I'm more than happy for her to create her own music alongside me. The results from this little one (completely lacking in self-conciousness), are at times bordering on stunning. She now asks for 'the book'.(She hasn't quite wrapped her tongue around the word 'improvisation' ). I can't wait to see how this one progresses .

I use it too, with a very tense adult student. (She also asks for it). This is the one time in the lesson, when she physically relaxes while playing. The musical results aren't as clear yet, but I'm very hopeful. I'm sure the sense of personal control and relaxation will eventually feed its way into all aspects of her playing.

I've also used it once with a teenager (very self conscious), who has some difficulty reading. The results weren't as good, but that was partly her reaction to something she was very unsure of. I will be trying it again with her. In fact, I anticipate rolling it out across all the piano students eventually. (Although I do need to do more work with it myself first).

I'd be interested to hear from others who are using it too.

I've started using the Scales, Patterns and Improvs books mentioned earlier. And the kids love doing their scales now. They even ask if they can!!

However, although they enjoy doing the improv parts too, I don't know how to guide them. They are just doing 5 finger scales and broken chords and I'd like to be able to give them more hints. These Pattern Play books look like they have more guidance.

Do you think young children just need to be exposed to improv in the way I'm doing it - ie have a go and don't stop, no notes are wrong etc or could I be guiding them? Does the creativity have to come from them and their musical maturity or can I say this sounds better than that.

If the latter then what does sound better?