FAQ for Imagination on the Piano: Improvising Classically with George Ko! 
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- Classical Improviser
Welcome to the magical world of classical improvisation!
In this monthās Community Challenge, weāll learn to improvise on the piano and soon youāll be able to create your own music, live!
Whether itās when weāre listening to jazz, or watching John Mayer take off on a solo, we have all wanted to improvise as classical musicians. However, even after years of practicing scales, etudes, and difficult concerti, we just canāt seem to make up things on the spot.
In this livestream series, classical improviser and Young Steinway Artist George Ko shows how you can improvise and spontaneously create any song with your background of Bach, Chopin, and understanding of I-V-I cadences.
Some selected tonebase productions to get you started:
Noam Sivan's lessons on Improvising
John Mortensen on Historical Improvisation
Harmonic Formulas of the Great Composers
The What:
- Weāre going to learn how to improvise on the piano!
- The goal is to start improvising immediately at the piano with the Classical style
- Every week weāll have different improvisational challenges. Depending how much you practice will ramp up your results. You knowā¦ How do you get to Carnegie Hall?
- TBD: A watch party featuring your improvisations will take part at the end if by popular demand!
The When:
- Challenge start: Kick-Off Friday June 10th at 11am PT
- Watch party: TBD
The How:
- Join the live stream (or watch previously recorded sessions) and follow along on the improvisational topic of the week.
- Practice the improvising challenge on your own, then go to our Updates thread and post your improv!
- If you are willing and open to share, add a video or audio recording of yourself improvising. This is optional, but weāll be able to share our progress together! This is a safe space, and we are not here to judge, but to encourage. Thereās enough competitions for that.
The Fun Part:
- TBD:At the end of our practice challenge, we will be hosting another Watch Party on tonebase LIVE! This will feature user submissions, community awards, and shoutouts!
- This is planned for July 1st at 11 am PT!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
Can I join the challenge if I wasn't there on June 10th?
Yes! Just make sure you watch the first session and complete any workshop challenges before the next challenge.
I have a question, who do I ask?
Feel free to use this thread to ask any questions about this challenge! For a more detailed just DM me either here through the or on Instagram @_georgeko. You can also reach out to our Head of Live & Communinty through [email protected]
Can I do more than one improv per week?
Absolutely! This challenge is to help you become comfortable with improvising and to relinquish the āfearā of making mistakes. Itās about exploring the unknown. To infinity, and beyond!
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OK here is my posting based on George's Week 1 request. I stick mostly to the chords Fmaj7-Em7-Dm7 as suggested, but I step back up to Em7 before getting back to Fmaj7 to restart the progression, because the motif seemed to demand that. the tonality is mostly E-based Phrygian mode, but in deference to my question about the key, I conclude in C major, without much advance warning!
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Hmmm, my file didn't upload...I'll try again
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getting an "Oops Can't upload" message. will see what else I can try
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Peter Golemme Hi Peter! The file is probably too big, so I'd recommend to upload it on Youtube as an unlisted video and share the link here!
Angela Fogg You're right, I do this in that video! What a memory you have!
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Martin thank you Martin. If I post it on YouTube, will the whole world be able to see it? I was hoping to limit the viewership of this unfinished experiment solely within our ToneBase family! (not a big factor but just wondering)
P.S. I watched your video awhile ago, it was full of priceless information! more than I could retain the first time around. I will revisit over this issue.
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Peter Golemme You can upload it as āunlisted.ā This way, search algorithms cannot find it, but you can still share the link! If you upload it as āpublic, āyou cannot share it on the forums!
Happy to hear that, thank you!!!
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I'm unable to post my video here or on the other thread. It's a simple iPad MOV file but I also tried 3 different conversions to other formats. I'm sure it's some advanced form of 'User Error'. Is there a page on ToneBase providing guidance on how to upload videos?
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Peter Golemme Hi Peter, how frustrating! There is this https://app.tonebase.co/piano/live/player/intro-to-video-editing
although I havenāt watched it myself it does say it will show you how to upload to the forum.
fingers crossed!
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thanks Angela
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OK, here's my link. think I got it this time. sorry to trouble the thread with my technological challenges & thanks Angela & Martin for the assistance with them.
I'm also going to post this to the other thread
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- Classical Improviser
Hi Peter! Sorry I couldn't have replied sooner, shoutout to Angela and Martin for assisting, glad you were able to upload.
The improv sounds fantastic, I love the push for more virtuosity, and the melodic voice doubling, very nice touch, I also love how there are different sections to the improv, just like in a song. Great work! - Classical Improviser
