The Art of Improvising
Create First! — Pattern Play
Forrest talks about the Art of Improvising and how his books can be used to learn and teach this art.
* PDFs are sent to your email upon purchase.
* PDFs with Studio License permit teachers to make up to 20 copies for their students.
• Spiral-bound books ship only to US addresses (Why?). Shipping is $4.00 per order. Shipments will arrive 1 - 2 weeks after the order is placed.
Create First!
An introductory Pattern Play series that introduces the materials of music (scales, intervals, and chords) in creative and musical ways. Learn about the new features and how it works. Click on the button below to see an introductory video.
Create First! Introduction
Create First! Duet 1
This first book in the series explores Musicality on Black Keys and then Scales on White Keys. Each of the 29 pieces has a Bottom part and a Top part. The Bottom part is usually played by the teacher, and the Top part is improvised by the student. Download, print, and enjoy! Click here to access free teaching demonstration videos for each piece.
Create First! Solo 1
The pieces in the Duet 1 book are now presented so a person can play them alone (Solo). In general, the teacher first plays the Duet version in the lesson, then student plays the Solo version at home. Click here to access free teaching demonstration videos for each piece.
NEW!
Create First! Trio and Group 1
This 38-page PDF allows groups of three to eight people to play the 27 pieces in Create First! Level 1. Playing in groups teaches the basics of musicianship (listening and rhythm) like nothing else can! The individual parts are often easy to learn and play, so beginners and parents can often participate in these groups. Everyone can learn to play music together in an enjoyable way.
Create First! Duet 2
The 29 pieces in this book explore Intervals on White Keys and then Chords on White Keys. Download, print, and enjoy! Click here to access free teaching demonstration videos for each piece.
Create First! Solo 2
The pieces in the Duet 2 book are now presented so a person can play them Solo.
Click here to access free teaching demonstration videos for each piece.
Create First! Set
This discounted set includes Duet 1, Solo 1, Duet 2, and Solo 2.
Click here to access free teaching demonstration videos for each piece.
Create First! — Videos
Now you can access free videos that demonstrate ways to teach and play each of the 111 pieces in levels 1 and 2!
Create First! Duet 3
Twenty-seven new Patterns featuring scales and modes that have an F-sharp in the key signature.
Create First! Solo 3
The pieces in the Duet 3 book are now formatted so they can be played Solo.
Create First! Set — Duet 3 and Solo 3
This set includes both PDFs at Level 3: Duet 3 and Solo 3.
Create First! Duet 4
Here are 29 new Patterns for making duet improvisations in a wide variety of musical styles and moods. These Patterns are more challenging than those in the previous books in this series. They are in a key signature having one flat, so that includes the familiar keys of F Major and D Minor, as well as B-flat Lydian, G Dorian, and other modes. Lots of intriguing, new adventures to take!
Create First! Solo 4
Here are 31 new Patterns for solo improvisations in a wide variety of musical styles and moods. These Patterns are more challenging than those in the previous books in this series. They are in a key signature having one flat, so that includes the familiar keys of F Major and D Minor, as well as B-flat Lydian, G Dorian, and other modes. Lots of intriguing, new adventures to take!
¡La Creatividad Primero! — PDFs
Con estos libros descubrirás una manera natural y fascinante de aprender a improvisar en el piano. Empezarás a crear desde el primer momento usando los elementos básicos de la música, como escalas, intervalos o acordes. Poner la creatividad por delante no solo desarrollará tu imaginación y tu musicalidad sino también tu sentido del ritmo, tu coordinación, tu técnica, tu comprensión musical y tu oído.
Cada nivel consta de un libro de dúos, para que profesor y alumnos lo utilicéis en el aula, y un libro para piano solo, para que los alumnos practiquéis en casa. Los alumnos también podréis tocar el acompañamiento entre vosotros, para así disfrutar creando música juntos.—Juan Cabeza, traductor de La creatividad primero
Pattern Play — The Original Series
The original, self-published Pattern Play series from 2004 to 2009 was written for a solo player. (See below for the Pattern Play series published by RCM.)
Original Pattern Play Introduction
The Duet-to-Solo approach used in the new Create First! series and in the Pattern Play series published by the Royal Conservatory of Music has proven to be the most reliable and successful way to begin improvising, so I recommend that beginners and their teachers start with either of those series. Later, add the original Pattern Play series which offers 233 Patterns for improvising with the major scales, minor scales, and the various modes in all the keys.
Pattern Play — Volume One (with CD)
This 144-page book explores ways to create melodies (improvise) with the most popular scales in classical, ethnic, jazz, and popular styles. This original Pattern Play book (first published in 2004) can now function as an in-depth “teacher’s handbook” for the Pattern Play series published by the Royal Conservatory of Music or the Create First! series. It offers a more in-depth exploration of solo playing for many of the pieces in the newer series. This book comes with a CD that has 31 solo improvisations on the various pieces and also 6 duets. People who purchase the PDF can access these 37 recordings by going to the Free Resources page on this website.
Pattern Play — Volume Two (All Keys)
With 104 pieces made with Patterns in all the major and minor keys. It explores various ways to create melodies in diverse musical styles and introduces ways to begin creating your own accompaniment Patterns. It is ideal for those who have worked through Create First! or the new Pattern Play series published by the Royal Conservatory and who are looking for new Patterns in all the keys.
Watch a video of a duet improvisation from Melody, Volume Two. I’m joined by Akiko Kinney, who gave me insightful editorial guidance on this book and made many invaluable contributions to the Pattern Play project. Once you are on YouTube, you will see the list of other videos we made that are available for viewing.
Pattern Play — Volume Three (Modes)
Each of the 96 different pieces offers another way to improvise in one of the modes (Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, and Locrian). This book explores these modes in all keys.
Pattern Play – Original Series – 2-Book Set
With this purchase, you will receive Books 1 and 2 in the original Pattern Play series.
Pattern Play — Original Series — 3-PDF Set
With the purchase of this set, you’ll receive all three of the original Pattern Play books.
Pattern Play
The series published by RCM Publishing (Royal Conservatory of Music) from 2010 through 2012.
Pattern Play Introduction
Books in this series are no longer sold on this website. In this series, each piece is formatted as both a teacher-student duet and a student solo. Most of the pieces are formatted so they can be played as trios or quartets.
You can purchase them directly from the publisher at rcmpublishing.com, or visit a retailer.