Thread: How to break stuff down for 'holistic' learners

Over the last few weeks I've been doing some improvisation exercises with my Improvers class (improve-ers rather than improv-ers). One of these exercises involved listening for different instruments in a piece of music and dancing *only* to these instruments.

Whilst understanding this was an exercise to improve musicality and improvisation skills, a couple of students found that this was also for them 'an intellectual exercise' as they 'just hear the music all at once'. I'm a bit stumped by this, as I have a musical training, so I've never had too much of a problem dancing to different instruments, or with the concept of doing so. However, I realise that I'm privileged in this respect, and that not everyone has this background. I'm also a naturally analytical person, and realise that not everyone else is.

I wonder if anyone has any suggestions to how to teach this kind of material to students who 'just hear the music' - beyond working with taqsims of different instruments to aid in identification. I really don't want to put students off by doing what seem to be 'intellectual exercises'.

I'd really appreciate input from teachers who've met this kind of issue before, as well as students who also learn/perceive 'holistically'.

Hope this makes sense..g.:

The idea that you'd have a cluster of students with this mental-processing problem seems much more unlikely than that you'd have students who have no formal musical training and who have never been asked to think of music as being a total composition of different (and perhaps unfamiliar-sounding) instruments working together before this. Is it possible that they simply have trouble identifying what the various instruments sound like? You should be able to point them to sound samples of Middle Eastern instruments to help with the unfamiliarity problem. In the meantime, what if you reformat your class exercises with Westernized ME pop so they will be working with instruments and sound production that are more like what they're used to hearing?

First, what the heck is wrong with it being an intellectual exercise?

Second, what Tourbeau said. I started to type a response and then read hers; I was typing the exact same thing. Were you using large orchestral music for your exercise? That will be overwhelming for those with less musical experience. If so, my suggestion rather than pop would be try a piece with just drums and oud, or just drums and violin and ney. Just 2-3 instruments so there is less for them to sift through.

yes, I think they just have not developed their mental ears, so to speak. I know it kind of goes against your "improv" goal, but the best way to "wake up" their brain enough to hear what you mean in terms of dancing to specific instruments, is to let them follow you as you do it. And not just once, but over and over (yes, like a choreography) so they can start to hear what you're hearing in the music.

I agree with all of the above posters.

There is nothing wrong with an intellectual exercise! Isn't an art form, when done well, supposed to involve many parts of the brain?

You probably have already, but have them listen--just listen--to the instrument or aspect of the musical structure in question without the pressure of having to move. In my learning (not teaching!) experience this is the best way to train the ears, and it takes time. The payoff, in terms of musical awareness, however, is more than worth it; students will discover that every piece of music they hear will always have "more to love" about it.

Originally Posted by Nabila-Nazem

I agree with all of the above posters.

There is nothing wrong with an intellectual exercise! Isn't an art form, when done well, supposed to involve many parts of the brain?

i third this! ^_^

I have students who ask "what are you hearing as I teach at some points. They are hearing the whole piece and I am zeroing in on one part of the music that catches my hear and MAKES me dance to it.
I have done expercises trying to have them hear it.
You could try to have them just do what you did, dance to the drum, or any individual instrument. For those who aren't able to break it down, maybe trying to just dance to the vocals? We are all so ingrained with listening to speech it might help? Finding a soulful song with many vocal nuances.
I have found that some students zero in on a completely seporate part of the music than I would and I encourage that!:)

Try a sing-along.

Originally Posted by Tourbeau

The idea that you'd have a cluster of students with this mental-processing problem seems much more unlikely than that you'd have students who have no formal musical training and who have never been asked to think of music as being a total composition of different (and perhaps unfamiliar-sounding) instruments working together before this. Is it possible that they simply have trouble identifying what the various instruments sound like? You should be able to point them to sound samples of Middle Eastern instruments to help with the unfamiliarity problem. In the meantime, what if you reformat your class exercises with Westernized ME pop so they will be working with instruments and sound production that are more like what they're used to hearing?

You're right - this is exactly what is going on. Also, I suspect their previous teacher (for the most part I have inherited this group of students) didn't ask them to do this kind of thing much.

Originally Posted by ssipes

First, what the heck is wrong with it being an intellectual exercise?

Well, yes, I know...I just wondered if there was something I was missing - apparently not I am realising from all the responses that this is more about people being pushed out of comfort zones than anything else.

(Puts stern teacher hat on) We *are* going to do some instrument recognition after the next session. I'll use some simple recordings (I was using an orchestral piece before) and get them to follow me - thanks for those suggestions everyone..g.: