Exercise: Gibberish Pitches Part 1 - 5-8 minutes

• Instructions:
  • Optional round 1 with no piano. All other rounds the piano accompaniment will move around to different chords and rhythms throughout!
  • Facilitators will demonstrate the following:
    • Setup: In a circle formation:
    • PLAYER ONE: Step forward and perform a short gibberish melody, using any sounds they like. The melody should be no longer than 5–10 seconds.
    • PLAYER TWO: Steps forward and repeats the melody back to the first player as accurately as possible, using the same gibberish sounds.
    • PLAYER TWO: Perform a new melody for the THIRD player. (Note that PLAYER TWO goes right after repeating)
  • Continue around the circle in this way
  • The game should continue until every player has had a turn.
• Notes:
  • Encourage players to be creative and spontaneous with their melodies
  • Encourage players to Practice moving up and down, varying the pitch and rhythm of your melody in response to the piano accompaniment.
  • Facilitator may intervene to make sure there is a smooth transition between players
• Purpose: Players work on rhythm, listening, and pitch

Exercise: Gibberish Pitches Part 2 - 5-8 minutes

• Instructions:
  • Optional round 1 with no piano. All other rounds the piano accompaniment will move around to different chords and rhythms throughout!
  • Practice listening and making a variation!
  • Facilitators will demonstrate the following:
    • Setup: In a circle formation:
    • PLAYER ONE: SAME AS BEFORE:
      • Step forward and perform a short gibberish melody
    • PLAYER TWO:
      • Repeat the FIRST HALF of the previous player’s melody as accurately as possible.
      • Then, invent a NEW SECOND HALF to complete the melody.
    • PLAYER TWO: Perform a new melody for the THIRD player.
  • Continue around the circle in this way
  • The game should continue until every player has had a turn.
• Example:
  • PLAYER 1:
  • “Ooh, blibbidy bloop, dwee dee dee.”
  • PLAYER 2:
  • “Ooh, blibbidy bloop, tatatata tee”
  • PLAYER 2 : “Wubba lubba dub, skidoo skidoo.”
  • PLAYER 3 “Wubba lubba Lulululu…lu”
• Notes:
  • Encourage players to be creative and spontaneous with their melodies
  • Encourage players to Practice moving up and down, varying the pitch and rhythm of your melody in response to the piano accompaniment.
  • Facilitator may intervene to make sure there is a smooth transition between players
• Purpose: Players work on rhythm, listening, and pitch

Discussion Melody - 5 minutes

• Ask the group for their takeaways and thoughts.
• Discussion points:
  • LISTEN AND RESPOND: One way to create a new melody is to listen to the previous melody and respond to it with a new idea. Varying the rhythm, pitch, or overall feel
  • EXPERIMENT WITH DIFFERENT SOUNDS: Experiment with different sounds and vocalizations when creating their melodies. This could involve using different vowel sounds, consonants, or even animal noises to create interesting and unexpected melodies.
  • PLAY WITH REPETITION: Repetition of pitch and rhythm can be a powerful tool in creating melodies. Experiment with repeating certain sounds or phrases to create a sense of structure or continuity in their melody.
  • FOLLOW THE FEELING: Sometimes the best way to create a melody is to simply follow the feeling of the music and let it guide you. Tap into your intuition and allow their melodies to evolve naturally in response to the piano accompaniment and the group energy.
  • TAKE RISKS: Finally, this is an improv game, and there are no wrong answers! Take risks and try new things when creating melodies, and embrace the unexpected twists and turns that can arise as a result.