At Extreme Improv we don’t do tons of improv singing, with only the occasional singing or rap based game thrown into a live show. Some teams do whole musicals which are improvised from start to finish including songs and dances. It’s something I’d like us to develop more as an ensemble as whenever we have got into it, it can be great fun and wonderful for the audience. Combining the power of vocals with spontaneity, improv singing can wow a crowd and almost seem like magic. It can also really enhance the storytelling and hit a different emotional level just as song and a monologue would in a non-improvised musical or play.
If you’re yet to take the bold leap into the world of improv singing, this article will provide some inspiration and explore some tips to unlock your own improvisational skills.
Understanding Improv Singing
Improvisational singing is the art of creating melodies, harmonies, and lyrics spontaneously. It involves composing and performing music in real-time. This may sound odd, as most will think that singing is singing, but if you’re making up the tune you are in fact composing the melody, and an ensemble will create the harmonies. It can feel daunting to do without predetermined structures or lyric, but it is possible to develop the skills to do this. By relying on intuition, musicality, and a keen ear, improv singers embrace the freedom to explore various genres, styles, and emotions, allowing for endless artistic possibilities. And yes, I know that sounds easier said than done.
The important thing to know when it comes to improvised singing is that if you have a great singing voice you can impress the crowd with that. If you are the master of making up lyrics that will also impress the crowd. And if you can simply get through a song and hit a few rhymes this will impress the crowd too. The first secret to improv singing is that you don’t have to perfect all of these areas at once.
In fact, you can get by if you can just do one of them. Any one of them. Of course, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t practice to become better at all three, but generally someone who can manage any of these well enough will get on fine.
Certainly you’ll want to practice these skills before you leap into your first improvised musical. That said, if you work with those that can do it well already, that can help you pick it up.
A lot of people feel a lot more self-conscious when it comes to singing than they do with other forms of performing. You don’t need to. Improv teaches us that it’s ok to fail and to embrace our mistakes. It’s my theory that improv works best when people know that what you’re doing is improvised. If they don’t there isn’t much point in improvising something. When the audience understand that what the performer is doing is created on the spot that changes the way the audience receive it and part of the enjoyment comes from their being impressed by the creativity and the bravery of attempting to make something up.
Knowing this is important. The audience are there to see you attempt to create something on the spot and will appreciate you for even trying. Mostly it will be that they wouldn’t. So whilst an audience may hold a scripted and well rehearsed song to a very high standard, there needs to be the understanding that what you are doing is improvised and this will mean there will be a lot of forgiveness for anything you feel is an imperfection. Remember, we hold ourselves to a higher standard when it comes to singing too, so throw away feeling self-conscious. It’s not necessary.
Just like with improvising scenes and characters something that will help you when it comes to improvised singing is having a broad knowledge of things that already exist that are similar to what you are trying to achieve. If you were to improvise a horror story you would think to use ideas like monsters and blood and sinister voices. In that same sense listening to a lot of different music and styles of music will inform you what that genre sounds like. It will teach you to what different kinds of things can be achieved.
Engaging in improv singing can really help you build confidence as a performer. Whether it goes great the first time or not, just keep doing it and you’ll find whether in shows or in rehearsal or even at home in the shower, you’ll start to find you feel more comfortable with it. This can in turn lead to you feeling more confident on stage in general or even in your day-to-day life.
Improv singing often involves group performances, fostering teamwork and collaboration among cast members. The more advanced improv singers learn to listen and respond to their fellow performers, creating harmonies and melodies that blend seamlessly together.
Tips for Improv Singing
Active Listening
Improv singing requires attentive listening. Train your ear to identify musical cues. Whether you’re singing to a live musician, to a track being played through a speaker or have no music at all, learn to listen to the beats and bars even if they’re just in your head. This active listening will guide you when to come in, how long lines should last and enable you to harmonize and complement the music being created around you.
Take Risks and Don’t Be Afraid of Mistakes
Improv singing is about trusting yourself and having a good time. Don’t be afraid to take risks and trust you’ll get through each line. Allow yourself to step outside your comfort zone and also remember that often improv songs don’t rhyme. If you are rhyming lots and then you don’t its no big deal. Just keep going and enjoy each line.
Vocal Technique
If you want to just be a great singer generally, whether for improv purposes or not, it is a good idea to do regular vocal exercises and work on technique. Whether you have to go to a class to work on this with a coach or you just work on scales, tongue twisters and other vocal exercises at home, it’s always useful to practice.
Practice, Practice, Practice and Practice Some More!
Even with non-singing improv it can be easy to get rusty if you don’t regularly keep on top of the skills. Improv singing is a skill that improves and develops with practice. You can practice in class, or practice whilst doing housework, but make sure you practice. You may find there are others in your improv group who also want to work on this skill and you can practice together. This is super useful as singing just for one person can be that easy first step. For some it will be harder in front of just one person, but if this is the case you should still do it. Face your fears and do them anyway.
You can get loads more Improv articles and videos in the improv section of the site, and don’t forget to check out the Extreme Improv XStreamed shows every week on the Extreme Improv XStreamed YouTube Channel
Also if you’d like to learn more improv skills check out the improv books from Extreme Improv that are available via this link https://xstreamed.tv/books/
Get the Extreme Improv Big Book of Improv Games and the Extreme Improv Ultimate Guide to Creating Virtual Theatre. Both books are available worldwide on Amazon in paperback and Kindle editions.
Links to the get the Books can be found on Book Page that has links for worldwide Amazon pages.
