What different types of improvisation are there?

Answer 1

All improvisation is the same in concept. The only things that differ are rhythms and accents. For example if I was to solo on a blues progression the accent notes would be beats 1 and 3, and it would include a mixture of swing eighth notes and/or triplets. However if I was doing a solo on a latin progression, my accents would be dependent on the drumming style. A typical samba would be like 2 and 4+ straight eighths.

As for forms, I would say scales are the only things able to influence the sound of improvisation. By changing your mode according to the chord you can get a wide variety of sounds. For example, a C Major chord. It's notes are C-E-G. I could use all of these scales within reason:

C = Ionian, Mixolydian.

E = Aeolian, Lydian, Dorian, Phrygian.

G = Ionian, Phrygian.

Pretty much how I got that was I took the mode and if it fit the chord you can use it. So you can't use it if there was a conflict such as G# in the scale. That would conflict with the G and make it extremely dissonant. Experimentation is the key in all improvisation.

The only exception to Improv would be Classical Music. Where there may be cadences/breaks. Mozart wrote a lot of these where he would write a single note under a fermata and it was up to the musician to make up the rest. In that case you are restricted heavily into Ionian. Some cases, depending on the context you might use phrygian (minor keys). Hope this helped.

Answer 2

Improv Comedy and Harsh. Harsh is a new york-based troupe that does only improised tragedy.