This is the little passage I wrote for a business and improv book. 

While studying music at University I was fortunate enough to play the violin in a string quartet.  Being students, there were many convoluted and bizarre relationships among the four people playing, and we would often bring unresolved arguments, unrequited love and seething jealousy with us to rehearsals.   After the cursory and often bitter verbal exchanges we would place our bows on strings and begin.  At this point, our verbal communication channel was muted, talking was reserved purely for practical purposes.  At the end of rehearsal however, the air was often cleansed of the heavy emotional content that had suffused it so thoroughly beforehand.  Arguments dissolved, passions muted and conversation would often return to more mundane practicalities of the day.

I was also studying psychology at the time and distinctly remember coming fresh from a lecture about non verbal communication into one of our rehearsals.  As the first violin, it was my job to “lead” the quartet.  This means that the tempo, dynamics, phrasing and synchronising were my responsibility.  A bow high in the air descending towards my strings would allow the other members to time their simultaneous entries so we all came in together as one.  Leaning forwards would bring down the volume, sitting back and broadening my shoulders could result in a triumphant crescendo.  Eye contact could encourage a tune to rise above the others, a slight frown could send a tune scuttling back to a supporting role.

In amongst all the artistic decisions being made were entire conversations.  A slightly pleading expression could say sorry; a faint smile, I forgive you.   Arguments could also be started.  One I remember clearly was during the Shostakovich string quintet.  I had the job of stating a new, jaunty theme on the violin before passing it to the viola.  I gained eye contact with her just before finishing the tune, a slight nod and she was off.  She stamped on the tune, growling it out, giving it a complexion I had been utterly unaware of until that time.  The exchanges became more and more violent, and at the end of the rehearsal, she packed up and stormed out.

I am convinced that the three years of playing in that string quartet improved my ability to communicate effectively without speaking.  I now use those skills as musical director of improvisation company, The Maydays.  As the sketches develop, I need to make the decision when to start playing, what to play, and what emotion to bring out.  Once the song has started, it is my job to give it structure and to signify any significant changes in mood or style without giving any visual signals.  As the end of the song nears, I am looking for someone to take charge of the ending of the song.  If no clear leader emerges I will make it as clear as I can when I think the song should stop.

From the singer’s perspective, things look rather different.  Essentially the performers are making a case, putting forward a point of view, but doing this as a team, without preparation and without verbally communicating with each other.  The success of the song is measured directly by the reaction of the audience, whether it be one person or a room full.  The fact that there is music which has a definite speed, rhythm and harmony means that there is little room for hesitation.  Full commitment is required not just for the individual, but so the rest of the team understands their role.

There are many parallels to the business world here.  There are often times when a case needs to be put forward by a team to an audience, whether it be a board of directors, or a room full of employees.  Often the narrative will turn in unexpected directions and there is no time for discussing strategy, the team must move as one and communicate with conviction and without hesitation.  The success of the team is measured directly by the response of the audience and the acceptance of the proposition being put forward.  Let’s look at some specific skills that are required for this dynamic strategy to be effective.

Leadership

As I mentioned before, if no clear leader emerges then I will make the decisions myself, being behind the keyboard.  Performance becomes significantly easier however if an individual steps forward, often physically and takes control.  In business a leader will be predetermined by their profile within the company, however there are times when the leader needs to have knowledge in a specific area such as I.T. or H.R.  In these situations, the right person needs to take control or the message can easily become unconvincing.  Leadership can be transferred so that the best person is in control at any one time, or it can be maintained by an individual, so that they are always in control of the team.  An effective interviewer will take charge of the entire conversation and make it clear when the interviewee should start talking, and more importantly, when to stop.  This can be done by positioning the body, gaining effective eye contact, or even audibly taking a breath.  If control is given away to the interviewee, the results can be disastrous.

Listening

One of the worst case scenarios in a performance is when two people start singing together.  At this point the façade comes tumbling down, and there is  no way of convincing the audience that this was supposed to happen.  The same is true when speaking.  Speaking over someone else is rarely an effective way of getting your point accross.  When putting a case forward as a team, it is even more important that everyone takes their turn without crashing anyone else’s point.  Just as in leading a string quartet, signals of when to start and stop can easily be given with eye contact or intonation. Listening is not just about words, it is about body language and facial expression.  Only when you can “listen” to all the channels of communication can you really work together effectively as a team when delivering a message.

Commitment

Once a leader has emerged, they must then carry the role with 100% commitment.  Many songs have begun with a ridiculous line such as “Aliens have stolen my dog”.  If this song is sung with a feeling of apology or embarrassment then the humour is not as effectively delivered.  If however, the performer steps up to the front of the stage and sings the line with a full voice, wide gestures and complete commitment, the humour is intensified massively.  The same is true when trying to persuade someone of your point of view.  If the listener detects a hint of insecurity, they will most likely remain unconvinced.  After all, if you do not have faith in your own convictions, why should anybody else?  It is far funnier if the performer really thinks aliens have stolen their dog, than if they are just putting that forward as a funny idea.

Non-verbal communication

 Give the same speech to two different people and they will deliver two different messages.  It is possible to read a speech with the same words in the same order, but communicate an entirely different meaning.  Our body language, intonation while speaking, expressions and eye contact will all tell their own story, and it is often far more powerful that the story the words are telling.  How many times has a text message you sent been completely misinterpreted, and then you spend the next four messages just trying to communicate that you were joking, or you thought they were joking?  Effective speakers often have very well rehearsed movements that they use to deliver their messages.  One only has to look at world leaders to see that their use of their hands, eyes and body is very carefully controlled.  When part of a team, you must not only use these skills to communicate with your audience, but also with the other members of your team.

Improvisation

Speeches are only as good as the person speaking.  Most of the time, having the words written out for us is a hindrance.  Losing eye contact with the audience, losing our place on the page and stumbling over words are very common problems, even for the most experienced speakers.  Being able to construct a speech or conversation on the spot is a far more powerful way of communicating.  The best public speaker will have bullet points, or general headings to structure their speech, but will not rely upon a script.  When a conversation or discussion takes an unexpected turn, the improviser will be right there, ready to respond, ready to turn the surprise back on the other person.

All of these skills can be practised.  Traditionally this has taken the form of painful role-play situations at training days.  It does not have to be like this!  Joining an improvisation workshop gives a safe, supportive environment where these skills can be honed within a group of like-minded people.  The role of comedy is to give the performer a clear objective, and also makes the whole process a lot more enjoyable.  From my point of view, the role of music within improvised comedy is to break down inhibitions and really nurture commitment.  It is a very personal experience to sing in front of a group of people, but in the right environment it is also very empowering.  There is no need to have a good voice or musical experience, singing is a natural extension of talking, and we can all do that.  You will be amazed how quickly fear can turn into self-belief, and often into addiction!

For more details on how to join a workshop, visit themaydays.co.uk or email [email protected].

It is healthy to be reminded why we do what we do sometimes.  Last night was a prime example of this.  The quiet village of Poynings nestles snugly behind the South Downs, safely shielded from the brashness of Brighton, guarding the lower entrance to Devil's Dyke.  The Maydays were playing in the Village Church as part of their fundraising efforts for some new heating.  The need for this was all too apparent as I sat and watched Rebecca shivering with her entire body as she waiting on the wings.  We were performing our new show, "All about you" which takes anecdotes from the audience and turns them into sketches and songs.  It is a lovely format in an intimate community like Poynings as most people know each other, so te anecdotes are meaningful to all.  However, nobody was expecting the acrimonious break-up of a teanage couple to dominate the evening, with anecdotes from both parties!
The atmosphere was far warmer than the temperature, and we soon warmed to our task, the homemade mulled wine and mince pies keeping the audience alive.  Highlights were surely the death of a clown, foxes against humans and the expensive crisp blues.  On a personal level, the chance to play the church organ for our final Gospel number was a unique experience for me.  Admittedly, the song itself still needs a bit of work, but as for new experiences, that one is hard to beat.  
After the show we were approached by so many members of the village whose friendliness and genuine curiosity in improvisation was heartening and heartfelt.  We found ourselves in the local pub soon afterwards and continued to be chatted to and welcomed into what felt like a close-knit and vibrant community.  
THe discussion amongst the Maydays turned to the value of doing gigs in communities.  It does say something that we had a bigger, more appreciative audience than at some of our Komedia shows in Brighton.  Also, we all left feeling that we had not only entertained the village, but had contributed to their much needed cause also.  Thank you to the wonderful people of Poynings! 
Find out more about what we do at themaydays.co.uk

This week saw the start of two Maydays courses, the first of 2011. Last night I was lucky enough to be teaching the first session of our longform course and what a great group they are. I’ve worked with everyone before with the exception of Jo, but having seen her shortform showcase last year felt like I already knew her and was a bit starstruck. We also have three musical improv veterans on the course.

Having taught a fair bit of longform now, I always feel the need to explain to groups right form the start how challenging the leap from short to longform can be. Without set structures there isn’t the feeling of a safety net the way there is in a pre-ordained game like those made famous by “Whose Line…?” On the flip-side though, Longform brings with it great freedom, and a chance to find your own artistic expression,  “singing your own song” as UB40 would say.

Having been thinking about musical improv quite a lot recently, it’s interesting to start thinking about scenes and collections of scenes as having rhythm much like a piece of music. We talked a lot last night about group responsibility. I was suggesting that perhaps in a longform piece the place with the least responsibility is in the scene, since all you can do really in be in it and keep committing to where you are and what you are doing. On the side-lines however, you are responsible for everything; colouring the scene, tag-outs, walk ons, walk ins and most importantly Editing.

I’m a big believer in serendipity and following an email I got this morning, was led to the website of Oslo based troupe Crumbs. Here’s what they had to say on Editing:

”When is a scene over? When does a scene start? How do I get out of a scene that is over? How do I change what is happening in a scene when I don't like it? How do I affectively use editing to tell the story? What does the editing tell me about the story? How do we tap into the natural rhythm of the scene to realize when we should be making our transitions and what transitions best fit the moment?”

They suggested that good editing is about “feeling the moment and creating opportunities to create new ways to transition. Timing isn't something you are taught, it is something you feel.”

I very much like this last sentence. So I will not be teaching timing for the next few weeks but feeling it. I was desperately hoping to find the clip from dirty dancing where he says “the steps aren’t enough, you have to feel the music,” to illustrate this point, alas I could not. Found this instead; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0lOwj88TrQ

Ah, the joys of youtube.

Hello everybody.  Welcome to Heather and Joe’s improvised music blog.  We hope that this site will be a hub for all musical comedy improvisers.  We are currently waiting for our first book “Turn off your brain, open your mouth, and sing!” to be published.  It will be available to buy through this site.  Visit our page to find out more.

We will be posting videos of recent workshops and gigs, anecdotes and general musings on our improv lives.  If you have any thoughts or comments, do get in touch at [email protected].

Don’t forget, Heather and Joe are gigging all the time with The Maydays.  Visit the site to find out when we are next performing.