from the teaching of Rhiannon
MYSTERY BAND
One person thinks of a Song that they know very well. They say, “I have one!” They don’t reveal their song, and then they wait quietly.
The group creates an improvised band either –
- Going around the circle creating a Motor, Interlocking Part, Counter Melody, Percussion, Bass, etc
OR
- Creating an Instaband – One person begins a bass line. The group jumps in complementing the bass line, and adjusting parts until it feels like a cohesive band.
THEN
The Song Person sings their song over the music the group has created, trying to stay as close to the original song as possible, while also enjoying the challenge of a new accompaniment that might be radically different in tonality, rhythm, and/or feel.
There is also the option of calling out “Go to the Bridge!” which allows the group to shift the accompaniment, and the soloist to go to a different part of the song eg. Bridge or Chorus.
The soloist can conduct the group ending.
- The song does not need to be complicated or have a million changes. It is super satisfying to do this over a lullaby, nursery rhyme, or children’s song, and you’ll be surprised how much possibility there is in the simplest song!
- This is a wonderful way to get a new take on a song you know really well and have sung a lot.