To introduce students from classical, popular and technology to free improvisational practices within a technological framework.
To develop the use and application of Ableton live in an improvisation focussed environment.
To develop the ability to respond in an improvised environment in supported ways mediated by technology.
To develop the ability to conceive of compositional practice through system design.
To develop the ability for students, through teamwork, to traverse multiple genres and styles
To develop the ability to read and compose using graphic notation
To develop the ability to improvise and respond in collaborative and supportive ways

(LO1) Understand and apply non-idiomatic improvisation

(LO2) Use Ableton Live in collective practice

(LO3) Create a composition or improvisation, presented live, that is intrinsically linked to these innovations

(LO4) Conceive of ways to extend and build on existing skills through technological expansion

(S1) Creative collaboration in groups

(S2) Organisation and Planning

(S3) Critical Thinking

- Designing a live responsive and tempo-based audio environment in Ableton
- Midi mapping of hardware and software controllers including linking of student mobile devices
- Group collaboration using Ableton link
- Graphic notational practices: reading, composing and theoretical understanding
- Free improvisational practices: enhanced listening, communication, and support in poly-genre environments
- Use, application, and manipulation of Ableton live specific DAW elements such as loopers, slicers, tempo based LFO’s, delays, randomised sequencers, audio freeze and others

Students will receive a 60-minute lecture per week and a 2-hour practical session in either a laboratory (circuit bending) or in an open performance space.
The lecture is designed to deliver theory (musical and technological), historical context and to introduce students to innovators and practitioners in the field.
The sessions will introduce students firstly to theories and approaches to improvisation, outlining the differences between jazz, aleatoricism and free practices. The centrality of free improvisation will be explained with particular reference to the British school of improvisers emerging, and centred around the middle-period of the work of Cornelius Cardew.
Through the workshops students will first learn how to be open, and responsive in groups. Thereafter compositional practices from Cage and Cardew will be used as a methodology for approaching the design of compositions and related technological systems. Large groups will gradually deploy multiple (10 B;) tempo synchronised Ableton systems with multiple instrumental and vocal inputs, facilitating group tempo synchronised improvisations.

The majority of teaching will be delivered face-to-face on campus. Online delivery will be used to complement the on-campus delivery and where technology affords a better learning experience.