Browsing by Author "Masiak, Elżbieta"

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    Correlates of preference for harmonic schema-based vs. reference-free musical improvisation in professional musicians and music therapy clients
    (2025) Masiak, Elżbieta
    The purpose of the study was to analyze preferences for different types of musical improvisation: improvisation based on a pre-composed schema or structure (i.e., harmonic progressions, melodic/rhythmic motifs, or other non-musical patterns) and free improvisation (defined as spontaneous playing without any prior assumptions or patterns to lean on). Additionally, the study examined the sociocultural, motivational, and meaning-related correlates of these preferences, as well as their connection to individual identity and self-perception among contemporary improvising musicians from diverse international socioprofessional backgrounds. The study was conducted through an online survey consisting of both closed and open-ended questions. It included 38 improvising musicians from 11 nationalities. The findings suggest that most participants value both types of improvisation equally or display a degree of ambivalence, while a distinct preference for either schema-based or free improvisation is less common. Notably, those with strong preferences for one approach over the other differ in their conceptualization and interpretation of improvisation.