tonic.

how to use these cards:

Improvisation is the most direct link between the music in your head and the music in your instrument. The purpose of Tonic is to
strengthen that link. It does this by encouraging you to think unconventionally and playful about improvisation and about music, so that
you can shed the anxiety and the stress that commonly keep people from learning to improvise. My hope is that this allows you to relax
more and trust your gut, and will help you make better music.

Tonic is a "game" only in the loosest sense of the word. There is no score, and there is no object. The point is to have fun, relax, and
make music. Your success should be measured by how free and fearless you feel when working through these exercises. Print these
cards on the heaviest weight paper you can find, and cut along the lines. Then just shuffle and go!
rules:
(1) Listen.
(2) Keep an open mind. Accept everything you hear without judgment.
(3) Relax.
(3) There are no wrong notes. If you want to play within standard Western harmony you can, but you never have to.
(4) Don't try to play a particular idiom or genre: "jazz" or "Baroque" or "blues" or anything.
(5) Unless the card says otherwise, use whatever notes, scales, chords, and percussive sounds you like.
(6) When in doubt, be bold.
(7) Most cards have no set end time. Play as long as you can until you get bored, and then move on.
(8) The game is designed for all instruments, however there are a few cards that are specific to certain instruments.
(9) Every exercise can be played either solo or with a group, unless marked otherwise.
(10) Keep it simple. Let the notes breathe. If you don't understand the instructions, use your imagination to fill in the gaps.

contact:
Please get in touch if your found this useful! I'm always looking for feedback and ways to improve. Contact me at
[Link]@[Link], I'd love to hear how you're using this game.

Don't steal. TONIC by Scott Hughes is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-
NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
use play turn on
two pitches. When you get a melody that you know well. the TV or radio. Improvise, while
bored, keep one and pick a new Now repeat it over and over, but you listen to whatever is on, but
one. Repeat for as long as you alter it by changing some (or all) don't think about the sounds
can. of the pitches. Do not change the you're making. Just keep making
rhythms. sounds.

pick watch describe

two notes and make up a simple TV or NetFlix on mute. Improvise what you did last weekend, using
rhythmic pattern. One person a new soundtrack. whatever notes or sounds you
plays this while the other like.
improvises over it. If there are
more than two people, rotate.

use invent use

three pitches until you get bored. a short melody. Improvise using just one interval. You are free to
Then pick three new ones. Repeat the shape of the melody. Go for move it around using as many
for as long as you can. as long as you can. pitches as you like.
play (>2 players)
start (>2 players)
create
“telephone.” One person playing without discussing key, a rhythmic pulse or groove. You
improvises a phrase and the next form, genre, or anything else. Try can use a metronome, a
person imitates it. It's OK if the to “find” each other, establish a percussionist, your foot, or
notes aren't right, just try to copy groove, and end together. another musician. Improvise using
the shape. Pass it on. whatever pitches you like.

pick use think

four pitches. Improvise using only only one pitch for as long as you of chocolate ice cream melting in
these pitches, but you can play can. Then pick a new one and July. Translate this thought into
them in any octave on your repeat. sound.
instrument.

play this graph improvise repeat (>2 players)

a piece with an AABA form. Each a single note in an repeating

section can be as long or as short rhythm to create a “groove” or
as you like. Use 5 notes in any “ostinato.” The other person
octave. Play the form 3 times should improvise using any
The vertical axis is intensity. The horizontal is through. pitches. Then switch.
time. It should take about 3 minutes to play.
visualize play play this doodle
the color of the eyes of someone your instrument unconventionally.
you love. “Play” this visual. Experiment with non-musical sounds.
Try playing the strings of the piano,
half-valving, using guitar feedback, (2+ players). Interpret this however you like, but
etc. read it as distinct 4 sections or “movements.”
Make sure the group stays together throughout.

play this graph

meditate use
on a slow series of notes played three pitches for as long as you
in random sequence. Let them can, in any octave. When you
float in the air, and practice get bored, keep one and pick
The vertical axis is intensity. The horizontal is listening deeply to each one. two new ones. Repeat.
time. It should take about 3 minutes to play. Take 3 minutes.

use think play this doodle

three pitches for as long as you of a short sentence. “Say” it with
can, in any octave. When you your instrument. Try to imitate the
get bored, keep two and pick sounds of the words, rather than
one new one. Repeat. the emotion. Keep trying new (2+ players). Interpret this however you like, but
read it as distinct 4 sections or “movements.”
ways to “say”it. Make sure the group stays together throughout.
limit “read” play (>2 players)

yourself to three pitches. You can a piece of text from a book or long tones together. Don't try to
play them in any octave. Do this magazine using your instrument. sound “right.” Just enjoy the
for as long as you can. Try to express the rhythm and sounds as they clash and fill the
sound of the words. Trade room.
sentences if you're in a group.

dance short try (>2 players)

or gesture using a part of your notes only. Keep everything to play a series of short notes at
body. Now translate the motion choppy, using as many pitches as exactly the same time as your
through your instrument. (group?) you like. Do this for as long as partner, without looking at each
you can. other. Accept that it will sound
messy.

“read” play this graph

clap
a piece of text from a book or or tap out any repeating rhythm.
magazine using your instrument. Now play it with your instrument
Use only three pitches, in any using as many pitches as you like.
octave. Trade sentences if you're
The vertical axis is relative pitch. The horizontal is
in a group. time. It should take about 2 minutes to play.
use use use
five pitches in only one octave. four pitches in any octave. When four pitches in only one octave.
you get bored, keep two and
pick two new ones. Repeat.

one (>2 players)

pick tell (>2 players)

person plays a repeating pattern two groups of 4 notes. These are a story about anything. Your
or groove. The other person your “chords.” Improvise with the partner should improvise a
improvises over it. Then switch. first group for 8 measures. Then soundtrack to go along.
Don't communicate verbally. Just switch. Repeat for as long as you
listen for your turn. can.

call (>2 players) play this graph

simon.
and response: One is the “caller” Play musical “simon.” Play two
and one is the “responder.” Play random notes. Repeat over and
this until you're bored, and then over, adding a new note to the
switch. end of the sequence each time.
The vertical axis is relative pitch. The horizontal is
time. It should take about 3 minutes to play. See how long you can go.
“read” use trade (>2 players)

a piece of text from a book or just two intervals. You are free to turns. You can only play one
magazine using your instrument. move it around and use as many note, chord, or sound per turn.
Use as many pitches as you like. pitches as you like. Improvise a piece this way.
Trade sentences if you're in a
group.

create (solo)
choose pick
a conversation between two three pitches. Play them in any two pitches. You can use any
“characters.” One should be high octave until you get bored. Then octave.
and one should be low. If you're keep one and pick two new
playing a piano, use your right & ones. Repeat..
left hands.

build select use

a scale or pick one you already a duration. Use as many notes (or three pitches in any octave.
know. Improvise a piece using rests) as you like, but use only this
only this scale. If you have a one duration.
partner, your partner should use a
different scale.
use fill (2+ players)
think (2+ players)

three pitches in any octave. the room with a chord or scale. of an animal and improvise a
(Sus and Minor chords work piece inspired by it. Ask your
best.) Drone like this and lose partner to guess what it is.
yourself in the sound. Meditate on
it for about 2 minutes.

play this graph

play play this graph
a slow series of chords (notes if
you don't have a chord
instrument). Do not try to make
“real” chords. Just play random
The vertical axis is relative pitch. The horizontal is The vertical axis is intensity. The horizontal is
time. It should take about 2 minutes to play. groups of notes. Listen. time. It should take about 3 minutes to play.

use play play

one note. Play in any octave. only notes in the harmonic series, a melody that you know well.
picking whichever note you want Now repeat it over and over, but
as the starting note. alter it by changing the rhythms
and note durations. Do not
change the pitches.