An introspective piece on the wonders of improv and how our cerebral ensemble of neuro-harmonics can unleash the inventive spirit of an artist extraordinaire. Join me in Part 3 as I dive into the mystical psyche of an improvert — a journey with porpoise, voyaging through the playful mind of our inner dolphin.
With form, comes freedom. The celebrated theatrical saying couldn’t be more grounding along this voyage of subconscious free-flow. As neuroscience illuminates, there are many benefits to the tangential acts of improv and playing a musical instrument. Finding a repetitive structure that matches our connectome harmonics can unlock a lifetime of focused curiosity, unleashing an infinite supply of cortical energy.
Revisiting our inner porpoise
Reflecting on the uncanny resemblance of our cognitive cousin in Part 1, we begin to fuse the sensory repertoire of a playful dolphin enchanting our wondrous mind. In Part 2, we reveal a sensory concerto of neuro-harmonic fireworks. Now, as we confront the ego of an aspiring improvert, we begin to conjure a mesmerising mandala of neocortical potential.
An echo of the soul
‘My mandalas were cryptograms concerning the state of the self which were presented to me anew each day. In them I saw the self – that is, my whole being…’
— Memories, Dreams, Reflections, C.G. Jung
Nurturing our cerebral mandala resembles an introspective vessel, exposing unique sensory elements of the wondrous mind through catharsis and conditioning.
So, how is our cerebral mandala shaping up? What might we need to neurohack the brain and hone our ability to improvise?
Like a blue bottlenose dolphin dreaming of graceful somersaults and flapping its fins in ecstasy, we, too, dream in leaps and bounds. This fundamental act of ‘cerebral defragging’ holds an intriguing mystique.
For instance, the otherworldly inspiration musicians report while improvising is, in many ways, akin to a dream-like state. Consider the experiential synergy with dreaming: when we dream, we experience a loss of agency. We have no conscious control over the process in much the same way as improvisation unfolds. As neuroscientist, Bradley Vines puts it: ‘Dreaming [resembles] our built-in psychological therapist’, helping us process experiential encounters and resolve stress-related stimuli.
Regularly taking the time to consult this gratuitous psychotherapist is a no-brainer; it holds the key to uncovering our sensory repertoire and conditioning a pre-improvisational rite of passage.
Riffing on repertoire
Like the curious, confident poise of a dolphin, tuneful acts of improvisation are dependent on traits conditioned over time through diverse exposure to theory and repertory development. Here, specificity and repetition appear as crucial elements that steer our creative impulses. To enter a state of free flow, we need to set the neurology first — allowing synaptic pathways to develop procedural memory throughout the connectome. In essence, we must train the instrument that trains the instrument.
To liberate the inner master creator, Kenny Werner, jazz pianist and Artistic Director at Berklee College of Music, introduces the concept of ‘effortless mastery’ — embracing spontaneity, fearlessness, joy, and discipline as key components for strengthening one’s ability to improvise.
Werner summarises this effortless process in four steps which involve meditative interludes, enabling us to travel to ‘the space’ beyond the conscious mind. In this cosy place of rest and calm, unique to each improvert, one note can be all it takes to riff off on an experimental tangent — free of our inner critic.
4 steps to effortless mastery:
- Play a note on one’s instrument while relaxed and calm.
- Play a free improvisation while in said state.
- Discover what things one can play while in this state.
- Master playing music effortlessly.
While this approach may seem easier said than done, it encompasses an enlightening mantra: conditioning a space of calm and clarity where experimentation unfolds in twists and spirals. Much like our cognitive cousin, this sensory portal propels us into a state of intuitive nuance, honing the self-confident ‘third eye’.
On an equally inspiring note, humour writer Kate Brennan demonstrates a playful exercise combining image, text, art and impulse — ‘[tapping] into a mindful state in order to invite focus, clarity and truth’. A combination of dramaturgy and doodling, this exercise guides the freedom within the form.
A multi-instrumentalist at one with improv
‘Ever since I was a child I would test different spaces with my voice or whistle or violin. Whatever sound you make it’s like a giant limb that can reach beyond your fingers and grope the corners of the room. Now when I’m on tour playing a different theater every night we “tune” the room, hunting down the bass traps and the standing waves to give the listener the most even and wide spectrum of sound.’
Andrew Bird
Arousing the connectome
Fusing neuroscience, psychology and technology encompasses a wide range of techniques which can enhance mental clarity and overall cerebral health. By influencing the brain’s neuroplasticity, we can potentially ignite new neural connections — arousing cortical energy across our connectome harmonics.
So what techniques could we apply to arouse our wondrous mind?
Both invasive and non-invasive methods exist. Depending on our sensitivity spectrum and risk tolerance, we can choose to infuse a plethora of options.
- Nootropics and supplements:
Substances such as modafinil, racetams, caffeine, and L-theanine improving focus and memory. - Neurofeedback and Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCIs):
Real-time displays of brain activity inducing focus, relaxation or creativity. - Binaural beats and auditory stimulation:
Brain tap sequencing that combines light, sound and guided meditation to synchronise brainwaves and promote relaxation, focus, and mental clarity. - Nutrition:
Optimising brain health by consuming a diet rich in omega-3. - Meditation and mindfulness:
Increase grey matter density (i.e. emotional regulation, learning, and memory) through meditation, breathing exercises, and visualisation.
Binding the improvert within
Conjuring our inner dolphin on improv may seem like a spectacular tale of fiction. But all it takes is practice with purpose: a pre-conditioned state of awareness, calm and hyperfocus — filled with twists of vibrato and spirals of impulsivity summoning our neuro-harmonic ensemble to a space beyond our inner critic.
For the ever-curious soul, we could even take this ponderous stretch an octave further — priming our subconscious mind on an improvisational formula of hyperfocus.
A simple equation might ensue: technique + intuition + focus = improv
Or, we might dare to outsource this experimental equation to Gemini…
Purely, as a thought experiment, striving to maintain harmony between excitatory and inhibitory neurons can influence the core elements of improv: creativity, spontaneity, and risk-taking.
For example, if our dopamine-induced activity is slightly higher* (say 10%) than our GABA-induced energy** (say -10%), we should reach an optimal correlational experience for improvising (i.e. II = 0).
* This could be a meditative exercise at onset of an instrumental session.
** This could be simply refraining from memorised recall such as sheet music.
The question is how to evoke such harmony at will. Well, the beauty of the neuronal equation lies in the synthesis of our cerebral mandala. We may indeed be bereft of free will, passengers in a world overflowing with stimuli, but self-regulating this cortical connectome can bring us closer to spurring the wondrous mind of an improvert extraordinaire.
What better way to unleash our inner dolphin than by conducting a neuro-harmonic ensemble of triggered impulsivity and hyperfocus, just as Leonard Bernstein brought the London Symphony Orchestra to an epic conclusion.
