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Active: 2625 users

Impromptu vs Preparation

Blogs > Kenpachi
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Kenpachi
Profile Blog Joined August 2009
United States9908 Posts
October 17 2013 02:16 GMT
#1
I don't know. I guess this is one of those thoughts that just float around in my head. I always had much greater value for the ability to do things without planning. I thought it showed more skill/talent in a way. If you prepare something, you can just simply get used to doing what you are doing and be comfortable that way. Without preparation, you are speaking off the top of your head or acting intuitively and I thought this gave way to who you were more accurately. But sometimes, I feel like my own arguments are irrational because I'm dejecting a way of thought. Because when you do prepare, your best work tends to show. But it's also impractical to rehearse everything in a day and I feel it loses authenticity in your actions.
Just a thought.

*
Nada's body is South Korea's greatest weapon.
jrkirby
Profile Blog Joined August 2010
United States1510 Posts
October 17 2013 02:38 GMT
#2
All of my piano playing is impromptu.
DarkPlasmaBall
Profile Blog Joined March 2010
United States45976 Posts
October 17 2013 02:46 GMT
#3
I prefer being organized and prepared whenever I have the opportunity... I like to consider as many options if possible, and try to choose the best one, rather than just wing it. I've seen far too many people not be prepared for something because they have a "just wing it" mindset and miss out on things they could have had with at least a little planning.

I can be spontaneous, but I'd rather have knowledge ahead of time.
"There is nothing more satisfying than looking at a crowd of people and helping them get what I love." ~Day[9] Daily #100
Jerubaal
Profile Blog Joined June 2010
United States7684 Posts
October 17 2013 03:00 GMT
#4
Once in a high school, I had to give a speech to be nominated for a state club office (HOSA, if you've heard of it). I was unopposed and it was a pretty Mickey Mouse scenario so I thought I'd give some bullshit speech modeled after Creon's first speech in Antigone (some crap about the ship of state). I didn't really prepare though and for my hubris I lost my train of thought and muttered 'oh shit' in front of about 60 other people. There were some titters but I wrapped it up and no one ever brought it up again.

More on topic, what particular scenarios are you thinking of? In important discussions, I think it's important to go very slowly.
I'm not stupid, a marauder just shot my brain.
Kenpachi
Profile Blog Joined August 2009
United States9908 Posts
Last Edited: 2013-10-17 03:14:11
October 17 2013 03:13 GMT
#5
On October 17 2013 11:38 jrkirby wrote:
All of my piano playing is impromptu.

I want to get to that level!

Yeah, I guess it can also be argued that impromptu skills develop in a way if you prepare enough, right?
Assuming you've practiced to be able to do that >>

On October 17 2013 12:00 Jerubaal wrote:
Once in a high school, I had to give a speech to be nominated for a state club office (HOSA, if you've heard of it). I was unopposed and it was a pretty Mickey Mouse scenario so I thought I'd give some bullshit speech modeled after Creon's first speech in Antigone (some crap about the ship of state). I didn't really prepare though and for my hubris I lost my train of thought and muttered 'oh shit' in front of about 60 other people. There were some titters but I wrapped it up and no one ever brought it up again.

More on topic, what particular scenarios are you thinking of? In important discussions, I think it's important to go very slowly.

The thought arose when I was thinking about how I have piss poor conversational skills sometimes. I just blabber something that implies other things (Freudian slips :x).
Nada's body is South Korea's greatest weapon.
jrkirby
Profile Blog Joined August 2010
United States1510 Posts
October 17 2013 04:19 GMT
#6
On October 17 2013 12:13 Kenpachi wrote:
Show nested quote +
On October 17 2013 11:38 jrkirby wrote:
All of my piano playing is impromptu.

I want to get to that level!

Yeah, I guess it can also be argued that impromptu skills develop in a way if you prepare enough, right?
Assuming you've practiced to be able to do that >>



Well, when I first started playing piano, I was forced to take lessons and read sheet music and all that. Then I stopped playing because I didn't enjoy it, and my parents would let me stop. After that I took a music theory course, and started to understand why songs were written the way they were with key sigatures and all that. I started playing a bit again, but this time instead of reading music I just sort of played whatever I felt like. After a while whatever I felt like playing started actually sounding pretty good. Now I play piano whenever I get the chance, and it's all entirely impromptu.
13th Marine
Profile Joined January 2011
United States344 Posts
October 17 2013 05:03 GMT
#7
In my opinion, effective preparation allows for efficient improvisation.
Bomber | BoxeR | Dear | Flash | fOrGG | HerO | INnoVation | Jaedong | Life | MarineKing | Maru | MMA | MVP | NaDa | Polt | Taeja
hp.Shell
Profile Blog Joined April 2010
United States2527 Posts
Last Edited: 2013-10-17 05:42:58
October 17 2013 05:40 GMT
#8
Both are admirable. It's a battle of talent vs practice; hard work beats talent unless talent works hard.

Edit: I have bad conversational skills too, even to the point of unintended double entendres, that sometimes makes stuff with friends super awkward. Sometimes I don't even realize that there even was a double entendre in what I said until days later, so I can't imagine what other people are thinking when I say something like that. I have had people think I'm gay before, and that is probably the major reason. So I'm definitely trying to improve my conversation skills so that others don't get the wrong impression. I'd love to get to a conversational level where I was able to use double entendres with women, though.
Please PM me with any songs you like that you think I haven't heard before!
doubleupgradeobbies!
Profile Blog Joined June 2008
Australia1296 Posts
Last Edited: 2013-10-17 12:22:13
October 17 2013 12:18 GMT
#9
Both are incredibly important, and mutually benefit each other.

Obviously, you can't prepare for every situation (probably not even most situations you expect to encounter in life), but when you are sufficiently prepared you almost invariably perform better than by improvising on the spot. You simply need to be able to do both.

The good thing is, the ability to do things impromptu makes the process preparation/practice much easier and more effective, you able to arrive at the optimal way to do things more intuitively and faster, the rest is just practice to iron out the details. Preparation also helps you improvise, every decision, action, skill that you have prepared will be another tool in your arsenal for improvisation, something you can quickly integrate into your skillset because you have already trod down that path and worked at it.

The general rule, for just about everything, but especially for important things is: be prepared whenever you can, but be prepared to have to perform impromptu where there is a preparation shortfalls (a shortfall which realistically will happen far more often than you being fully prepared for most things you do).
MSL, 2003-2011, RIP. OSL, 2000-2012, RIP. Proleague, 2003-2012, RIP. And then there was none... Even good things must come to an end.
BirdKiller
Profile Joined January 2011
United States428 Posts
Last Edited: 2013-10-18 02:39:06
October 18 2013 02:38 GMT
#10
Preparation reduces the frequency of impromptu/sudden response. Being adept at executing and proper impromptu acts reduces the impact of uncertainties in your planning and removes unnecessary depth and complexities to it. Both are needed. Both are not mutually exclusive.
biology]major
Profile Blog Joined April 2010
United States2253 Posts
October 18 2013 02:56 GMT
#11
I love this distinction, and I think life would be more fun if we did everything impromptu as it comes to us. Practically though we would probably be homeless and jerking off, so a balance of both is the best. When it comes to self expression- impromptu is far superior to planning, because it is no longer authentic in the present. When it comes to goal setting and achieving planning is superior imo.
Question.?
mizU
Profile Blog Joined April 2010
United States12125 Posts
October 21 2013 20:46 GMT
#12
You need preparation, a foundation to improvise with.
You need the basic skills and knowledge down before you can start to improvise anything.
But yes, non-rehearsed performances or presentations are the most genuine, but are normally backed by a ton of preparation.
if happy ever afters did exist <3 @watamizu_
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