I wanted to talk about the indie band Pulp today because I think that there are some really great lessons we can learn from them as improvisers, especially from the album A Different Class.

It is a brilliant album and I always thought it should of been turned into a musical. As an improviser, there is lots you can take from it to develop both your normal scenes and even musical! Let us delve into this now!

Storytelling

When you are trying to tell a story and you only have to be a few minutes long it can be very difficult. Yes, I know that bands take ages to write lyrics but if you listen to how they tell their stories in a short time they are concise and to the point. Think about an improv scene – you only have a short time to tell a story – can you do it like this precise, engaging and to the point? Take a listen to the song above to hear a Pulp example.

Singing Techniques

If there is one thing that is obvious about Pulp is their singing techniques are unique and change throughout the song. Listen to the wat that Jarvis goes from singing to talking all the time – it creates variety, interest and ‘texture’. You could do this with improv singing – alternate the way you sing to create intrigue and entertainment for the audience.

Emotions

One thing that is obvious from Pulp songs is the level of emotions expressed through the simple way of saying things. Take a moment to listen to the sing above – think about the emotions that you hear. Just simple ways of creating emotions which you can do as well in your improvising. You can create emotions in such easy things such as the way you say a word, the length of the way you say it and even a whisper can create impact.

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