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The hallmark of a great improviser is the ability to improvise something complex and beautiful from something very simple.

Bach did this in his three-part inventions where he would start with just 2-5 notes and then develop them into a masterpiece.

Many students don’t know this, but Bach was also a master improviser.

He could invent piano pieces on the spot with just a small handful of notes.

And if he lived today, there’s a very good chance that he would be improvising jazz, funk, and other popular styles.

But how many modern-day musicians do you hear improvising in a classical style?

Likely, not many. Why? Because classical musicians are usually not taught to improvise.

“Improv” tends to be a jazz concept, or for musicians playing contemporary, modern songs.

That’s why, when I heard this girl improvise a classical piece from just four notes randomly chosen from a hat, I was floored!

In front of a live audience, she composed a beautiful piece entirely in her head and executed it nearly perfectly.

In this video, I show you this extraordinary moment, and I break down her techniques so that you can improvise in the same way.

What’s surprising about her performance is how simple the techniques are that she uses to transform the melody.

She uses two scales to connect a seemingly odd melody into a hauntingly beautiful piece.

You read that right — just two scales.

And when you learn techniques like this, you’ll discover that almost any melody can be made beautiful.

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