Impromptu vs. Improvise — What's the Difference?

An impromptu (, French: [ɛ̃pʁɔ̃pty], loosely meaning "offhand") is a free-form musical composition with the character of an ex tempore improvisation as if prompted by the spirit of the moment, usually for a solo instrument, such as piano. According to Allgemeine musikalische Zeitung, Johann Baptist Cramer began publishing piano pieces under the (sub-)title of "impromptu." (AMZ, Mar.

To make, compose, or perform with little or no preparation

Prompted by the occasion rather than being planned in advance

To make or provide from available materials

Spoken, performed, done, or composed with little or no preparation; extemporaneous

To make, compose, or perform something extemporaneously.

With little or no preparation; extemporaneously.

To make do with whatever materials are at hand

Something, such as a speech, that is made or done extemporaneously.

To make something up or invent it as one goes on; to proceed guided only by imagination, intuition, and guesswork rather than by a careful plan.

(Music) A short composition, especially for the piano, performed in an offhand or extemporized style.

To compose, recite, or sing extemporaneously, especially in verse; to extemporize; also, to play upon an instrument, or to act, extemporaneously.

Improvised; without prior preparation, planning or rehearsal.

To bring about, arrange, do, or make, immediately or on short notice, without previous preparation and with no known precedent as a guide.

(music) A short musical composition for an informal occasion often with the character of improvisation and usually to be played solo.

To invent, or provide, offhand, or on the spur of the moment; as, he improvised a hammer out of a stone.

(by extension) Any composition, musical or otherwise, that is created on the spot without preparation.

To produce or render extemporaneous compositions, especially in verse or in music, without previous preparation; hence, to do anything offhand.

Offhand; without previous study; extemporaneous; extempore; as, an impromptu verse.

Perform without preparation;

Something made or done offhand, at the moment, or without previous study; an extemporaneous composition, address, or remark.

Manage in a makeshift way; do with whatever is at hand;

A piece composed or played at first thought; a composition in the style of an extempore piece.

An extemporaneous speech or remark;

A short musical passage that seems to have been made spontaneously without advance preparation

With little or no preparation or forethought;

Without advance preparation;