115.208Apply to “Happy Birthday”

Because it is public domain, take the familiar melody and insert:

an 8-bar improvisational interlude.

Do not quote the full melody during the interlude.

Instead derive from:

• repeated-note rhythm
• 5→6→5-ish contour ideas
• phrase-opening pickup character

Use:

one motif

one chromatic approach

one register climax

then return to tune.

This turns familiar material into:

motivic improvisation.