Regarding The Ideal Home Music Library, Vol. 2, part 3
The wheels are finally in motion. Last night I went to sleep listening to Schumann's Scenes From Childhood and I woke up at 4AM with an intro for Up On The Orange Moon in my head. I climbed out of bed and sketched out just the melody. I just scribbled out the notes in the main melody and made a sketch of what the rest of the texture would be. While I was lying down in bed I took a good mental picture of what I was imagining, so I wouldn't forget what the general texture would end up like. So that's progress, then, isn't it.
I also had a meeting with Darrell Grant of Portland State this morning, during which he told me some specific things I need to work on over the summer. I felt really good when I left his office. Now I don't have to work on Bach (not that I mind working on Bach) and can concentrate on solo piano arrangements of my favorite songs. I'm going to work on My Romance and But Not For Me. The former is already finished, but I want to improve it, and I need to practice it. The latter is in its infancy, with the first 8 measures done, plus an intro. That's going to be the bulk of my work for school. So If I can spend the summer doing solo arrangements of other people's songs, then doing solo arrangements of my own songs will be that much easier. Every creative thing I do feeds every other creative thing I do.
Not only that, but the immortal Bob Ham gave me a copy of one of those little 33 1/3 books for my birthday (thanks Bob!): the one about the Beatles' Let It Be. I was wondering if anyone out there was going to do one of those about the Beatles. Reading about their creative process got me all inspired as well.
It's amazing what that, coupled with talking to oneself online can do to bolster one's creativity. But enough writing about it, get to work, son!
I also had a meeting with Darrell Grant of Portland State this morning, during which he told me some specific things I need to work on over the summer. I felt really good when I left his office. Now I don't have to work on Bach (not that I mind working on Bach) and can concentrate on solo piano arrangements of my favorite songs. I'm going to work on My Romance and But Not For Me. The former is already finished, but I want to improve it, and I need to practice it. The latter is in its infancy, with the first 8 measures done, plus an intro. That's going to be the bulk of my work for school. So If I can spend the summer doing solo arrangements of other people's songs, then doing solo arrangements of my own songs will be that much easier. Every creative thing I do feeds every other creative thing I do.
Not only that, but the immortal Bob Ham gave me a copy of one of those little 33 1/3 books for my birthday (thanks Bob!): the one about the Beatles' Let It Be. I was wondering if anyone out there was going to do one of those about the Beatles. Reading about their creative process got me all inspired as well.
It's amazing what that, coupled with talking to oneself online can do to bolster one's creativity. But enough writing about it, get to work, son!