Today I said one of the smartest, most intuitive things I've ever said.
Rhythm creates expectation.
I mean, duh. How I did not put this into words earlier is a complete mystery, because it's something that's been on the tip of my brain for a long time. I wish I were better musically with rhythm. I'm not as good as I want to be. I can dance with an insane and accurate rhythm to melt concrete, but for whatever reason, when it comes to making music, I get overly wrapped up in agogics. It's very frustrating, because I often feel it all working in the moment, but it never seems to translate that well when I listen back.
Anyway, teaching is so simultaneously mundane and fascinating. If you pay attention, things like the above will just slip from your lips at the most unexpected moments. That particular phrase fell out to an eight year old who was playing a piece called, "Tiger Stalking." I explained to him that there was no way anyone was going to be surprised if he played the ROAR! cluster after a series of arhythmic nonsense. They're not set up to expect anything in time, and if there is no expectation, then there's no suspense. Then I played it for him in rhythm, and even though he knew exactly what was coming, I still managed to get a genuine gasp and jump after a carefully timed fermata. So even if he forgets that "rhythm creates expectation," which I doubt he will, after our lengthy experimentation and laborious counting, I will not forget it. I needed the reminder probably more than he did.
Go on ahead, now. Apply that to life. Because, of course, like almost all of this other dribble, this too can be considered a metaphor.
Here we go, Day 197: https://ia600808.us.archive.org/2/items/Improv22712/20120227152734.mp3
Rhythm creates expectation.
I mean, duh. How I did not put this into words earlier is a complete mystery, because it's something that's been on the tip of my brain for a long time. I wish I were better musically with rhythm. I'm not as good as I want to be. I can dance with an insane and accurate rhythm to melt concrete, but for whatever reason, when it comes to making music, I get overly wrapped up in agogics. It's very frustrating, because I often feel it all working in the moment, but it never seems to translate that well when I listen back.
Anyway, teaching is so simultaneously mundane and fascinating. If you pay attention, things like the above will just slip from your lips at the most unexpected moments. That particular phrase fell out to an eight year old who was playing a piece called, "Tiger Stalking." I explained to him that there was no way anyone was going to be surprised if he played the ROAR! cluster after a series of arhythmic nonsense. They're not set up to expect anything in time, and if there is no expectation, then there's no suspense. Then I played it for him in rhythm, and even though he knew exactly what was coming, I still managed to get a genuine gasp and jump after a carefully timed fermata. So even if he forgets that "rhythm creates expectation," which I doubt he will, after our lengthy experimentation and laborious counting, I will not forget it. I needed the reminder probably more than he did.
Go on ahead, now. Apply that to life. Because, of course, like almost all of this other dribble, this too can be considered a metaphor.
Here we go, Day 197: https://ia600808.us.archive.org/2/items/Improv22712/20120227152734.mp3