The Power Behind a Note
There’s something very fluid about notes, the way they pour out of our instruments when we play. The effect can be slow, their sound quietly filling up the space around us; they can joyfully exhilarate us, the way water from a sprinkler can be a cold surprise; or they can push us backwards, like the driving spray of a hose aimed at our torso!
Why? Why are they so powerful?
We can certainly define notes in simple terms – as musical sounds that ring out for a determined length of time. But there is a more fundamental component, and that is you. You are where the true power of the note radiates.
Every player experiences emotions such as happiness, sadness, and everything in between. Every player lives in a world where Beethoven, Count Basie, The Rolling Stones, and Lady Gaga float through the airwaves. Every player is called to practice improvisation, rhythm and texture. We can take it all in. But when all is said and done, it’s the personal mix of desire, choice and response that creates the unique notes we play.
Can anyone guarantee that you can synthesize all of your experiences and choices into the creation of great music? Probably not; however, it’s that mystery, that curiosity, that search for the answer, that helps you discover that you are the power behind the note.