X
An exercise is a simulation from real life to prepare us for an opportunity which may present itself in the moment. This opportunity may take the form of being in a particular place, at a particular time, that gives us a break in our career; agents, or record producers are in the house, or musicians we wish to work with. But the real opportunity is this: to respond to the spirit of music as it flies by.
If music is a quality organised in sound, for music to be musical in the full sense of the word, all three elements must be present. Much music that we hear is musical only in a limited sense: we may hear sound organised along musical lines, played on musical instruments, even perhaps well-established pieces from the repertoire of any particular genre that we may know well, but something is missing. And we may hear a piece, badly conceived and poorly played, which comes alive, buzzing and vibrant. Which is really musical?
If, in developing the craft of musician, we learn the rules of transforming sound into music, or attracting music into sound, we may discover what it takes to upgrade the human animal to the human being. Or, bring the being to the human. Perhaps the craft of being a musician and the craft of being a person are the same: a craft.
The rules of one craft are the rules of all crafts. If this is so, we may apply analogy.
In tuning a note, we are tuning ourselves. In establishing a harmony, we are bringing all the disparate and fragmented parts of who we are into a simultaneous relationship. In developing a melody, we are developing our one note through time. In establishing the right tempo, we are relating our personal sense of time to society in which we are present. In the inflexion of timing, we bend fixity to make sense of the moment: our living acquires nuance. There is a right time to go sharp, and flat, and be on top of the beat. Rhythm can be based in stability, in even metre, or organic and vital: we will know the measure of the time, and the tempo, and the timing. Perhaps our life is an improvisation. Or it may be developing from a given theme, with variations proceding according to the rules. We may go solo, or learn to play with others. Perhaps we will be composed and leave it at that.
When we are tuning a string, what are we tuning? If we have difficulty with tuning the string, where is the problem? In the string? Well, occasionally perhaps; but in tuning the string, we are tuning ourselves. Does the tone of the string sound good? If not, why not? Is it the fault of the instrument? Sometimes, perhaps. How is our tempo of playing? Does it match the moment? How is our timing?
We establish our centre of gravity for both hands on the instrument; when we take our hands from the instrument, what changes? Do we have a centre of gravity which remains with us?
