RE: zen and the fluent music

["Hartung, Kris" <kris.hartung@hp.com>]

"[Snip]... Only most musicians are hardly able to play like that and
claim that the public wants some ABACA... structure... probably a
reminder of old dance styles and polite forms... and simply a help for
the memory... easy composing... ?"

Probably true, though it strikes me as odd based on how my brain works
with music. I actually find it easier to compose or perform
non-repetitive free improv, rather than music with some structure.
Building structure based on rules seems like a lot of work!  The
structure usually becomes a psychological inhibitor for me, stifling
creativity and freedom of expression. In fact, I feel more at ease with
myself as a musician and in tune with the flow of things when I pick up
my guitar, randomly pick a note on the fret board, and start playing as
if I were having a conversation or telling a story to someone....nothing
really repeats...mostly notes... maybe an occasional dyad or triad to
make a point, etc.  It all depends on what you want to say. I like that
looping that sort of thing for about 2 minutes, then having a
conversation with myself in parallel....complementing the first version
of the story with a parallel version, which ends up creating a whole new
story.

Moreover, it doesn't surprise me that many people have an affinity
toward repetition. I don't think we can blame the human kind for this
sort of behavior. After all, nature is based on repetition (waves,
cycles, seasons, bio-rhythms, vibrations, predictability, etc), and we
are a part of nature...it makes sense to me that when we evolve in a
system that exhibits a tremendous amount of repetition that we (the
majority that is) will naturally evolve to be attracted to repetition.
It's hard to "prescribe" that people should go against repetition, when
they are a natural part of, and generated from a system that is based on
repetition.  However, based on your 90% rule, some will breakout of this
affinity...which isn't surprising either. The bell curve in nature
allows for all this deviation. Some of us just happen to be on one end
of the curve. Everyone does what they do, everyone is what it is on this
spectrum.  Hence, we should really celebrate this diversity rather than
prescribing that the middle of the bell curve join us on one end of the
spectrum....that seems to me to go against the natural flow of things.
If someone wants to play ABABCA all night, and this provides enjoyment
and fulfillment to him/her...then that's what they should do.  That just
may be what seems natural to them, but not so to others who don't get
off on structure and repition. Different strokes for different folks,
man...let them eat cake!

Kris