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A Note
From Bob
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April, 2001 Where does the inspiration and ideas to write music come from? Often I am asked how I was able to write a few hundred big band arrangements, orchestral arrangements, chamber music, tunes, etc. The answer, although probably not what you want to hear, is simple. I spend some time every day writing, and a good deal of time thinking about ideas that eventually become compositions or arrangements. Some of my best ideas come to me while walking my dog in the woods. Other things occur to me while driving in my car. I find myself imagining general musical shapes and concepts before the actual notes and harmonies come to fruition. Some recent general concepts I have considered are: 1. Having an orchestral string section create a mambo groove Playing pizzicato. 2. Finding a way to have a big band horn section play softly in mutes with intensity over a fast swing feel. 3. Creating a second line New Orleans sound with a symphony orchestra and an orchestral percussion section. Well, you can get an idea of what I'm working on at the moment. But whatever it is, I try to conceptualize the piece before looking for the specifics. That is, I try to hear the shape and essence of the music away from an instrument. If you get in the habit of thinking that way you will be surprised with the results. Another area of inspiration is listening to all kinds of music. Just recently I heard a Mahler symphony that gave me all sorts of ideas for a big band composition. It was the general tone and shape that made me think of other things more along the lines of what I do. The new Steely Dan CD [Two Against Nature] has given me some other ideas and a different kind of inspiration. I urge everyone to check out this cd. The other area I deal with for ideas for compositions is free association on either the piano, saxophone, or drums, where I'll just improvise for a while and be vigilant for anything that catches my fancy. Once something comes long that I like I can then isolate it and work on it a bit. I must say that the majority of my compositions result at least initially from an improvisatory accident! The hard work results from the cultivating and shaping of those accidents. I believe I spoke about this last month in this column in the context of finding new things to play in your solos. Here's a quick story for you: I was doing a week long engagement at a club in Newark, NJ, back in the late '70s with a nice quintet. The guitar player came over to me on the first break one of the nights and said that he felt I was playing too many notes in my solos. It was hard for him to play with me. I felt that this was quite provocative, and frankly it hurt to hear this. I thought about it for a while, realizing that this guy wouldn't say such a thing just for the sake of being vindictive. He must have genuinely felt this way. So on the next set I made a concerted effort to play less. The guitar player began to smile, and actually the music began to smile as well! It felt much better to play that way. I am forever indebted to this guy for pulling my coat to something which has shaped my musical concept, and has allowed me to find my voice with greater clarity. Peace, Bob Mintzer |