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Clinician's Corner: "Follow the Music"

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. John Bliss
  • The USAF Band
BOLLING AFB, D.C. --  At my children's violin class, the teacher allows the students to take turns leading the group songs. On one occasion, they were asked to play together without a leader, at which one student laughed, "The music is the leader!"

He didn't realize how truly he had spoken. "Following the music" should be the primary goal of writers, performers and conductors. However, first you have to figure out where the "music" is going. That requires humility, patience and good instincts, formed by lifelong study and experience.

People often think of writing as a process of invention. I see it more as exploration and discovery, like finding a new way through the forest.

There are many possible paths through the forest, assembled from thousands of individual decisions along the way. Some choices are smoother or more satisfying, depending on the situation. Is the goal to stay close to the beaten path or blaze a new trail? Are you seeking a new shortcut or a scenic detour?

Whether you're working with your own tune or someone else's, try to get a sense of where the music "wants to go." What is the essential character of the music? Does it tell a story (with or without lyrics?) What mood or message is it trying to communicate? What makes this piece unique?

Context is enormously important. In a very simple setting, a single note foreign to the harmony can be jarring. In a very dissonant passage, on the other hand, a simple chord may sound comically out of place.

Play repeatedly through what you've written, and listen for what should come next. As in a good mystery, there should be some surprises along the way. But even those should make sense in retrospect: "Aha!" rather than "Huh?"

Build your sense of harmony by studying good chord progressions. As often as you can, play through Bach chorales and jazz standards (from George Gershwin to Johnny Mandel). Some analysis is helpful, but mostly you want to absorb the sound.

All musical situations have built-in limitations (just like the natural barriers in the forest). The instruments available, the ability of the players and the amount of preparation time will make many decisions for you. Limitations can be pushed against (and sometimes should be,) but never totally disregarded. Often, the need to work around practical problems leads us to fresh creative solutions.

Don't try to follow the same formula every time or impose your own personal stamp on every piece. Make your involvement in the process as invisible as possible. Your personality will still come through, but in more natural ways. Be true to the music, and it will be true to you.

Click to read a short biography of Master Sgt. John Bliss.

For biographical information about other members of The U.S. Air Force Band, please see the Ensembles section of our website.