At 08:16 AM 8/15/2002 +0100, Mark Tiller wrote: >Pictures, Sounds, Feeling are the mode of the Subconcious, that's what >it works in, and since creativity is a function of the subconcious >that's why you have to "translate" to words which are used by the >concious mind. I certainly cannot accept that creativity is a function of the subconscious. Indeed, the more I learn, the more I become conscious of different aspects of technique, and the more creative I get. I am not terribly creative as a trap-drummer or guitarist or singer, because, to be blunt, I'm not all that good at those things. I haven't learned enough of their particular language to go much beyond certain rote techniques. On the other hand, I have made a fairly serious study of the doumbek (a middle eastern percussion instrument). I am able to be *much* more creative in playing it than when playing any of the others, because my technique is stronger, my thinking in, if you will, drumereese, is more precise and elegant, my awareness of possibilities is more open to my conscious mind, and so my options increase and a certain amount of creativity has become possible. Reducto ad absurdum--try being creative in a language you do not speak.