>Delivered-To: drmcafe-skzb at dreamcafe.com >Date: Thu, 15 Aug 2002 11:57:48 -0700 (PDT) >From: Chris Olson - SunPS <Chrisf.Olson at Sun.COM> >Reply-To: Chris Olson - SunPS <Chrisf.Olson at Sun.COM> >Subject: RE: OT: bois (was: Sethra Lavode vs. Enchantress of Dzur Mountain) >To: skzb at dreamcafe.com >X-Mailer: dtmail 1.3.0 @(#)CDE Version 1.4.2 SunOS 5.8 sun4u sparc > >Steven Brust wrote: > > 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. > >With this in mind, would you agree that, after coming >to understand and develop certain techniques to the point >where you are no longer conciously "thinking" of what you >are doing, and instead are "thinking" in the "language" of >your actions, you can reach the point where you can deviate >from the standard, rote forms and creativity can take over? > >To put another way, using martial arts as an example, after >years of practicing the techniques, developing the movements >to the point where they are ingrained into your body, no longer >having to "think" of what you're doing, you can then >allow yourself to improvise and be creative in what you're doing. >This would, I would think, mean that the subconscious is what houses >the ingrained techniques, and the conscious is where the creativity >comes from. > >I know, for instance, in opera singing (something I've trained in) >it takes years to develop the proper amounts of relaxation in the >throat and larynx, muscles used in the diaphram, proper formation >of vowels, etc. After these techniques are so ingrained that you need >not think about them to perform them, you can move away from them and >be "creative" in your singing. You can add tension here and there, and >get a musical-theater sound. You can tighten the throat and get rid >of vibratto. You can "create" a different sound. But if you try >this before the "proper" techinique is second nature, you may be >damaging your voice, or not getting the sound you're really looking for. > >I'm not a drummer, but I know enough about rhythm to guess that it >is similar. When you've got the proper technique and rhythms >down, you can start going off on your own ad-hoc. Until then, you >can try, but you'd most likely stumble around, miss a beat, get >tangled between the quarters and the 16ths, etc. > > >Or I'm just talking out of my lower extremities... :) > >Chris > >"Blind man's night is music to the deaf, and >everyone has *two* paths, not one, whence comes >tragedy and comedy, forsooth and damn straight, >son." > - "The Gypsy" - Brust & Lindholm