Re: "Perspective/Perception Is Everything"

[lance glover <baumhaus@earthlink.net>]

"Jonathan@full-moon.com" wrote:

> On Thursday, January 18, 2001 10:40 AM, Stephen P. Goodman
> [SMTP:spgoodman@earthlight.net] wrote:
> > > > Well, I'm sorry you find the idea of formal musical education 
>absurd
> or
> > > > offensive.  I hope you can someday find it in yourself to grant 
>other
> > > > people the indulgence of pursuing the creative path that most suits
> > > > their own personal beliefs and goals.
> > >
> > > But is it? Ask yourself if learning how to create from a textbook and
> > > "professionals" is really all that creative?
> > >
>
> How you learn doesn't matter; you're doing it right now, on this list.
>
> If someone was to go through all the Looper's archives, edit the best 
>posts
> and publish it in textbook from, with annotations, insightful comment, 
>and
> excercises for the reader, would you use it? I think so.
>
> However, most formal education comes in a form, from a source and at a 
>time
> that are highly inappropriate for learning and development. The books 
>are,
> for the most part, depressingly dry, my experience of school teachers has
> lead me to believe they are on the whole, rather dull, disfunctional 
>and/or
> outright malicous, and adolescence and ones early twenties are a time of
> life much more apropriate for sex than studying.
>
> In order to be creative, one needs to learn and practice. Having 
>teachers,
> and books on the subject, if either are any good, will make this easier,
> not harder. You just haven't found the right books, or teachers.
>
> bIz

i agrre with that last bit. good teachers are very few and far between, but
they do exist, not especially where you think you'll find them (or where
they're supposed to be). i remember one of the shakti albums (i think) is
dedicated by john m. to "my teachers". this always reminded me of the 
handful
of people in my life who have seen something worthwhile in me and inspired 
me
to push myself toward something i could not imagine. every time i sit down 
to
create something, i try (but often fail) to keep these bright lights in the
forefront of my mind. not for "what would they think?" or "how would they 
do
it?", but more for their unequivocal support... as time goes on these
characters become more and more the internal manifestations of the muse, 
and
with the appropirate attitude i believe can become a great well of creative
energy...

lance g.