Re: Improvising vs. composing

[ArsOcarina@aol.com]

Hi folks,

I too struggle with the choice of doing either wholly improvised 
or composed music with some of the same problems you all
mention. The CD I did a couple of years back was entirely 
improvised and was the result of one of those rare and 
sublime "spiritual highs" that was mentioned.

Problems arose for me as I started to go out and gig in support 
of this disc when I tried to replicate (as well as I could) the
pieces on the CD. It was not a fun experience generally -- at 
least not for me. Who knows what the audiences were thinking.

I am not a professional performer by any means. But I did my
best to struggle through and do these gigs anyway. However, 
I do have to say my favorite part of them has always been 
when something went wrong or distracted me for a moment 
and my "muse" suddenly reappeard. 

This would invariably happen when my "plans" had somehow been 
sufficiently knocked off track that true improvising began to 
happen again. I now try to allow for more of this to happen
since it seems (to me) that that is my true calling as a 
musician anyway. I'm amuch better improvisor (even if I am
rather spotty at that) than I am a composer.

I just try to live with and accept that.

Best,

tEd ® kiLLiAn

http://www.pfmentum.com/flux.html
http://www.CDbaby.com/cd/tedkillian
http://www.guitar9.com/fluxaeterna.html
http://www.indiejazz.com/ProductDetailsView.aspx?ProductID=193