Paul! Hi! I KNEW your name sounded familiar! You posted once at Rambi and I thought your last name was a pseudonym when I found out you were a musician!
Regarding classical training, I'm a pianist and trained vocalist and have been made to feel almost embarrassed to admit it. Right after college, a hundred years ago, I sang back-up vocals for a rock group. The lead guitarist had no formal training at all. He went on to be a studio musician, and then very, very successful as a producer, then owned his own studio, was a VP with a huge record company, and even married a really beautiful woman. At one time, in our early days, I said, don't you think you should learn music? ANd he replied that No, he thought it would ruin his natural aptitude. Well, given his success (and the lack of mine!) I can't argue, but I know in my heart that nothing is ever spoiled or ruined by adding knowledge and understanding. (Although I will admit that once you learn opera, you're not much good at back-up.)
I have never before equated this type of thinking (preferred musical ignorance) with writing or grammar but you know, it does equate. One of the current educational theories is that children need to be creative first and not worry about structure and grammar and spelling and punctuation. Garbage. I've been a piano teacher too long to believe that letting a child play as he likes will get him very far. Children need to know the boundaries that surround their creative efforts. Only then can they break free of them. I believe that's true of writing, also. |
