Corey Mwamba

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Entries for 1st Nov 2016

Music is an open system of methods that enable us to pay attention to sound.

In academic shorthand: music is a methodology for listening.

Note that the academic shorthand is more easily misinterpreted if we consider listening as something we only do with our ears.

The misinterpretation continues if we think of a methodology as something that must be followed.

In the first instance, music uses sound to pay attention to sound.

If paying attention to sound is an aim of music, then composition could be seen as an objective.

Composition: "use sound in such a way".

Composition can be immediate or planned. But where does that leave improvisation?

Look at the word: improvise— im + providere (Latin); " to not prepare (for)".

But improvising musicians do prepare.

So we look again. "providere" also means to foresee.

This state of using sound, but not knowing the way; is this closer to improvisation?

And if so, what does that say about music that says it's improvised, but where everyone does know the way?