Dyads

On my second active day of participation in the Creative Pact 2011, I sensed that working with dyads was appropriate.  As I began thinking of the various ways I could improvise with dyads, I knew I was on the right path.  While doing my Alexander Technique lie down, as I was thinking of a wide back, the notion of using wide intervals to begin my investigation arose.  I choose to use only intervals larger than a minor ninth.  There is something about the minor ninth that has always captured my ear, probably the same attraction I have to the sound of seconds.  Working my way around the fretboard, I would pause and renew the AT directions.

Again my intention was to work to keep myself free as I improvised.  Moving on to using dyads interspersed with single notes, and then dyads and arpeggios, I continued to pause and pay attention to my use. Eventually I found a short progression of dyads that really caught my ear.  I began to play with and develop this progression.

After dinner, I returned to this progression, and found that I still liked the musicality.  As I continued to improvise with this progression as my springboard, I became excited and decided to notate what I had.  The act of working with the guitar, paper, & pencil generally triggers a strong tendency to end gain in me and to loose any sense of myself.  Frequently I paused to once again find a pencil in my mouth, my upper body slumped on the guitar, and one or both of my feet pressing off the floor with my toes to "balance" me.  Why do I loose my sense of myself as I play and notate?  I have observed this on too many occasions in the past.  When I did pause tonight to reconnect with myself, I would let go of the desire to capture anything and instead look to free myself.  Returning to the moment in this way, had me go down some unfamiliar musical paths.

Smiling now as I recall my thoughts this morning of how am I going to proceed with incorporating Alexander Technique and improvisation for the month of Creative Pact 2011.  A day at a time, of course - just one note, one release at a time.  Trusting that music is there when I am.