Hi. I am a musician interested in composing. I am a pianist of intermediate level. I have been studying Aldwell and Schachter's purple theory book (harmony and voice leading). I took theory courses with this book at college, received As in the courses, but really I only learned the theory to pass the exams. Now that I am interested in composing, I am both confused and overwhelmed. Of the Things I Would Like to Do in This Lifetime is learn how to speak the language of the piano and the language of music as fluently as possible---as one learning to speak French or Japanese would learn a language. In the foreword, the authors of the text advise the student to "learn to speak musical sentences". What do you focus on in doing that? The student is advised to read the book appendices, containing common chord progressions. If you play them enough, they're in your ear. However, in actual music, we all know that such progressions are flipped, reversed and spun on their heads.
Also, if one was fluent in piano, what would you expect of them??thank you, thank you.
1) To me...fluent means being able to play the intermediate-advanced classical repertiore with ease, as well as having the co-reqiosite skills to back it up...taht would mean roughly a gr 10 or ARCT in piano performance.2) on top of that, fluency involves an ability to play modern styles Jazz, and pop with ease and at sight, with convincing stylistic and rythmic nuances, with or without a musical group.3) Fluency would indicate an ability to perform regularily without excessive stress,4) Fluency would involve a theoretical background strong enough to form cohesive musical elements on demand in an improvisitory or group setting, in any style required.5) Fluency would include the ability to take what has been learned and teach the concepts sensitively and thoughtfully.6) Fluency would include an understanding of both acoustic and electronic instruments and the ability to use each to the extent of thier appropriateness
"Your list of the common extent of accomplishments," said Darcy, "has too much truth...I cannot boast of knowing more than half a dozen, in the whole range of my acquaintance , that are really accomplished.".... "Then," observed Elizabeth, "you must comprehend a great deal in your idea of an accomplished woman." "Yes; I do comprehend a gret deal in it." "Oh! certainly," cried his faithful assistant, "no one can be really esteemed accomplished, who does not greatly surpass what is usually met with. A woman must have a thorough knowledge of music, singing, drawing, dancing, and the modern languages to deserve the word; and besides all this, she must possess a certain something in her air and manner of walking, the tone of her voice, her address and expressions, or the word will be but half deserved." "All this she must possess," added Darcy, "and to all this she must yet add something more substantial, in the improvement of her mind by extensive reading." "I am no longer surprised at your knowing only six accomplished women. I rather wonder now at your knowing any."---Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice
Maybe I didn't pay attention in class much but... I don't get it..
"Fluency" for me is a broad term describing a state wherein a player has something to say and the means to say it naturally and without effort. This looser definition admits players such as Waller, Tatum, Roberts, Morton and so on, whose lack of comprehensive musical knowledge and ability in all styles, would exclude them according to some of the stated definitions. People such as these have exhibited fluency to an extraordinary degree with their completely natural facility in expressing ideas instantly at the keyboard. So, aside from being used in the purely gymnastic sense, i.e. solely physical fluency, for me the word has a distinctly creative aspect to it - much the same as certain people have the happy ability to produce a brilliant phrase in writing and speaking.
Topic: Speaking musical sentences? Teachers, please help! 