Connecting with music

“It seems harmless, but that piece of paper creates a paper-thin separation between you and your instrument.”

If you want to develop a deeper connection with music, there are a few things you should know.

Standard notation is an imperfect system for the perfection of music.

How do I know? Because every instrument can create sounds that cannot be captured on paper.

At its best, standard notation allows creators to “show their work” and share their stories.

Still, it’s an obstacle, not a bridge, and learning to read music is infinitely more complicated than learning to play an instrument.

In other words, it would be much easier to learn how to play “like” Chopin than to learn how to play a specific piece written by Chopin.

It seems harmless, but that piece of paper creates a paper-thin separation between you and your instrument.

To develop a deeper connection with music, you can't just learn songs; you must also study the instrument.

That is the only way music will become as easy to play as it is to listen to.