brettworks

Rembrandt, Philosopher in Meditation (1632)

“Musical” is sound that compels us to listen intently.

Chords are shades of feeling.

Craft excellence compounds into aesthetic power and is its prerequisite.

Devise a musical system first, then worry about its output.

Do whatever you need to get the output you want, then analyze (or not) the musical system that got you there.

Tacit musical knowledge—taste, sensibility—is your most valuable resource. That’s why it takes a long time to develop.

Composing is adventurous, editing is cautious. Keep them separate.

Scale fractally: grow the music’s form from one small idea.