Composition vs. Improvisation

''It's hard to describe, because on one hand you want your solo to be spontaneous. On the other hand, I feel a good guitar solo should be somewhat of a composition in itself. So, you sort of toggle back and forth between the concept of trying to initiate flow and composing. I think it's a combination of both." [Jeff 'Skunk' Baxter, Steely Dan / Doobie Brothers]

GuitaristHow do you feel about this quote as a life metaphor? Is the full, happy and successful life about 'creating yourself' (composition)? Is it more of an improvisation - playing off other people's "riffs," ducking and dodging melodies and reacting to the chord progressions that are supporting you?

Or - as Jeff's quote suggests - a balance, a combination of both? It sounds like an obvious answer, but there are definitely proponents of both sides.

Success coach Jack Canfield encourages people to take "100% responsibility for their own lives" (100% composition). Here you believe that everything that happens to you is of your own making. You act as if you are in no way a victim to outside circumstances and have no one to blame for your good or bad circumstances other than yourself.

Others, including some Zen Buddhists, would encourage a fully spontaneous and improvisational approach. Alan Watts, for example, spoke consistently about how you can't control your own life, no matter how much you try. The way to live then is to be open and accepting of what Life brings you and trust that you're part of a much bigger picture - all the while knowing that "you" have nothing to do with how it got that way.

Composition? Improvisation? Or balance? Leave your thoughts in the comments.

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, October 8th, 2008 at 6:23 am and is filed under Featured Blog Posts. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

2 Responses to “Composition vs. Improvisation”

  1. tommyrockom Says:
    October 8th, 2008 at 5:42 pm

    “Composition? Improvisation? Or balance?”

    Yes to all-

    “The way to live then is to be open and accepting of what Life brings you and trust that you’re part of a much bigger picture - all the while knowing that “you” have nothing to do with how it got that way.”

    Very interesting… I’m working on this…yes, working on it.

    Great post.

  2. Zach Says:
    October 8th, 2008 at 6:51 pm

    Interesting. In a way nothing is really purely compositional. At the same time, we can’t just be knocked around by whatever happens, so I guess a combination works best. Personally, I would say 80% improvisational, 20% compositional more or less.

    Even in music according to the definition laid out, there is never anything that is purely compositional. Everything is influenced by something else.