Playing Music Note for Note

Along with writing, I also play bass. Sometimes in bands, sometimes with the community theatre group. A few years ago, I was in one such community production - a musical - and I was one of the monkeys in the pit.

An accomplished pianist in the group came to me one day and said, "I notice you don't always play the score note for note."

He was right, of course. I like to stay close to the score, but I also add my own personality to it. This "extra jangly bits" are an amalgam of 40 years of playing music and all the influences I've encountered along the way.

If they needed someone to play note for note, they didn't need me. A recorded version would have accomplished the same thing.

When they ask me to play, they ask me to bring all that I am to the production, including the extra jangly bits.

It's the same thing as a writer. Readers want to hear your voice. Not someone else's. Mimicking our writing heroes is great for finding our voices, but let's not allow ourselves to become poor imitations. Be you.