The bass is the link between harmony and rhythm. It is the foundation of a band. It is what all the other instruments stand upon, but it is rarely recognized as that.
Victor WootenRead
You can't speak Music with notes alone, but you can speak Music without notes at all!
Interpretation
Music cannot be fully expressed just through written notes; it transcends written form.
This quote emphasizes the idea that true musical expression goes beyond the written notation found on sheet music. It suggests that the essence of music lies in the emotional and experiential aspects that can be conveyed even without structured notes, highlighting the importance of creativity, improvisation, and the ability to connect with one's audience on a deeper level.
In practice
During a speech about the importance of artistic expression, I would use this quote to highlight how music transcends traditional forms.
Let the splendor of diamond, pearl and ruby vanish? Only let this one teardrop, this Taj Mahal, glisten spotlessly bright on the cheek of time, forever and ever.
Compose with utter freedom and edit with utter discipline.
The poet makes silk dresses out of worms.
My fiction may, now and again, illuminate aspects of the human condition, but I do not consciously set out to do so: I am a storyteller.
Marilyn always dreamt of being an actress. She didn't, by the way, dream of being just a star. She dreamt of being an actress. And she had always lived somehow with that dream. And that is why, despite the fact that she became one of the most unusual and outstanding stars of all time, she herself was never satisfied. When she came to New York, she began to perceive the possibilities of really accomplishing her dream, of being an actress.
Once I get onstage the tension explodes and I'm fine. I'm in another world - in a trance almost, doing what I love best, expressing myself through guitar.
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