Dearling Physique on Music and Arts Education
photo by Richard Petrucci
How did you get into making music, and how did arts education (or lack thereof) affect you and your music?
I got into music seemingly late when compared to others who go on to pursue it as a career. I’ve got a pretty extensive background in acting, and having participated in a lot of youth theater I was never far off from music. I wrote a lot of silly songs, sang, and played around with the sound of my voice a lot. Around the age of seventeen I started going mad thinking of new ways to express a bunch of things I wanted to say. I remember it vividly: sitting in my bedroom and making this very honest goal to write a real song with a deep meaning…if even only to myself. Within a four hour period I had written words for not one, but two songs complete with melody. But, there was a problem! I had absolutely no experience playing an instrument, and similarly knew nothing about song composition. I went on educating myself about all things music. From theory, listening to new and strange things and an excessive amount of failed attempts at collaboration with other trained musicians. Finally I started teaching myself day by day how to write what I heard as fitting music to accompany my words. I can’t label myself a music genius, but I have found an amazing creative outlet and am entirely comfortable with the approach I’ve grown into.
The fact that I had no music training when young makes me feel less confined by the (sometimes) creative boundaries a classically trained musician might face. I speak on behalf of some musicians who have communicated this very restraint to me. It’s all just very dependent on the person and their own individual abilities. So essentially, I approach my songs in a most open-minded way. It might almost be considered some form of sound design opposed to actual “songwriting.” I just enjoy manipulating the sounds on my keyboards with very few limitations.
This post is part of our 60-hour blogathon in support of music development and literacy within the Twin Cities. We appreciate you visiting the site – but before you go, we ask that you consider clicking the Donors Choose banner below and giving what you can to help enrich the lives of a number of local children through music and reading. Thank you. – Culture Bully
