Whoever has the most points on the scoreboard at the end of the game wins.
If that’s the point, then it sounds like it would be a good idea to be close friends with the score board operator. They could really help you out in a pinch.
But it doesn’t work like that.
It’s not about knowing the scoreboard operator, it’s about knowing the game, with all it’s rules and regulations and then playing to win inside that sphere of ‘universal’ understanding.
(No one pleads to the referee that their slam dunk should have been worth 8 points.)
The beauty (and difficulty) of music is there aren’t rules, just ways.
And since there are no rules, you can’t win.
Since there are ways, you get to pick your way.
Rules promote adherence: we simply need to do more of this and less of that and we win.
Ways promote judgement calls: to the best of our collective knowledge and intuition we’ll keep moving.
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I’m always interested in your perspective, whether affirming or dissenting. Continue the conversation anytime: gabethebassplayer@gmail.com