So it’s been what, nine years roughly. And my teacher just now shows me this thing, a composition for three or more cellos, four basic patterns to be played at will, over and over, composed in such a way that no matter which patterns you play, or how you play them, they sound good together. And I was all, Wow, because I could, for once, not freak out about reading the notes or my intonation, I could concentrate on hearing and making the music.

And I was all, motherfucker, why didn’t you show me this nine years ago? And defenestrated him, finally.

Actually, I was all, why do these sound good together? and he was all, Pentatonic scale. And I was all, Ahah.

Because I’d had an idea for a composition that worked roughly that way (patterns played at will) but got busy with something else.

I was talking to a guitar-teacher friend who said improvisation is the highest form of music and I said, yeah, but you have to know what you’re doing and he said, What about you and the theremin? and I said, WTF is it with you music teachers? Actually, I said, I’m not claiming that’s a high form of music, what I do with the theremin. His point with the theremin was, most players are improvising without actually mastering the instrument, which is probably correct.

Where was I? Pentatonic notes on the cello. It sounded beautiful. I could play that all day long. I was all, This is why I’m studying this here instrument.