ART: Zen Songwriting

[Onrin]

Jeff Tweedy, the main songwriter of Wilco and Uncle Tupelo, recently wrote an insightful little book called How To Write One Song. And though he hasn't mentioned Zen once, his thought process strikes me as that which I think some in Treeleaf may appreciate.

From the intro: "No one writes songs - plural. They write one song, and then another. And is also a reminder of what you really want. Or what I think you should REALLY want, which is to disappear -to watch your concept of time evaporate, to live at least once inside a moment when you aren't "trying" to do anything or be anything anymore. To spend time in a place where you just are."

The book is about the practice of songwriting, rather than writing a "great" song. And how he creates the conditions, puts the elements in place that allow for quality of time spent, more focused on the process than the result.

Sat today,
Chris

[Tai Shi]

Have you tried sitting?
Gassho
sat/ lah
Tai Shi


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[Heiso]

There's a podcast about Jeff and that book - https://brokenrecordpodcast.com/all#/episode-77-jeff-tweedys-songwriting-masterclass-2/

Gassho,

Heiso

StLah

[Naiko]

Jeff Tweedy, the main songwriter of Wilco and Uncle Tupelo, recently wrote an insightful little book called How To Write One Song. And though he hasn't mentioned Zen once, his thought process strikes me as that which I think some in Treeleaf may appreciate.

From the intro: "No one writes songs - plural. They write one song, and then another. And is also a reminder of what you really want. Or what I think you should REALLY want, which is to disappear -to watch your concept of time evaporate, to live at least once inside a moment when you aren't "trying" to do anything or be anything anymore. To spend time in a place where you just are."

The book is about the practice of songwriting, rather than writing a "great" song. And how he creates the conditions, puts the elements in place that allow for quality of time spent, more focused on the process than the result.

Sat today,
Chris

Thank you for posting; this sounds like an interesting book. I enjoy a glimpse into an artist’s creative process.
Gassho,
Naiko
st

[Tai Shi]

I have read Opening the Hand of Thousands and no what does Uchiyama discount sitting and I can say the same of Dogan in Gengokoan at least lol ch 7.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[Tai Shi]

Uchiyama does not discourage sitting nor does Dogen.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[Onrin]

There's a podcast about Jeff and that book - https://brokenrecordpodcast.com/all#/episode-77-jeff-tweedys-songwriting-masterclass-2/

Gassho,

Heiso

StLah
Thank you Heiso, I will check that out.

[Jundo]

If I may, I am going to move this thread into our Music and Arts section in a couple of days, so that we can keep it around.

Gassho, Jundo

SatTodayLAH

[Seiko]

Isn't it amazing that one person can play a three-part piano piece by Bach and never have more than two hands.

[Ryumon]

Isn't it amazing that one person can play a three-part piano piece by Bach and never have more than two hands.

There are even four voice fugues in Bach’s Art of Fugue.

Gassho,
Ryūmon (Kirk)
Sat