Smooth Water (Sound Production) Survey

Derek Reaban · 09-14-2006, 05:12 PM

This is an section that I excerpted from Craig Morris’ most recent article called Smooth Water. When you read through this, instead of water skiing, use this as a metaphor for sound production. In the sentences that I have highlighted, consider the first sentence to be the sound that you hear when you listen to Mr. Herseth, Michael Sachs, James Thompson or the sound model that best represents your ideal sound. The second sentence would be the more commonplace, and while it can be VERY good, it falls short of "magical".

With that in mind, in the attached survey, how often have you experienced a sound coming out your bell that matches the first sentence?

If we were looking for a good place to ski we would simply throttle back, throw out a rope, grab a ski, and go. But we are not looking for a good place to ski. We are looking for a great place to ski. We are looking for the smooth water.

If you have never felt it, then you can’t possibly know. The feeling of skiing across glass-smooth water is like nothing else. The ski glides perfectly smoothly; there is no bobbing and it makes no sound. No chatter. No hum. There is no sense of texture on the surface below. There is only smoothness. The ski dodges and turns at your every whim in a lake with no surface, a lake with no sound. It is a beautiful thing.

It is this sensation we are seeking, that is what pushes us forward: the feeling of gliding across emptiness.

The water we are riding over now is nothing in comparison. It is adequate, sure, but it pales against that which we seek. In this water the ski would vibrate subtly, driven to dance by the light wind-blown ripples on the surface. The chatter would not be severe. Quite the contrary, it would be very subtle.

But that feeling of soaring across emptiness is gone with the least hint of texture on the surface.

The skiing here is good, but we are not looking for good, we are looking for magical. Yes, we are in route, in route to smooth water.

View Poll Results: How often have you experienced a sound coming out your bell that matches the first se
I’m still trying to get there.	2	33.33%
I’ve had an epiphany experience once (days or weeks), but it slipped away.	0	0%
When everything is just right, playing can feel effortless (several weeks a year)	0	0%
I’m on the brink of making this sound happen with regularity (many weeks a year)	1	16.67%
Challenging music can impact this sound in the extremes (many months a year)	1	16.67%
This is a sound that I produce everyday	2	33.33%
Voters: 6. You may not vote on this poll

09-14-2006, 05:12 PM	#1 (permalink)
Derek Reaban Mezzo Piano User Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Tempe, Arizona Posts: 616	Smooth Water (Sound Production) Survey This is an section that I excerpted from Craig Morris’ most recent article called Smooth Water. When you read through this, instead of water skiing, use this as a metaphor for sound production. In the sentences that I have highlighted, consider the first sentence to be the sound that you hear when you listen to Mr. Herseth, Michael Sachs, James Thompson or the sound model that best represents your ideal sound. The second sentence would be the more commonplace, and while it can be VERY good, it falls short of "magical". With that in mind, in the attached survey, how often have you experienced a sound coming out your bell that matches the first sentence? If we were looking for a good place to ski we would simply throttle back, throw out a rope, grab a ski, and go. But we are not looking for a good place to ski. We are looking for a great place to ski. We are looking for the smooth water. If you have never felt it, then you can’t possibly know. The feeling of skiing across glass-smooth water is like nothing else. The ski glides perfectly smoothly; there is no bobbing and it makes no sound. No chatter. No hum. There is no sense of texture on the surface below. There is only smoothness. The ski dodges and turns at your every whim in a lake with no surface, a lake with no sound. It is a beautiful thing. It is this sensation we are seeking, that is what pushes us forward: the feeling of gliding across emptiness. The water we are riding over now is nothing in comparison. It is adequate, sure, but it pales against that which we seek. In this water the ski would vibrate subtly, driven to dance by the light wind-blown ripples on the surface. The chatter would not be severe. Quite the contrary, it would be very subtle. But that feeling of soaring across emptiness is gone with the least hint of texture on the surface. The skiing here is good, but we are not looking for good, we are looking for magical. Yes, we are in route, in route to smooth water. __________________ Derek Reaban Tempe, Arizona

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