YOUR QUESTION

12/23/2020 Huw

Hi Trevor, hope all is well!
1. How does Zorn usually present his music to you, would there be a rehearsal before the concert/recording, or would you have to study your parts before hand and run it all at soundcheck/the concert?
2. Which do you find more technically taxing, german bow or playing the electric bass with a plectrum?
3. When time allows, how would you usually structure practicing and composing?

MY ANSWER

1. Usually I get written music in advance and work on it myself as the other instrumentalists do. Rehearsals tend to take place just before the record button is pushed or at soundcheck.
2. I think there is more involved with bow technique, probably because it is a much larger implement with more physical options, more margin for error. Bowing can also be fragile with the possibility of truly horrible tone and this is taxing to control.
3. I have a list of exercises and techniques to practice; long-tones, arpeggios, a Bach prelude, etc and, time allowing, I work on each thing for a certain amount of time. I also try to pay attention to diminishing returns and muscle pain. Occasionally inspiration rears it’s unpredictable head and interrupts my noodling so I have to pause the technical work to write down an idea, and I certainly believe it’s important to pay attention to those unpredictable moments. However, it’s also important to set aside dedicated time to compose, to sit down with only the goal of writing. Composing and practicing technique are two totally different mindsets and should be respected as such.