What is Music Anyway? What Does it Have to do With Writing

What is Music Anyway? What is Writing Anyway?

In the Intellectual Devotional by David S Kidder & Noah D Oppenheim we are given a lot of food for thought. One thing they say is that Music has a pattern where noise only has sound. I’m afraid that could define Heavy Metal for me. Noise, loud and busy that has no rhyme or reason for being. Sorry Heavy Metal fans, it just doesn’t translate for me.

Kidder and Oppenheim say the basics of music compared to noise have to do with
Pitch —How high or low a sound is to the ear;
Scale—a stepwise arrangement of pitches;
Key—which is an arrangement or system of pitches usually based on one of the major or minor scales.

Simple isn’t it? The Ghost Music of Vaudeville as a mystery has a similar basic set up. Pitch: how intense (high) or relaxed (low) the action
Scale: an arrangement of pitches that take us from each paragraph with a beginning, middle and end, to each chapter with its beginning, middle and end; to the book as a whole with a beginning, middle and end.
Key: That is a little harder, but I think of it as all the system of pitches – the paragraph, page, chapter, and book according to one of the Major (genre) or Minor (sub-genre) scales –genre and sub-genres of the mystery from cozy, procedural, true crime, or hard boiled.

Therefore, everything in writing the mystery can be reduced or elevated to its musical counter part. Our culture influences our pitch, scale, and keys whether that is in writing or in music. Extremes may abound even while the rules are followed. For instance music in India compared to the music here in the west such as opera, or rock. Or compare the Native American Drum, to the drum of modern rock – they are nowhere in the same playing field – the Native American Drum is spiritual, the rock drum is entertainment. Both, however, are entertainment and in some circles could be called something spiritual.

Music and writing are both creative processes. Whether we use pitch, scale, and key or whether we use some other method to join the parts into a complete whole – they compliment each other, and I believe they embody each other.

It is said that we each “march to our different drummer,” and I believe that is as true in creating fiction as it is in creating music.

Sing loudly, write like the wind and enjoy the rhythm you create!

Bette Midler and Vaudeville

This is one of the Keith Theatres that plays a part in my book.

Have you ever witnessed a more energetic and fantastic a performer? She gives the appearance of having so much fun at what she does, and she does everything so well. When I was writing my novel Ghost Music of Vaudeville I needed a wild card draw to help the people in that book raise enough money to save the old Keith Theatre and the apartments above it that had become homes for actors and actresses that were trying to keep the music of Vaudeville alive. I needed someone who was warm, approachable, energetic and likely to come to the aid of a good cause. Bette Midler's name just popped into my head. I can't think of a better choice. If, in real life, Charlie Wolfe was trying to save Ironwood, Michigan's bastion of history and they needed a star to help them out I'm sure if she was approached she'd be there in a heart beat. She fits the book and the lives of the characters perfectly.

If you would like to read a chapter of Ghost Music of Vaudeville, please go to my website and click on the Books link. www.billiewilliams.com/books.html

I've spent the last couple days looking for places where I might find out more about Bette and perhaps an address. I have not found an address, but I've watched video's of her, listened to her sing, listened to her play a role in movies -- I found out she was born in 1945 one place said Hawaii another said New Jersey -- it doesn't matter to me - I'm glad she was. She was a fan of Judy Garland - I can see that in her stage presence. It has been a wonderful experience to submerge myself in finding out more about her - and I wish that she could appear to help me at my booksignings of Ghost Music of Vaudeville, I have a young lady who may portray her - she is the spitting image of Drew Barrymore so I'm sure she could do a Bette Midler as well.

Entertain lavishly and let yourself burst out with song when the occassion merits it - and then preserve what you can of history for our younger generation.
Billie