Thinking Music
Notes on partimenti, musical creativity, improvisation, and learning to think in music.
These essays explore historical traditions of musical training, practical tools for improvisation and composition, and reflections on how musicians learn to create.
COMING SOON! Forever-Free Workshop: Introduction to Partimenti
Many musicians who discover partimenti feel the same thing: curiosity, followed by confusion. Because partimenti was historically taught as an oral tradition, the earliest steps were rarely written down. This post explores why that gap exists and introduces a new, forever-free workshop designed to rebuild those missing first steps.
A Music Lesson from Charlemagne, King of the Franks
Music notation feels fundamental to how we learn and preserve music today, but it began as a practical solution to a specific historical problem. Looking back to Charlemagne’s empire and the early development of notation reminds us of an important musical truth: sound comes first, understanding follows, and notation serves memory — not the other way around.
Sound Before Sight
What if musical understanding didn’t begin with notation, but with listening? This post explores how learning through sound, imitation, and musical conversation can build deeper fluency — and why this approach sits at the heart of partimenti practice.
Partimenti: The Missing Link in Classical Music
Many great classical composers improvised, composed, and understood music as a living language. This post explores how partimenti can reconnect modern musicians with that fluency, bridging theory, repertoire, improvisation, and creative practice.