
Yesterday I had Katherine Burger over for a 3-hour working lunch. We've been collaborating on a new musical together and it was time for me to play her a good chunk of the music I'd been composing to her hysterically funny and totally irreverent lyrics.
I've been working in ProTools, recording a kind of rudimentary orchestration alongside my scratchy "songwriter's" vocals to create a fair approximation of what each song might sound like. So together we sat huddled around my computer, both wearing headphones. We'd listen to a few bars 'til one of us would raise up a hand, signaling me to hit the space-bar and pause our virtual orchestra. Pulling one headphone off of one ear, Katherine might ask something like: "Could the vocal line go up on this word instead of down?" or "Do we want to repeat that again maybe?" or "Do you mind that this lyric doesn't quite scan?"
The discussion—as it tends to be in any fruitful collaboration—was always very specific, very detailed and free-flowing.
After Katherine left and I sat alone with all my notes which I'd scratched on little post-its, I was overcome by a sense of appreciation as I realized how valuable it is to be able to share in a creative process with another human being. Right now—at this early stage in our process—it feels so easy. When you find a collaborator whose judgment you trust and to whom you feel comfortable responding honestly, there's nothing better.
As much of a cliché as it is, it really is true that two heads are better than one. Especially when the two heads involved can enjoy one another as much as Katherine and I seem to.
Thanks, Katherine!