Anyone who has ever played (or written) a song knows the challenge of teaching it to other musicians. You can hear it perfectly in your head - the precise timing of that rests, the way the chorus should swell, the exact feel of transitioning from the bridge to the final chorus. But transferring that musical vision from your mind to another person's hands and voice is remarkably complex. Even when you’re both looking at the same sheet music.
Musicians have developed multiple tools to bridge this gap. A simple chord chart might work for an experienced pianist who can improvise around the basic progression. A lead sheet adds melody and basic dynamics, giving more structure while still leaving room for interpretation. A full arrangement spells out every note, dynamic marking, and articulation - ensuring the piece is played as close as possible to what the songwriter had in mind, but potentially losing some of the organic feel that comes with freer interpretation.
Each form of musical notation represents a different balance between precision and flexibility, between faithful reproduction and creative interpretation. Some pieces demand exact replication; others thrive on individual expression. The art lies in choosing the right form of communication for each specific context and goal.
This trilogy also mirrors the progression of education in music:
Elements is a primer. The 118 elements in the first book are like a pianist’s chord book. Each chord (e.g. a C chord) has thousands of possible variations (e.g. major, minor, diminished, augmented, suspended, inverted, etc.). Same with elements.
Patterns teaches theory and technique. They help you experiment with different ways to play with words. Some patterns are like key signatures or musical genres. Others are like chord progressions or chord substitutions. And some are like dynamic markings.
Structures is an anthology of musical compositions from the masters. The structures are like sheet music arrangements, helping you see how great writers harmonize these elements and patterns in practice.
Most of my notes will be one of these three types, which naturally build on each other. Elements combine to form patterns, structures contain both elements and patterns. Like the periodic table, elements are the fundamental building blocks of meaning. Like music theory, patterns and structures harmonize elements into cohesive works.