How do you start a piece of music? That is a question I am often asked. The answer I usually give is that you start as soon as you start playing, that is, if you are trying to “compose” something, the piece starts the moment it has energy and is something you want to capture. If it’s an improvisation, the piece begins the moment you put your fingers on the keys and hit the first note. It is like writing freely and writing a chapter of a novel.
The writer can improvise and enjoy the process or he can further structure the ideas or, as I like to do, combine both procedures into one. I start improvising, always. Then, if I want to remember a musical idea, I write the first two bars of the melody along with the chord (s) I’m playing. I put this on a graph and voila, the idea stays fresh until I want to expand it or ignore it entirely.
If the idea is a rhythm pattern, I write (left hand = whatever the pattern is) so I can remember it later. However, I never stop improvising because that would stop the flow and who knows what might come of it. Don’t forget that an improvisation is a piece of music in itself. There really is no need to impose structure on something as beautiful and organic as spontaneous expression. In fact, these spontaneous fantasies are often more inspiring than any artificial composition. There is something more alive for them because there is more life for them.
The endings pose another problem, namely, the problem of when to stop playing. For improvisation, the answer is when the energy (inspiration) starts to wane. It is a good time to end your music. You will know when this happens when you get bored. That is the signal that it is time to stop.
Composition is a different story. The shape of the piece already dictates when you should stop. For example, an ABA shape tells you to tap section A once or twice, go to B, go back to A, and then finish the part. Of course, the amount of repetition and contrast is a personal decision, but the form establishes both the beginning and the end. It’s a good safe way of saying yes, I have a piece of music here. Now, improvisations can also take shape. The big difference is that you don’t consciously think about putting the music in a predefined way.
But for some unknown reason, most improvisations have symmetry, that is, they take a shape of their own. I don’t know if this is due to the innate rhythm of human beings (heartbeat) or what.
Even Zen flute music, which may be the freest inspirational improvisational style out there, has a certain structure. You can hear it in the sentences. Beginnings and endings. Don’t worry too much about them. The important thing is where you are emotionally while playing. Become aware of that and all your problems will be solved.