I’ve been thinking lately (usually a bad idea) about technique manuals. So often they’re described as being overly poetic to the point of making understanding the technique an exercise in frustration. But if they read like poetry, and poetry is often a form of music (and vice versa), then modern music might give us a window into what a technique manual written today might look like. Here are some examples I’ve come up with:
Soaring Heart, Earth grade movement technique (I’m Yours - Jason Mraz)
Open up your mind and see like me
Open up your plans and, damn, you're free
look into your heart, and you'll find … That the sky is yours
There's no need to complicate
Demonic Beast transmogrification, Mortal Grade transformation technique (Animals - Nickleback)
I got this feeling in my veins this train is coming off the track
I'll ask polite if the devil needs a ride
Because the angel on my right ain’t hanging out with me tonight
No, we're never gonna quit
Ain't nothing wrong with it
Just acting like we're animals
No, no matter where we go
We're just a couple of animals
Scorching Eye of the Demonic Star, Heaven grade wide-area attack technique (Black Hole Sun - Soundgarden)
In disguises no one knows
And the sun in my disgrace
Neath the black, the sky looks dead
And I'll hear you scream again
Steal the warm wind, tired friend
Sometimes, far too long for snakes
In my youth, I pray to keep
No one sings like you anymore
Till you all just disappear
Dragon’s Un-gated Mind, Sky grade mind control technique (La iguana - Fobia)
Me compraré hoy una iguana
[I will buy an iguana today]
Para que me hable más de ti
[So it tells me more about you]
[It doesn't make me laugh]
Voy a meterla en una jaula
[I will get it inside a cage]
Para que pueda controlarte
Y así no puedas escaparte
[And you can't escape that way]
[I will get it under you bed]
Y así en tus sueños entrará
[So it gets into your dreams]
Para que nunca me digas que no
[So you never tell me no]
Para que nunca me digas que no
[So you never tell me no]
Para que nunca me digas que no
[So you never tell me no]
Para que nunca me digas que no
[So you never tell me no]
I’d love to hear any you all come up with.