The state of mind most conducive to creativity is the playful state mind. All of us are born in this state of mind and spend most of the early stages of our youth enjoying it's rewards. As we grow older and begin to take our place in "grown-up" society, this playfulness becomes discouraged and suppressed in varying degrees. One can't have a smoothly functioning society if everyone is playful all the time. We have to learn society's rules of behavior and become a contributing member. Although during this process of growing up, this playful state becomes suppressed, it is not gone! It is still in all of us and can be retrieved and relearned. Learning how to get back to that state of mind will be one of the major goals of any artistic career.

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The legitimate process for improvising is faking it. Yes, its gotten a bad rep, but that is basically what most jazz musicians have known as the secret to improvising. That痴 playing by ear. Its another word for playing by ear. We致e all been faking it. I致e been faking it for 35 years and I知 just getting to be a better and better faker. Do you really think I "know" what I知 doing when I知 playing? I have no idea what I知 doing. I知 just playing. I知 faking it and hoping it comes out OK.