For the past two weeks, I’ve had a friendly wrestling match with a piece of piano sheet music. (My sight reading is woefully novice.) I’m learning a lot from committing to learning the notes as the composer has written them.

Of the many takeaways, here’s one: it’s often the notes beside the expected notes that open up a sound. A slight shift up or down the keyboard and the voices take on new shapes and new depth.

It’s this way with many things. Sounds, flavors, colors, shapes … Just a slight, skillfully intentional shift and everything becomes richer and more beautiful.