One of the things I love about attending masterclasses and clinics from master musicians is that I can glean new words to put around musical ideas. Sometimes the words are harder than the ideas – I can grasp a concept, but not succinctly describe it. Hearing someone else’s words can make it all come into focus.
Today I heard Anders Edenroth analyze a phrase of Phil Mattson’s arranging, and point out that the two bars could all be harmonized including an E. (Some chords left it out, but it fit harmonically.) Anders used his term, “Horizon Note” to describe the E. A succinct phrase and a perfectly poetic phrase – as a horizon stays constant even as things can move around it.