I spend part of most days writing music. And a small but significant portion of that time, every single session, is focused on musical clarity.
Why focus on clarity? Alice Parker says that only 5% of the music you can imagine can be notated, so why worry so much about clear notation, when 95% can’t even be written down?
Because someone has to play it. Someone has to sing it. Ideally, people who aren’t in the same room with me. And if they can’t interpret the music accurately, they will fail to create the music as it’s meant to be.
When I’m in the room, I certainly can say (and often do say) things along the lines of, “Sorry, that should have been an F sharp!” But who’s going to make sure it’s right when I’m not there.
I’m editing and adapting a composition right now, full of notational errors. Some are minor (quarter rests for a full bar) and some are major (the correct parts are not accurately notated in the right key). Being two steps removed from the composer, and unable to consult him, means that I’m relying on text messages for guidance and musical intuition to fill in the gaps.
It would all be easier if we all focused a little more on clarity. It might not be possible to notate everything, or even catch every little error. But we can sure try. And the music’s better that way.