Techniques for memorizing a musical idea and "saving it to paper"?

Question

Sometimes I have a very nice musical idea, with orchestration too, and I clearly hear it in my mind as if I was listening to a CD.But I cannot retain it. The only way is to play it over and over in my mind, but then I cannot even walk or drive.Cold you suggest some technique for "saving to hard disk"? (Somehow so that as I have time I can later write it down.)I have a degree in classical piano, I also studied classical composition for some years, so I have a musical background.

Answer 1

You're asking a lot! Many composers I know carry a sketchpad of staff paper with them to jot down any inspirations they get while out and about. With a big enough sketchpad, and a system of shorthand, you can probably get down enough of your idea to reconstruct it when you get home.