Greetings,
I had a eureka moment recently regarding my study of improvisation. I discovered that I spend entirely too much time making myself technically capable of playing certain concepts, but nowhere near enough time playing these concepts musically.
I have always heard that we should strive to play musically when learning new concepts; I just took it to mean that we would be musical eventually. Well, I was wrong to think that this would happen naturally. I now realize that I must make a conscious effort to be musical very early in my study of a new concept.
What has happened in your lessons that really ‘Flicks the Switch’ in your mind and makes something easier that you ever thought possible?
-Justin
Tags: concepts, conscious, eureka, improvisation, Lessons, musically, study, time
May 28, 2009 at 11:43 PM |
[...] Original post by nmcsm [...]
May 29, 2009 at 10:34 AM |
GOOD IDEA!
June 3, 2009 at 9:33 PM |
Thanks Barry! Hope all is well your way.
-Justin
June 3, 2009 at 6:04 PM |
Justin,
I read this a few days ago and started to reply, but got way too deep. I know exactly what you are saying – and I will try to state it differently. I, too, run into these situations all the time, as you well know. I think that when we get so caught up in the technical details, one tends to get tight – shoulders, arms, and ultimately fingers. We try too hard to master the “notes.” In golf, when sometimes trying to hit the perfect shot into the green, one can tighten down the same way, and fall apart. Why? Because we try to force the shot, rather than trying to feel the shot. When I relax and try to feel the phrase that I’m trying to play, rather than trying to hit everything perfectly, I play much better. And then, the Eureka – playing something that I may never have played before and surprising myself because I let go. Or, as Barry said, GOOD IDEA! ;D
June 3, 2009 at 9:35 PM |
Carl,
A tense mind definitely creates a tense body.
-Justin