Re: [Harp-L] martial arts, music theory, pop music, and harmonica.

maurice richard libby <blues@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> · Tue, 04 Oct 2005 11:52:49 -0600

At 08:01 AM 02/10/2005, rainbowjimmy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
With martial arts and music, you practice to get muscle memory--that's the

magic. With martial arts you depend on muscle memory because there's 
no time to

think.

I've been doing martial arts (Shotokan, Uechi Ryu, Kishaba Juka, and 
Wu Style Tai Chi) for 25 years and I've been playing harp and guitar for 30.
The similarities between the two disciplines are most apparent when 
you are improvising. Improvisation is in many way's exactly like 
fighting--you need to react instantaneously with precise and accurate 
physical actions--there is no time to think--if you stop to think the 
moment is past.
With martial arts you learn where and how to hit people--that's the physics.
With music you learn music theory--what notes to play and when.

In martial arts you learn the theory, --how to punch, kick, throw, 
etc-- which you then need to apply to a given situation

In music you learn the theory--scales, chords. keys. harp 
positions--which you then need to apply to a given situation.
With martial arts once you have the physics and the muscle memory 
down, you work

to improve them. The goal is to move a fast as possible, hit as hard as

possible, all with no concious thought. You don't care about what you're

saying. You care about surviving. There's more to music than muscle memory and

music theory.

There's more to martial arts than muscle memory and physics. A good 
martial artist needs to know tactics, strategy, and psychology (who 
is the real threat, who is just a posturing idiot that can be ignored)

Nothing improved my music more than martial arts training. Apart from 
all  the other things (implicit in my notes above), it taught me the 
patience to practice correctly and the confidence to "just do it".
One more thing--it's a hell of a lot easier to teach karate than it 
is to teach music. :-D

maurice richard libby

aka Whiteboy Slim

"blues outside the box"

http://www.whiteboy-slim.com

to buy "Homemade" --> http://www.cdbaby.com/mrl

EPK --> http://www.sonicbids.com/whiteboyslim

EPK --> http://www.sonicbids.com/whiteboyslim2  

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