Re: [Harp-L] 5th position

["Mark Wilson" <markwilson53@xxxxxxx>]

> Chris Michalek wrote:

> > If you truly want to go where no man has gone before > play the music 
> > that's in your head. Listen to the tone, >flavors, rhythms, colors, 
> > shapes that come to you >naturally....

That sounds great, but at some point you have to think about something. You 
need some sort of structure in order to get to that point where you can play 
the flavors and rhythms in your head, or get back to that point when the 
critical mind steps in and bumps you off course. Don't you think??

I know that Dennis Gruenling thinks in terms of scale degrees, Jon Gindick 
in terms of melody, David Barrett thinks in terms of riffs and and their 
placement within the twelve bar format (verse forms), and Larry thinks in 
terms of notes. I've spent a lot of time around all four of these guys and 
all four approaches are definitely working for them.  I've seen them all 
regularly get into that zone where it's clear they aren't thinking at all, 
similar to what you described above. Different approaches, but in essence, 
the same result.

You did mention thinking in colors while playing which I found interesting. 
> From what I understand colors come from the right side of the brain, which 
would make it impossible to self judge and criticize yourself  if you're 
seeing the music as colors in your head while playing. Dennis has got me 
going on scale degrees again after a few fits and starts and I was thinking 
about assigning a color to each scale degree. Anything to get that critical 
mind out of the way, which is the toughest thing for me, especially when 
playing out in public..

Mark