Re: [Harp-L] Re: who do you play for

[Jonathan McAnulty <mcanultj@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Nice thread. I have had similar reactions. I would consider myself an 
intermediate player. That may be part of it in that I will focus so much 
on getting it right that I am not always sure I am listening to myself 
in the same way the audience would, relaxed and receptive. Last year I 
played Amazing Grace in front of a large group before a meal over a PA. 
Nothing fancy, basically the Jim Liban version off of Blues for Shut Ins 
in E. A very simple and short tune. I thought it was OK but not my best. 
However, I had one person tell me how much they liked it with all the 
slow bends and another said she was moved almost to tears. I find it 
interesting that I had none of those responses when playing and ascribe 
it to not being at a point where I can let go and just let it flow and 
listen to the sound develop and progress-maybe. Perhaps that never 
occurs and this is just my appreciation of not being in the audience any 
more. This same disconnect seems to crop up when I play amplified. 
Lately I have been playing Big Walter's version of Christine and improve 
on tongue blocking as well as Jerry McCaine's This Stuff is Killin' Me. 
I can play them through pretty well, with controlled intonation and I 
think nice variances in tone and attack. However, if I plug in I go a 
ways and get stuck because the sound is different than my acoustic 
practice and my mind seems to get off track analyzing which tones I like 
etc.
I guess I just need to practice more.
There are worse fates.
Jon