Re: [Harp-L] Getting Good and Getting Even Better

Dan <billybudd1313@xxxxxxxxx> · Thu, 21 Sep 2006 07:45:30 -0700 (PDT)

Dear List,  I was pleasantly surpised this morning to check email and find this thread started by Ken Deifik. Perhaps it's because my "day job" is in science, and I like the way he writes.  Perhaps it's because I identified with most of the points so far.  I'm not going to go on and on re-hashing.  Instead, I offer my own philosophy on "Getting Good and Getting Even Better"  Take it as you will.
  To me, three keys to continued improvement are:  1. Self Awareness
  2. A certain degree of insecurity (inability to be satisfied)
  3. A Willingness to take risks

  1. One of the developmental points that differentiates (in my mind) a beginning harp player from a "good" or seasoned harp player is their self awareness.  Many people either cannot or will not listen to their own music as if it was someone else's.  To truly grow, I believe in studying one's self. 

  It pays to question everything  (this sort of speaks to the obsessive nature of genius mentioned in earlier posts).  What did I just play?  Why?  How did it sound compared to X?  How did the audience react?  Am I doing the same thing over and over?  How can I improve?  How can I improve?  How can I improve?  

  I used to think that I thought about harp alot...  until I spent some time chatting with Jason Ricci.  One of the many reasons he is SO good, is that he really thinks about the harp and what he's doing with it.  (makes me want to crawl under a rock, he's so damn good)

  2.  Why is it that the "good guys" are so quick to tell you they suck, but the "guys who suck" are the first to tell you how great they are?  

  Enough is never enough if you want to keep getting better.  It's cliche, but you've all seen that poster that says,  "Somewhere out there someone else is practicing right now... Someday you'll meet them in competition and they'll beat you".  That's a sport reference, and I'm not suggesting music is or should be competition.  The point is that in my experience "it's not good enough" is a great motivator. 

   Reaching for the un-attainable goal of some imaginary level of excellence and never being satisfied ensures greater progress.  Being too happy with one's current status precludes further development. (IMHO)

  3. My wife jumps horses over fences.  She currently tops out in the 4ft range.  Her dream is to be in the Olympics where they jump 5ft plus.  It's downright CRAZY to me to jump a horse at all, let alone that high.  I instantly think about the potential for serious injury.  She thinks nothing of it, I believe, because she starting jumping as a kid.  As kids we are too naive to even know we're taking risks. Ever watch kids ski?  They're bloody fearless.

  Playing music (in front of  others) takes a bit of risk.  It's scary to put one's soul on display for others to comment on.  I think many of us take some initial risks, but quickly find a comfort zone and then choose not to take any more risks.  As such, we stagnate musically.  It gets harder and harder to take risks as we get older.  We've simply seen too much.  We have too much baggage.  

  If one wants to keep getting better, I belive that one has to continue to risk a few failures, in hopes of growing a little.

  There's more, but I'm stopping at 3.  This is how I think, and what has lead to my improvement over the years.  I think I've improved drastically, but who knows huh?  I'm really not that good, and I have a ton I need to work on.

  Thanks,
  Dan G.
  www.edbluepills.com
  www.jdbone.com 