Re: [Harp-L] Zen Harmonica and Music Teaching Concept

["Bob Laughlin" <rlaughlin@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

These are great, great suggestions, requiring no small amount of
self-control, but in the end, very rewarding principles. I firmly agree.

Bob
----- Original Message ----- 
From: <IcemanLE@xxxxxxx>
To: <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, May 14, 2007 7:10 AM
Subject: [Harp-L] Zen Harmonica and Music Teaching Concept


> One concept I teach has to do with - not playing. Do you have the  ability
to
> stand on stage and "not play" with total relaxation? Can you  free
yourself
> from the "mental lip lock" you have on your instrument?
>
> I witness so many beginning , intermediate and even "big shot"  harmonica
> players seem so disassociated from the music around them when they are
not
> actively playing the harmonica (at gigs or at jams). They seem almost
distracted
> as they fiddle with their amp or can't seem to find a comfortable  place
to
> stand. My theory is that they are in their heads worrying about how to
recreate
> that memorized solo that they've been practicing all week when it's  their
> time to play, or they have their finger in their ear so they can hear
themselves
> and are trying out ideas off mic, or any number of fidgets that keeps
them
> from actually enjoying the music and groove happening all around  them.
>
> When in a state of "not playing" on stage, relax, let the arms hang at
your
> sides, and consciously (at first) force yourself to become an active
listener
> who really enjoys what is going on musically. Start to find the groove in
the
>  music and attach it to your personal one. Subtly sway or move to the
music.
> Pay  attention to who is soloing and listen to their ideas. Pay attention
to
> how the  rhythm section is locked (or not locked) in. Listen to the bass
line.
> Check out  how and if the rhythm instrument supports or is ignoring the
> vocal/soloists.  Don't feel compelled to fill in every open space between
other's
> ideas or  vocals.
>
> Get out of your own mind set of worrying about what you will do when  it
is
> your time to play. This is truly wasted time and energy. Don't buy into
the
> philosophy of needing to play SOMETHING just because you are on stage.
When
> solos are being handed out and it's your turn, don't JUMP into playing.
Believe
> it or not, you can even let a few measure go by before you have to make a
> musical statement. As a matter of fact, by "not playing" for a moment when
you
> are nodded at, it helps clear the air and your mind from what went on
before.
> Even if you are skipped over during a jam tune, don't get  emotionally
tied to
> the "I just gotta get a solo in", unless you enjoy being  driven by
personal
> anger. There is always the next song, the next jam, the next  gig, the
next
> opportunity.
>
> All of this is geared to introducing the student/player into the realm of
> "dig the music all around me" rather than "dig me - see how I play the
music"
> and to eliminate a personal attachment to any outcome.
>
> This is imply another exercise in taming the ego rather than being driven
by
> it. Believe me, the ego doesn't want to be relegated to second class
citizen
> and sometimes fights you violently for control. Much to the ego's dismay,
the
>  truth is that you are not your ego. In so many people, the ego is so loud
> and  constantly chattering in your mind that you don't even have a chance
to
> discover  who you are.
>
> The Iceman
>
>
>
>
>
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