[Harp-L] re: was how many? now encouragement

["Jim Alciere" <jim.alciere@xxxxxxxxx>]

Bob wrote: "How many of us would be encouraged to play, even to excel at
harp, while in the
learning process, if all we heard were negative comments concerning our
style of
playing."

Huh. When I started harp my folks hated it. My siblings hated it. My friends
were tired of it. More importantly, I knew I  sucked. Be nice if you could
just pick up an instrument and play. So in order to play the instrument, I
had to get past the mental obstacles. Nothing ruins a jam or a practice
session for me quicker than negative self talk. I start getting annoyed with
my lack of progress and everything skids to a halt. If I didn't really enjoy
the process (noodling on a harmonica) and if I didn't have a cast iron ego,
I would never have gotten through the first month. I'm still nowhere near
virtuoso on the harp but I have managed to become competent.


-- 
Rainbow Jimmy
http://www.spaceanimals.com
http://www.myspace.com/theelectricstarlightspaceanimals