RE: [Harp-L] Mojo

["Bradford Trainham" <bradford.trainham@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Yeah Why??!!!!
We'll see you tomorrow and you'd better have fun or I'll be depressed!!!
Brad Trainham
 

-----Original Message-----
From: harp-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx [mailto:harp-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf
Of michael rubin
Sent: Thursday, April 23, 2009 7:01 PM
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [Harp-L] Mojo

Some thoughts that I have gleaned from buddhist writings and Werner's
Effortless Mastery is to lose the attachment of sounding good.  I have come
to the conclusion that it is my job to make music and let the audience take
from it what they will.

Basically I let my judge be whether or not I am getting enough chances to
play to enjoy myself.  With the exception of a 4 year stretch where I was
really trying to earn a full time living performing and therefore had to gig
5 to 8 shows a week, I have always been hired an average of 3 shows a week.
For me, that is enough to enjoy myself.  I must be playing with enough mojo
to get hired.

At a more beginning level, say Abner's, I would go back to the same open mic
and see if they are still willing to let you play.  If so, you really
couldn't have been as bad as you think.

It is good to be self critical, it helps you practice and create a vision of
how you want to sound.  But I rarely ever step off the stage thinking about
how badly I played.  I almost always walk off thinking about how much fun I
had.  I play with many musicians who talk to me after the same gig and they
are depressed and listing their faults.
Seems like a waste of good fun to me.

Now if only I could relax the same way during practice.  I am always feeling
like I cannot play at practice time, that I will never get the hard thing I
am working on.  A couple of years later, I always have gotten it.  Why can't
I have that perspective and have as much fun practicing as I do gigging?

Michael Rubin
Michaelrubinharmonica.com
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