Disoriented
Finding The Ground
I have been feeling a bit disoriented lately. How about you? The continuing pandemic, the shift in US leadership, and the start of a brand new semester. Life has transitioned yet again and I am not sure which way is up.
Where to start amid all of this change? is a question that is coming up.
The biggest thing I notice is that we are still separate from one another. No playing together, and no in-person classes. We need to continue finding inspiration and motivation in our own space as we wait for the day when we can safely reconvene. This leads to me how to get our feet back on the ground and grow.
As we count the days until in-person concerts, rehearsals, and lessons can resume, this is an ideal time to fine-tune your skills by diving into the foundation of your playing. I am referring to movement. Your technique, expression, dynamics, tone colors all come from movement. (If you are not a musician, insert your craft or activity.)
Strip back the glamour and glitz in your music and get to the foundation. Ask yourself, “how do I create ________?” Or “what is getting in my way when I want to____________?” Maybe you aren’t certain how to change dynamics (I used to think it wasn’t something I was good enough to do.). Or you haven’t taken the time to recognize that the high E freaks you out, causing you to squeeze the instrument and brace in your body for a sound you would rather not use.
The answer to both of these questions leads you to the underbelly of any challenge allowing you to strip it down to the fundamentals. i.e. “to play a louder dynamic I need to ______________” Or “when I play this passage, my discomfort with this __________ messes me up.”
Instead of falling into feelings or fear for the future and the unknown, go to where you can make a difference. Where you can gain more security in your playing or insight for your teaching. Separate what is in your control from what is beyond it. Then begin chipping away where you are right now. The posts of this blog are full of ideas on getting down into the weeds, cleaning out the proverbial stumbling blocks we keep running into, and starting the process of creating your future rather than being a slave to your past.
I have to admit, I have struggled with getting back into the writing groove in 2021. I didn’t know where this piece would go, but I am happy that I let my experience guide me.
Stay tuned for more, and don’t forget to be curious!
Body Mapping + Primal Spiral kicks off Saturday, Jan 30 at 1pm. Still, a few spaces left. This is going to be a mind-blowing look into your body, how it is designed to move, and learning how to move with more ease, efficiency, and precision. This will get you right into the deep dive I write about.