Grounded, Secure & Trusting

I hope the daily cues are inspiring you to turn your practicing upside down, approach your playing from a new perspective.  What we are exploring together is all about the process.  When we immerse ourselves in the process of music-making we have choices, we can adjust easily.

Today let’s look at the music differently.  First, play something and notice what you are seeing.  Most likely, the answer will be the music.  Time to turn this upside down!

As you look at the music in front of you, notice that you can see the notes and you can see the white border of the page around the music.  Then notice that you can also see the music stand.  Go ahead and play the music again allowing your eyes to take in the border of the page and the music stand.

What was it like to play with a slightly expanded field of vision?  

Let’s add another layer.  Notice now that you can read the music and can also see beyond the stand.  This part of your vision will not be in focus, instead, you will notice the shapes, colors and any movement in that layer.  The key is you can still read the music.  Play again.

Anything new?

Now let’s add the peripheral field to the left and right.  As you look at the music notice you can see to the left and right.  Probably the walls.  Again, notice colors and shapes.  You can play again, allowing this part of your visual field to be in your awareness or add in the up and down, ceiling and floor.

What is it like to visually focus on the music, but also see around, walls, ceiling, floor.  None of the peripheral field will be in focus unless you choose, but they will be part of your awareness.  You can contrast this will hyper-focus on the notes on the page.  Don’t see anything else.  Do you feel the difference in your body? In your movement.

In my classes, this is a magic moment.  Sound rings out, the performer feels grounded and secure, technique falls into place and a beautiful trust in one’s skills emerges.

As you play today, open up your vision.  Give it a day of seeing what it is like to practice with this wider visual field.  Vision has a huge impact on the quality of our movement.