[Harp-L] Zen Harmonica and Music Teaching Concept

[IcemanLE@xxxxxxx]

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
 
 



************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com.