Sometimes in all our focus on the big picture of our music, and sometimes also just in the stress of practicing and preparing, we lose sight of the music itself. We lose the joy in the way it sounds. We lose the beauty.
Bruser makes two recommendations about how to get back to the beauty and depth of our music.
"The first technique, which is for instrumentalists, is to sing every note and line in a piece." (loc: 2108)
"Simply play or sing a single note or chord of a musical phrase, and then take a moment to notice the effect it has on your body before you play or sing the next one." (loc: 2157)
What do you do to stay in touch with your music?
note: I'm reading this book from through my Kindle app, so quotations are shown by the location in the Kindle document.
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Tuesday, February 25, 2014
Tuesday, February 18, 2014
The Art of Practicing - Reading Together - Simplicity
Bruser's recommendation is: don't attack the music, be gentle with it.
"Being gentle does not mean that you play only soft, lyrical music. It means that you are willing to abandon inflated approaches and open yourself to the exact texture of music so that it penetrates you completely." (loc: 2058)
note: I'm reading this book from through my Kindle app, so quotations are shown by the location in the Kindle document.
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"Being gentle does not mean that you play only soft, lyrical music. It means that you are willing to abandon inflated approaches and open yourself to the exact texture of music so that it penetrates you completely." (loc: 2058)
note: I'm reading this book from through my Kindle app, so quotations are shown by the location in the Kindle document.
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Tuesday, February 11, 2014
The Art of Practicing - Reading Together - Three Styles of Struggle
Each musician struggles in his musical pursuits and practice. Understanding those struggles is key to helping us develop our abilities and musicianship.
"The three psychological styles are (1) overstated passion, in which we cling to the music; (2) avoidance, in which we resist dealing with the music; and (3) aggression, in which we attack the music." (loc: 1892)
"Spontaneity is a tricky concept. It’s different from impulsiveness. Impulsiveness comes from habit: 'I’m mad at him, so I’m going to yell.' Or, 'This music is problematic, so I’m going to push myself harder.' That’s impulsive. Spontaneity is the freedom not to follow every single impulse. We have so many impulses that if we followed all of them, we’d be making trouble everywhere we go. By noticing destructive impulses and not giving in to them, we open a space for a fresh, creative impulse to arise instead of a habitual one." (loc: 2001)
note: I'm reading this book from through my Kindle app, so quotations are shown by the location in the Kindle document.
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"The three psychological styles are (1) overstated passion, in which we cling to the music; (2) avoidance, in which we resist dealing with the music; and (3) aggression, in which we attack the music." (loc: 1892)
"Spontaneity is a tricky concept. It’s different from impulsiveness. Impulsiveness comes from habit: 'I’m mad at him, so I’m going to yell.' Or, 'This music is problematic, so I’m going to push myself harder.' That’s impulsive. Spontaneity is the freedom not to follow every single impulse. We have so many impulses that if we followed all of them, we’d be making trouble everywhere we go. By noticing destructive impulses and not giving in to them, we open a space for a fresh, creative impulse to arise instead of a habitual one." (loc: 2001)
note: I'm reading this book from through my Kindle app, so quotations are shown by the location in the Kindle document.
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Tuesday, February 4, 2014
The Art of Practicing - Reading Together - The Spark of Inquisitiveness
Here, Bruser highlights how to keep the spontaneity alive in your practicing.
"You can cultivate spontaneity by paying attention to what you want to practice and by working in a way that interests you." (loc: 1702)
"The continuity of practicing lies not in playing a piece through from beginning to end but in staying with our mind, being true to our own intelligence, from the beginning to the end of a practice session." (loc: 1719)
"But when you lose touch with the delight of it and get caught up in trying to imitate a machine, then you’re working against yourself." (loc: 1827)
"When a student feels respected for her opinions and is encouraged to express herself, she opens up and makes music more easily. As she uses her own mind more and more, she learns to practice on her own with more intelligence." (loc: 1873)
note: I'm reading this book from through my Kindle app, so quotations are shown by the location in the Kindle document.
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You just finished reading The Art of Practicing - Reading Together - The Spark of Inquisitiveness.
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"You can cultivate spontaneity by paying attention to what you want to practice and by working in a way that interests you." (loc: 1702)
"The continuity of practicing lies not in playing a piece through from beginning to end but in staying with our mind, being true to our own intelligence, from the beginning to the end of a practice session." (loc: 1719)
"But when you lose touch with the delight of it and get caught up in trying to imitate a machine, then you’re working against yourself." (loc: 1827)
"When a student feels respected for her opinions and is encouraged to express herself, she opens up and makes music more easily. As she uses her own mind more and more, she learns to practice on her own with more intelligence." (loc: 1873)
note: I'm reading this book from through my Kindle app, so quotations are shown by the location in the Kindle document.
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