Still working with this new piece. Stillness remains key to my process. When I slow down I listen. Persistent open stillness allow the whispers of the muse to be heard. Last week when I was completing my work for the evening, I recorded what I had achieved with the piece that session. This act is nothing new for me, but when I woke the following morning I decided to listen to this during my commute. This was going against my habit of having the recording to refer to for ideas. I heard myself saying it is too early in the process to listen, my playing is so flawed. On I went about why to maintain this habit.
I trusted the impulse and listened three times during various parts of my drive. During the second listening I thought I heard something but it was nebulous. Then in the third listen, I heard the whisper of where to take the piece. That evening I worked with the idea and was satisfied with the result. The next morning and a few other times I have done this with this piece. The whispers continue.
This piece is stretching me, as is this process. As I listened this morning I thought the introduction needed something, but I did not hear what this might be. Tonight after a very exhausting work day, I was ready to play, when I paused. I realized that it's been a while since I've done an AT lie down before playing. So I hit the floor and as I relaxed, I began listening to the intro in my mind. I heard a possibility. Of course I wanted to get up and play with it, but I choose to stay with the lie down.
The idea does have merit and I played with another part from my morning's listening that needed work. Now I'll sacrifice myself to the gods of sleep and listen again tomorrow.
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