Decisions

Reading Seth Godin's blog today I saw the link for the free workshop on decisions but had to act quickly before the 24 hrs of “free” was up. I love free. And More! I decided to let it go. The time to do the 50 minute workshop of which I’m sure there was much value, was going to compromise my best time to practice guitar. A good use of my tendency to have strong boundaries. Music is too important to me to let those precious morning hours slip away. 

Late in the day I stumbled upon a prompt for your six word memoir. Here’s mine: Make Music that moves our world. I do not understand why the music that comes to me does, but I do  keep showing up, Today I decided I would complete the Jumping Over Fences as the energy of the opening to this must be developed for my next release. Made good progress today because I gave myself the time and space to be present with my process. Now I have time to play a little bit more and enjoy the fruits of my practice.

Photo by Rosmarie Vegetal

Knownish

 Settling into my practice this morning I wondered if I was ready to play Day Two without the score? How much of this short piece do I know? Is there any doubt regarding the next phrase? The dynamics?  Smiling I got to work. Honing a piece is part of the craft I generally enjoy. 

From there I moved onto What Is This? a very challenging piece of music. Hearing the chatter ‘will I ever be able to play this’ I smiled and paused. Beginning again so did the internal noise. We begin again constantly states the aphorism. Not sure how many pauses I took but finally settled into working on it. Then I switched to Searching. 

For the next 90 minutes I danced between working on this three pieces. Noticing subtle  improvements each time I returned to one of them. There is still much I do not know. C’est la vie. 

Photo by flo220

Which End

As I was getting ready to tune, I noticed my copy of the Seven Habits on the shelf and thought about “Begin with the end in mind.” How did I want to be or where by the end of this practice day? In a year?  What do I want/need to learn that will facilitate my next musical release?

Gently adjusting the tuning peg listening to the low C settling in. Noticing tension in my left shoulder I let go a bit. Could I keep both instruments, guitar and body, in tune for the next couple hours. With pausing this was possible and supported the progress I made with a few pieces.

In the afternoon we had a session of the Practice Consortium, a collection of fifty or os guitarists that have been come together again for 7 weeks. Different individuals guide the practice each week based on what they are exploring. Today we were playing with chord inversions across three strings at a time. This is the one time of the week when I use a pic, and am generally challenged as the tempo is increased. During this session, I was “trying too hard” to keep up and it took a toll on my body. After a 45 minutes session, I needed to do an Alexander Technique lie down to relax my back. After 10 minutes I did some gentle stretches. With my body in tune again, I enjoyed lunch outside with my wife, then prepped for and taught our Saturday Qi Gong class. Listening to works in progress as I write this.

Need to have a conversation with my friend who said he is exploring accelerated learning. As I have a lot of respect for him, I’d like to know what he is investigating. What are you investigating?

                                 Photo by Randy von Liski

Slowing Down

Working on Exiled this morning I found myself rushing, which means my fingers are not learning how to play the piece but how to play mistakes.  Out came the metronome to establish the tempo of actual execution which helped. Especially when I slowed it down more.  As I continued practicing I was able to begin playing with the dynamics and was getting a overall feel for this section of the piece. After a break I noticed that one of the transitions was not working. When I was entering the notes into my scoring program I had gotten clever. While it sounded ok, as I played this it become obvious to me that I had disrupted the form too soon.

Experimenting I reverted to my original idea for these couple of bars. With more practice I realized I need to extend another idea a bit further.  Good, solid and necessary work. Easier to change the score in the Guitar Pro software then to have to rewrite it by hand.

https://soundcloud.com/user-463131538/exiled-mid30/s-RI1Mnv30rPA

Breathing Through Mistakes

A long time ago, I noticed that if I could not keep my breathing relatively free while playing a piece of music, I could not properly play the piece of music.  What the psycho-physical reason is for this I am not sure, but as my ability to breathe through a piece improved so did the music.  Is it unnecessary tension involving anticipated mistakes or difficult sections?  Is it fear?  Is it hearing critical voices from the past?  Hearing my own judgemental self?

Just breathe.  That simple.  Easy - not actually.  These past days I've been working on difficult passages in four different pieces that may be recorded tomorrow.  Yesterday I began playing with the idea of being free to breath through my mistakes, be they real or anticipated.  Today as I was practicing I decided to introduce a recovery period.  I'd play through the difficult section, then give myself a few breaths to recover, rather than push on.  At firs this was easy, but then my tendency to end-gain kicked in, so I had to breathe through that also.  I even gave myself the recovery breaths when I played the section well, just to keep my breathing free and my approach balanced.

I'll have to work with this a bit more to see if it becomes permanent, but my sense is that it will.

Photo by Adam Baker

Changing Conditions

A smile can change the condition of the world. - Thich Nhat Hahn

I've always loved the above quote.  For years I had a calligraphy of it on a post card strategically placed so that I would be reminded of the simple power of a smile to change conditions for myself and others.  This was good for a man who took himself far too seriously.  Last week I stumbled upon the quote again, while taking a break from practicing.  When I returned to the guitar I smiled at her, hoping for improved results I suppose. 

While playing that day the thought arose - let your hands smile at the guitar.  Something must have shifted because I wrote this on a post-it and attached this to my music stand.  Today I was struggling with a section of the piece Senseless Loss that I hope to record on Wednesday.  Forgetting that the metronome is my friend, I was becoming frustrated.  I don't like wearing headphones listening to the beat, but I was working with simulating the conditions in which I will record.  Then I saw the post-it.

A bit of the tension in my hands dissolved, and that was when I knew I needed a break.  Hitting the floor for an Alexander Technique lie down, I let my body to unwind a bit.  I visualized the chord changes that were hanging me up.  Returning to the guitar with a smile in my hands I worked a bit more.  With a softer forgiving attitude this time.  Smiling as I noticed that the conditions of the world had changed.

Photo by istolethetv

The First Note

   
                                            The first note.

What would be the first note I would play in 2015?  Prudent to begin the New Year with an intentional note.  My mind went to Eb, perhaps the first note I choose to fall in love with.  An A was the actual first note that took me into her confidence, showed me the beauty and power of a single note.  But early on in my work in Guitar Craft when I was directed to find my own voice, I fell for an Eb;  eighth fret on the fifth string.  She showed me wonder and possibility; showed me how to find the next note and which notes would increase her beauty, intrigue, mystery or horror.  Yes, Eb has been very good to me.  I decided that this would be the first note I'd play this year.

After settling in with myself and my guitar, I tuned.  Then with attention I played my first note.  I played her and played with her.  First with a gentle crescendo, then a decrescendo.  Then a bit faster, then slower; savoring the sound coming from this one note.  I varied the attack by my thumb and the first three fingers of my left hand.  Can I make the note the same volume regardless of which finger invites her to sound?  I played with various fingering combinations of the left hand; again building crescendos and decrescendos.  Just enjoying this single note.

I decided to play a chromatic scale playing each note with the thumb and each finger of the of the left
hand, building a crescendo across the 12 notes and then a decrescendo.  Then various combinations of sequential notes and intensity.  Then the surprise, I noticed I was on the fourth string and had begun with a Bb. A miscalibration of the mind and hands or a hidden intention of the Universe.  Smiling wondering where this might take me this year.  A brief improvisation in Bb major followed.  Then I wondered what was the last note I played yesterday, the last day of the year?  I do not know.  Will I ever wake up?

The Structure of Practice

                                                   pauSe
                                                        Tune
                                                    waRm
                                                        Up
                                                        Connnect
                                                 direcT
                                                         Up
                                                      foRward
                                                    widE


Photo by Steve Jurvestan

Listen Listen

Listen, Listen.  The sound of the bell brings me back to my true home.  Thich Naht Hahn

Listening, one of the most important senses a musician employs and develops.  The same might be true for all of us as we strive to bring harmony into our world.  While reflecting on how to begin my practice today, dynamics arose as an area to begin and focus on.  I always love to play with dynamics and the fourth primary from Guitar Craft.  This simple and beautiful arpeggio, not only returns me to moments of innocence, but provides an ongoing challenge to the independence of the thumb and fingers of my right hand.  I can simply alter the dynamics as I play the arpeggio.  Building a crescendo or decrescendo or use a loud and soft combination of any fingers.

The sea in front of me provides an example of effortless change in dynamics with the breaking waves.  As I begin to tune my guitar, I invite the low C string to sound.  I am immediately captivated by a richness and heretofore unknown intensity of the Ovation Guitar I have with me.  Suddenly I smile as I realize that this new found power is the result of an ocean going vessel heading out to sea and sounding it's fog horn.  A glimpse of what a master might sound like, I return to tuning.

My listening sharpened by this experience, I begin with a simple piece that has been unveiling herself to me recently.  Inspired by the Muslim call to prayer, I intone these notes with respect and awareness.  Reflecting on this now I realize that  my aspiration is that all notes should be invited in this way; better yet - all the words that I say to another.  A distance wider than the four oceans, awaits me on this particular journey of sound.  So be it.  Like music, the journey will unfold in time; either I will be present to the journey or not.   Knowing this, I cultivate my practice of awareness and insight daily, as often as I remember,  when a bell of mindfulness invites me back or when Nature in all her Glory simply demands that I pay attention to truth and beauty before me.

Playing through a piece, Senseless Loss, the fog horn which is close to  a C sounds again.  Harmonizing with the low E, I am playing, another smile blooms.  Two more times over the course of 30 minutes the fog horn resounds & blends with my joy and with the sea around us.  What a gift this life is, what a gift that music bestows upon me, on all of us.  Wake up, wake up now; listen!  On my own I need help, and the Universe continues to provide this help.  All I need do is to welcome the invitation and practice with what is offered.

As I return to the guitar,  I decide to address the primary with attention to dynamics that I had originally intended to begin my practice with.  While playing these notes, sensitive to the use of my right hand fingers, I notice a flock of small birds joyfully flying by.  Their flight hampered, bolstered, and guided by the wind.  Smiles returning as the birds and I practice taking flight together.   Smiling again as I recall this day is still quite young and many more opportunities await me.

Photo by Yazir Yacob

Widening My Practice

I begin my practice in an empty room within an old wood home.  As I noticed yesterday the window frames are so wide, a beautifully carved brown frame opening out into our world.  My case lies on the floor next to a chair.  I pause and inhibit my urge to open the case.  Where am I, I ask myself?  How wide are my feet on the floor?  Smiling as I think of Missy Vineyard, I use her take on the Alexander Technique with the negative direction - I am not holding onto my width.  Never good to get fixated on a notion of how to use myself nor how to direct my thinking.

As I bend to my case I direct my spine to be long as David Jernigan has urged me so many times in lessons.  My next thought - I am not holding onto my neck ... then I am not holding onto my desires.  Finally I open my case.  The good news is that I am much more present and aware of myself; the space I am in; and the intent of my practice than if I had not inhibited my act of opening the case.

As I begin to improvise I surprise myself with the direction the improv takes.  The thought how wide can I flow in my improvisation arises?  As I continue the improv, the habitual asserts itself, but now I see an opportunity to explore.  How wide can I stretch my knowledge of music theory?  How might I incrementally work on this?   I pause to jot down these questions.

As the day moves on and interactions with people accumulate I find myself asking - How wide is my acceptance of others?  Which led to how wide is my acceptance of myself?  Is there a difference?  Smiling as I notice that this path through "wide" is also deep.

Photo by Xubayr Mayo

AT Lessons From My Surroundings

I've been practicing in different physical spaces the last few days and am finding the spaces or objects within them speaking to me of "wide." This thought of wide has not been from my actively directing my thinking via Alexander Technique but just arising from the environment in which I am playing.

In El's Hermitage, I notice a Buddha  carved from wood on the shelf, in a seated position with shoulders that were just wide.  Not stretched, not out of proportion just wide.  I paused to observe this, allowing this statue to inform me.  The space itself was adequate; not large by any means, just enough.  As I noticed this Buddha again,  I saw the "forward & up" of his being.  Perhaps my first AT lesson from a statue.

In the home of another friend I was provided with an empty room to practice within.  A carpet covering most of the wood floor and two windows with shades.  At one point, I noticed how wide the window was that I was facing.  Another piece of wood inviting me to allow my shoulders to be wide; which spread to my feet and  my right hand.  No need to fix nor hold any of the muscles in my body.   Allow the neck to be free, and all of me to be long & wide.   As I worked with a slow melodic phrase, I noticed how I could allow the rests between the notes to also "be wide."  No need to rush the next note, allow the space between notes to be as wide as needed, just as I can allow my back and shoulders to be wide.

The seeds of AT have been planted, nourished and arise in various ways.  Where will the next noticing arrive from?  

New Variations in Alexander Technique Negative Directions

          While practicing this evening, I paused to direct my thinking with the basic Alexander Technique directions.  Directing forward & up, long & wide.  I noticed that I was "shortening" my right arm and that the right shoulder was in some type of funny position.  How do I get this way?  Wondering if this goes back to that young boy trying to write cursive that I recalled a couple posts ago while working with AT.

Then the negative direction - I am not concerned with my playing when I play arrived.  Perfect.  Just play, work on the rough sections of the new piece.  Release into the unconcerned. Abandon any concerns with my playing or my process.

After a short break, I moved onto the second piece I'll be recording on Sunday that still is not complete.  Suddenly this arrived - I am not concerned with completing this piece.  Amen.  Freedom to continue to explore what is available.  Nothing to be concerned with.  Just play, play without concern.  And dare I say - don't fret?

Adding Rests

I'm still struggling with a microbe looking to hijack my biochemistry.  I did rest last night and left work early today for more of the same.  As I was practicing tonight, I reflected on rests and recalled Pedro de Alcantatra's exercise of adding a rest in the first beat of every bar.  He details this in his excellent book Indirect Procedures: A Musician's Guide to the Alexander Technique (Clarendon Paperbacks).  This exercise disrupts habitual playing and allows me to notice where I am adding unnecessary tension to the act of playing.

Tonight I applied this to a tremolo piece - Senseless Loss. I modified the exercise to add a rest after every bass note.   By playing bass note/rest/high note/high note/high note, I was able to keep releasing my right elbow and arm.  At one point while pausing to inhibit via the Alexander Technique I noticed what has become a habit, albiet a good one, but could now be getting in my way. I decided that while it is fine to inhibit and direct before bringing my hands to the guitar, why not inhibit with my hands in playing position?  As I did this and followed the directions of allowing my neck, then spine, back, legs, arms to be free I noticed a slight letting go in an area of my upper arm that tends to get tight from playing.

When this tightness manifest, there is also an area on the right side of my neck that is sore as well as an area around my elbow.  Any healthy way I can lessen this tension can only improve my playing.  Chuckling that just how additional rest is improving my health right now, that adding rests in my playing is improving this also.  C'est la vie, viva la siesta.

The First Note

       
                                       Happy New Day!

This morning while shaving I had a thought about how to play with arpeggios.  I continued thinking yes, the first day of the year, it would be nice to work on a fresh and new exploration.  But what chord would serve the arpeggio?  When I want to pick up my guitar I paused.  Deciding to play my first note of this the new year with intention, I thought what note shall I play?  Eb came almost immediately to my mind. This wasn't a total surprise, as over the years there's always been something about an E flat that resonates with me.

For a moment, I thought think about another note.  But then I said no, Eb arose,  this is where I shall begin my playing for this year.  And so with care and attention I brought my hands to my guitar.  Allowing Eb to sing, I then chose an interval of the fourth and played Ab followed by a G and an E.  From here I began to play and explore, quickly finding an opening phrase.  Somewhat dark and melancholy I played this a few times and found another phrase.  Smiling as I put away my guitar as I had to attend an afternoon event with some friends.

Returning home, I was happy that I played my first note of the year with intentionality.  How might this small act of quality serve my playing for the coming year?  This one act changing everything.  Perhaps if I begin all my practice sessions with choosing one note,  I could connect all my practices throughout the year to this first practice.  Might this change me, my playing, or the world?  To extend the moment of my practicing, connecting with all that was and will be?

During the afternoon this initial phrase took on a title, Lifting the Veil. Somewhat easily the following phrases and ideas developed.  There is now a beginning, a middle, and an end to this piece and there  seems there is a connection throughout. I played this for my wife and she also felt there was a wholeness and musicality. Picking up my guitar one more time this evening I played through Lifting the Veil.  Transitions need to be worked out and fingering's remembered, but there is music within these notes.

What more could I hope for? 

Of Course it's the Neck

This morning when I woke, I felt as if I had been run over.  A long stressful week professionally, ending with an 11 hour day Friday.  The sonic assault of my professional environment seems to take a great toll on me these days.  After rising I wrote briefly and read a few pages from Thich Nhat Hanh's Breathe, You Are Alive: The Sutra on the Full Awareness of Breathing, which  I've been studying since October.  Grateful for the day off, I was in a place where I just did not want to decide what to do today.  Fortunately I have my morning routine, and my loving wife with whom I practice.

She reviewed the Blue Heron Walking form from the Qi Gong class which I could not attend this week.  Becoming confused with the form, I wanted to let go of Qi Gong altogether.  Fortunately, she continued and I followed.  Taking us through forms which I am familiar, slowly my body let go of the stress and found release.  Towards the end of the session, we were standing and pausing, allowing the Qi to consolidate.  I found myself in a slightly unfamiliar stance, that had a sense of rightness.  I savored this moment for a bit as she began moving through the word for the day.  Smiling I began to move again, knowing that I can not hold onto anything, and just must continue to arrive in each moment.  An extremely pleasant contrast to the last couple hours of work yesterday.

Later in the day I was unclear with what to do next, so I rested.  After waking from my nap, I stayed in bed and meditated on the body.  Finding again the area of discomfort on my right forearm, I noticed a tightness below the right shoulder that appeared to be working to "hold" the shoulder in position.  As I just now tried to locate this area, I noticed the relationship between this "muscle" below the shoulder and movement I found myself doing while playing tonight.

Revisiting an exercise from Pedro de Alcanatara's excellent book Indirect Procedures: A Musician's Guide to the Alexander Technique (Clarendon Paperbacks) I was putting a rest in during the second beat of a measure.  This brief inhibition of my regular playing, has proved illuminating when I worked with this previously.  I was also playing the piece slower than usual, focusing on observing the use of my right hand.  As I approached a section that I generally play with great intensity, I found my head slightly scrunching down and to the right.  Certainly not a surprise that a poor use of the neck would impact my playing from an Alexander viewpoint, but I was fascinated with finding this particular quirk on my own.  As I continued working in this manner, I noticed this again in relationship to a "mistake."  Subtle and as I write this I sense a dropping in my shoulder for some reason.  Pausing to inhibit my typing and thinking through the AT directions.  As I scrunch the neck and slightly lift the shoulder, I sense the "muscular holding" previously referred to.  Playing with this again there appears to be a habit of this "scrunch of neck and lift of shoulder " in my use.  No idea how this habit developed or why.  Now at least I have a sense of what I am working with. 


                           Photo by Luca Biada.

Back to the Middle

From high to low in 24 hours, and through the actions of reflection, writing, and minding my thinking, I veer again towards the middle.  After blogging last night, I did some personal writing, followed by an Alexander Technique lie down and then returned to court music.

Beginning my playing with the first piece that ever came to me, A Journeyman's Way Home, allowed me to approach beginners mind.  Touching the joy and wonder of the Creative Act, I abandoned the notion of playing the set and moved on to playing Lost Balloon.  There is a section in the piece which is still uncertain in my left hand with my new guitar.  Accessing the 15th and 17th positions to play this part is not fluid.

After playing the part in the 15th position I noticed my right hand tensing as my left hand made the leap to the 17th position.  A good place to focus my work with the Alexander Technique.  Using inhibition and direction, I slowly introduced a continued length and freedom in my right hand in place of the tightening that had been happening.  I've always enjoyed working on the mechanics of playing, and this work nourished the joy and wonder within.  A thought arrived - this is a beautiful section and I am free to  play it well.

I continued to work slowly, praising my playing. and pausing before moving between sections and directing with AT.  I noticed my awareness deepening and that I was using myself more efficiently.  And then the thought that had arrived earlier morphed into - I am free to play beautifully.

Tonight I began with this thought in mind.  During my lie down, I held this sense of freedom in my entire body.  Cultivating this with thoughts of lengthening and widening my body, I  let go of the unneeded tensions accumulated during my day.  Working with this section of Lost Balloon again, I prompted my awareness to take in more of the room.  Directing upward to the trees outside, wider to the ocean far away.  Playing with the Alexander Technique, lightening up myself, including especially my spirit.  A gentle and loving practice ensued.  Amen.

Descending Clouds of Negativity

 


We begin again constantly is a Guitar Craft aphorism frequently mentioned i n this blog. For good reason I might add, as I find myself lost over and over, and need to reboot my awareness once again.  I have just began my practice session over two times, after my initial attempt.  Here I am now, looking to expunge the thinking matters that are clouding my mind, and embrace the simple act of playing.  Thoughts are similar to clouds in many respects.  Some are light and fluffy, moving through our minds offering happiness and joy.  Others dense, dark, and ominous; bringing storms of disruption and havoc to our being.  Depending on my condition at any time, when the various clouds of thoughts arrived, they may be supported, nurtured, or distorted.  The good news is - they all come to pass. 

While journaling this morning, I was still basking in the energy generated by my playing last night.  A couple constructive thoughts arrived.  One was to shorten the set to better fit my energy stamina.  Another to allow myself a bit more space within to breath, if I again sense my energy diminishing towards the end of the set.  I recall a bit of judgement arising with the thought of shortening the set.  Negative thinking creeping into an otherwise great experience.  I moved onto Qi Gong and meditation and then departed for work.

During my commute, I found myself thinking "don't play the set tonight, you know it will not be as good as last night."  The negative seed within me that judges myself and others was breaking through the soil of my mind and beginning to grow.  I tried to laugh this off, and thought of just working on the rough spots in my playing tonight and allowing the spark from last night to live a bit longer.  Then my thinking moved to "why not get the inevitable over with, have the bad practice and move on."  Fortunately I arrived at work and the demands of my professional responsibilities took over.

Before playing tonight, I sat for twenty minutes.  Letting my body relax, following my breath, and working to quiet the mind.  I needed this tonight, knowing from experience that I was scattered enough that my playing would suffer if I just dove in.  Reminding myself of my intention, I tuned my guitar.  As soon as I began to play the clouds of negative thought erupted.  I wanted to just play through them, but the thoughts impacted my playing which generated more thoughts, generally of a negative bent and so forth.   I let go, brought order to some papers and returned to the guitar.

More negative thoughts erupted as I began playing, this time my thinking going back to work today and judging what I failed to accomplish.  Walking away again, I returned to begin a third time to no avail.  Deciding that getting these thoughts out here and out of my magic magnifying mind, might offer the freedom I need to begin again and move forward with one more effort.  Time for a lie down and a new beginning. Trusting and knowing that this is all part of the process, I smile.

Multiple Lie Downs

I am continuing to investigate Philip Pawley's idea of doing more lie downs for shorter periods of time.  Today over the course of an hour & twenty minute practice period, I did six lie downs.  My usual one to begin my practice and then One every ten - fifteen minutes.  Never did I feel the "need" to do a lie down, yet I continued to do so.

The first three lie downs, I noticed the usual place in my spine behind the rib cage was tight.  This tightness let go easily. The duration of each lie down was longer than the minute that Pawley has investigated and suggests.  If indeed I am to rest these muscle that are learning new ways of being used, I suspect that a little longer time on the floor is prudent.  By the end of my practice session I was energized, and even willing to go further.  But a glance at the clock on a Sunday night and I know I need to let go and get to bed.

Investigating Short Lie Downs

 

At my AT lesson this week David Jernigan, told me that he was working with doing the AT lie down procedure more frequently but for very short durations.  This came about from reading he has done on the work of Philip Pawley.  I've been doing AT lie downs, properly referred to as semi-supine, for over 20 years.  Generally for a period of 10-20 minutes as suggested to me by a variety of AT teachers, not the least of whom is Frank Sheldon.  The reasons to undertake this practice is allow the body to stretch and to sort itself out.  And also to rest tired muscles.  From the little I've read so far of Pawley's work it is the rest aspect that he feels is most important.

Today I choose to rest more than is my nature, and to reflect and have additional time for meditation.  I did two lie downs in the morning part of my practice.  In the afternoon when I picked up my guitar, I decided to begin with a lie down, and then to incorporate Pawley's idea of doing a lie down every ten minutes for just one minute. For the next 50 minutes I did do four short lie downs as part of my practice.  I noticed that this did assist not only my use with the guitar, but that during the third short lie down I found that the middle portion of my back/spine had begun to tighten.  After this tightness released, I practiced for 10 more minutes and then took a longer break.

Returning for 30 more minutes of guitar practice, I again began with a short lie down and incorporated two more during the practice and completed my session with a longer lie down.  There was a sense of a greater freedom and awareness, and my head and neck seemed to find a release.   Of course this last piece of noticing could also be what Alexander referred to as "faulty sensory appreciation."  Yet my ease of use was palpable.  I suspect I'll continue this investigation further.

You can receive a free download of Philip Pawley's article here.

What Would Debussy Do?

While walking early this morning I paused several times to connect with my body.  Using a simple Alexander Technique procedure I picked up from Pedro de Alcantara.  Once connected I continued to walk, while enjoying the sites and sounds of the early morning.  Part of my thinking went towards reinforcing that it is easy to play music; easy to create music.  And it is.  I just need to be there in the moment and anything is possible.

After breakfast, I moved to the practice room.  Reflecting on where to begin, I was grateful for the musical options and exercises I have available to me.  Sitting on my stool, I used the AT directions to connect with myself, the guitar, and the room.  I played the first phrase of Gathered Hearts and then rested.  Reconnecting via AT, I brought my arms to the guitar with more awareness this time.  The result was immediately noticeable in the sound of the first note.  At the end of the phrase I paused again to connect and direct.  I continued in this manner of playing the opening phrase and pausing to direct.  At times I allowed my arms to move in a manner similar to my Qi Gong practice.  Each time I returned to play the phrase I did so with greater awareness and ease. 

At one point the thought of why should the use of my arms be any different because I am playing guitar?  My arms are relaxed chopping vegetables, shooting basketball, and certainly while doing Qi Gong.  I know the movements of playing a musical instrument are more precise.  Yet there is something deeper.  Lord knows how many baskets I have missed in my life, yet I'm still relaxed when shooting.  The state of my use while doing Qi Gong is as close to the way I'd like my hands & arms to be. But the act of bringing my hands to the guitar brings all that I am - the happiness and the love, along with the fear and insecurities.  Is it the fear of making a mistake or the doubt of my ability that constricts my arms and hands?

I moved onto playing Gathered Hearts in it's entirety, enjoying the energy and feel of how I was playing.  I eyed the sketch in Bm from last night as I completed Gathered Hearts and the thought arose, what would Debussy do with this sketch?  I put my guitar down and made a few notes on this process and then took the score from my desk. Then I decided to do a brief AT lie down.  My back hit the floor and though I had not noticed any discomfort, there was tightness in my spine in the area behind my ribs.  This is common for me and fortunately has subsided considerably these past two years.  A definite result of my work with the Alexander Technique.  As the tightness released, I directed particularly along my arms.

When I began playing with the opening chords of the sketch, with the spirit of what would Debussy do, something changed.  A lightness was already present in the opening phrase, and possibilities were presented. As the philosopher Soren Kierkegaard said " A possibility is a hint from God.  One must follow it."  As I followed these musical possibilities, my left hand and arm remained relatively relaxed.  The earlier work having set me on a path of good use.  I fleshed out what I could of the opening and notated what was given to me.  An hour passed quickly and joyfully.  Then it was time to complete my practice and prepare for a family celebration.