Working on Turning the Wheel. The second and fourth fingers are anchored to the fretboard through out this piece. Subsequently tension and fatigue have been an issue while playing it. It's a great piece with an intriguing rhythm in seven, but this evening while practicing I decided that perhaps I'll drop it from Saturday's Set list at Electric Maid. Keep working with the piece, but not push too hard if the left hand continues to struggle. I also decided to perform seated. I go back & forth between sitting and standing as both have their advantages, but for this gig take my stool. But for now let go to the seated position where I do not get as distracted.
Then I went to an Alexander Technique class with David Jernigan and 3 other students who are also musicians. Towards the end of the class David asked if I wanted to play and I choose to play Turning the Wheel to investigate how my AT work would impact the playing. Having been in the presence of people practicing AT for close to 90 minutes at this point, I had been directing my thinking actively for much of this time. I was present and relatively free. I've been working with how I bring my hands to the guitar in a different way since Sunday, leading with the little finger. (More on this in a post soon.) Being aware of the stimulus of performing for people who are actually listening, I let go of my unnecessary concerns and played. There was more freedom and perhaps even musicality than any time I have played this piece including in my practice room.
What else can I let go of?
Photo by Fe Langdon
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