Friday, April 10, 2015

Letting Go of the Good Stuff

How long did it take me to learn to let go of mistakes when rehearsing and especially when performing?  Hold onto a mistake while playing and more will quickly follow.  As I prepare for Sunday's gig at The Electric Maid,  I've gotten caught a couple times with the good stuff.  Phrases that I've worked on for weeks sometimes longer have been coming together nicely.  Playing them within the context of the piece the anticipation anxiety of this part coming up has lessened considerably.

But I noticed yesterday and then again this morning, that I sailed through a couple of these difficult spots, assumed a rather smug inner attitude and thud, flop, fizz other notes suffered.  Let go, let go and let go.  Of the good and the bad.  I am reminded of the first line in the Dhammapada - all problems arise in the mind ... and so it goes.

Photo by Todd Hryck

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