| Dale Grider |
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Reply with quote | #1 |
Hello Mark,
Thank you again for being an integral part of a very exciting and successful first time for me at Kamp Week1 this last June. After putting a few months behind me after the Kamp experience I can really start to gauge how much it has helped re-direct and improve my progress. A LOT!
I have been surprised (and delighted) to see how the "Effortless Mastery" outlook is positively and directly affecting my technical approach to actually playing the instrument. (My first impression of the book was that it was just about "head work" in terms of performance nerves more than technical improvement per se). I think I did not realize however, how hard I was "trying" to "MAKE" technical improvement happen (a different attitude problem from performance nerves issues). A lot of what Werner said in the book, and how he said it, made something different start happening when I picked up the guitar to actually play. "Relaxation" became more than just a word and the distinction between trying to "make" something happen as opposed to "letting" something happen gained some meaning for me. I have identified an "easy" groove that I can slip into now for periods of time and I try to really pay attention when I am there. If I lose contact with it completely, I stop and take a break.
I've got A LONG way to go, (old habits!) but I have determined that developing my playing along the lines of ease and relaxation is worth every effort (NON-effort???)! It's much more fun to play when its "easy" and you're relaxed. Now if I can get into the "head work" aspect of Werner's outlook on performing maybe I can get on stage and more joyfully share some of it with others!
Thanks again,
Dale
PS: There is a thread right now on the FlatpickL listserv about "fluid flatpicking" and how to get that smooth connected sound that we admire in great players. Lot's of specific technical ideas shared on how to "make" your playing more fluid, or why the greats sound so good. My immediate thought was that the best (only?) way to make it sound smooth, natural, relaxed, and in an audibly comfortable groove, is to be playing it from that place of "effortless mastery" encompassing that whole outlook Kenny Werner elaborates. If I do that, it will be fluid. That is hard to share in a list serv post. Sounds too "mystic" if you haven't read the book, thought about it, and applied some of the concepts.
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| mark |
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Reply with quote | #2 |
Wow, you express yourself very well. I'm so glad you are on track for getting what you need from playing. I loved the Werner book although I can't say I perform every exercise. Not because I think it's too wifty or mystical but because I'm an old creature of habit. Some bad. Some good I guess. I just love the fact that there are books out there on the subject that are written intelligently by an experienced player. It makes life interesting and most importantly gets us away from staring at ourselves and our real or imagined shortcomings for enough time to let some air in on things. A new look is what that book and others can do for us. Playing and learning are often so lonesome and self absorbed.
Thank you for your post on my board.
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| Dale Grider |
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Reply with quote | #3 |
Mark,
Thanks for the kind response.
You said, "Playing and learning are often so lonesome and self absorbed."
That is so true, and before Kamp I didn't know how much it was limiting me. KAMP really helped me realize how much I have to make the effort to get out and play with others. That was a common piece of wisdom that I kept hearing over and over from virtually all of the world class instructional team at KAMP this year. Some teachers said they felt it was the single greatest thing we could do to propel our playing forward (Seems like Roy Curry really emphasized that). Funny thing is I am literally FIVE minutes from a Wednesday night open jam where all levels show up to form circles from pretty novice players to master players and their friends like Mike Cleveland and Jeff Guernsey. (I've been going pretty much weekly). Though it is billed as a pretty traditional Bluegrass Jam (I'm a more eclectic "Doc Watson" oriented guitarist in taste and style, including fingerstyle), There always seem to be some Old Timey and Folky people there too.
Reflecting again on the Werner book, the jam environment is fun, but it's not like getting on stage. I really need to knuckle down and do the head work before Kamp 2008 so I can redirect my adrenalin in a positive way in true performance, eliminate (or at least marginalize) the ego, and have as much fun in a true performance setting as I do jammin'. (Techique aside), ALL of you guys on the instructional team last Summer were a real inspiration toward my craving that ability to just be poised (and havin' fun) on stage. I guess for a contest player, you've experinced and successfully survived the worst nerves situation a player might face. But, (thinking of your CD title), as hard as that performance environment is....I guess it's "Good Medicine" for developing your perfomance nerve!
Dale
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