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Kenny Werner....Effortless Mastery

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losthobos

losthobos

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For the last year or so I've been really struggling with my playing... More i practice the worse i get, more i listen to the greats the more inadequate i feel...
Somr days i can't even play a line without hearing horror shows or insipidness... Turning down gigs or failing to turn up to rehearsals has become more of a norm where as a few years ago I'd play anywhere... No venue to small no fee to large was my motto... Now it seems to be I'm happiest in my garden...
69 pages into this book and i have an odd feeling of liberation.... Now wether that makes my playing realistically any better or not remains to be seen....
Hopefully it doesn't just fill me with enough self confidence i try and enter a tv talent show... ? Anyine else been here...
 
He did a masterclass when I was in college. The book was part of the curriculum that year. It's been 20 some years since, but I do remember getting a lot out of it. I will have to watch the video as a refresher.
 
Thanks, Terry. Will watch this later when I have time. You are good!!!! Maybe it will make you chilled, and feel better about your playing, whether or not it 'improves" anything. I hope you can get back to having fun soon.
 
Effortless Mastery, the book and accompanying CD, have been a great help to me. I highly recommend it.
Two similar books have also been of big help:
The Primacy of the Ear, by Ran Blake.
The Inner Game of Music, by Barry Green

All have the uncanny ability to combine what might be called serious study with, individual expression, and enjoyment, all in the service of whatever it is that leads each of us to music in the first place.
 
This reminds me of an interesting video I listened to about jazz improvisation. He said to forget all about scales, modes, pentatonic, theory, etc., none will get you to the prize. You sing something over the chords or backing track, then you write down the solo and play it on your instrument. An Interesting approach, I don't know if it will work for you, Terry, or if you've tried it....
 
Very enlightening video. I started watching, expecting to only listen to a few minutes and got immediately hooked by his definition or description of 'playing'.
 
Tom said:
. You sing something over the chords or backing track, then you write down the solo and play it on your instrument. An Interesting approach, I don't know if it will work for you, Terry, or if you've tried it....
Click to expand...
Might work if i could read and write... ?
I've never really been one for scales/modes etc but it is a good thing if you can hear the feel of a melody over chords and recognise as say a minor pentatonic, at least then you've a basic frame whilst trying to work something out from scratch...
However reading the book so far has exposed a few home truths and kicked my arse into touch.... Now to dig into the elusive deeper tone....
 
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losthobos said:
Might work if i could read and write... ?
I've never really been one for scales/modes etc but it is a good thing if you can hear the feel of a melody over chords and recognise as say a minor pentatonic, at least then you've a basic frame whilst trying to work something out from scratch...
However reading the book so far has exposed a few home truths and kicked my arse into touch.... Now to dig into the elusive deeper tone....
Click to expand...
You're the best, Terry! Listened to the video, good ideas about approaching music as play, celebrating every activity. His piano style is not quite my cup of tea, but hey, more power to him.....
 
I'm gonna confess i haven't watched the video as id bought his book and accompanying CD...
Plowing through the book has exposed a lot of truths about my own inadequacies and ridicule...
I grasp that self confidence is obviously a boost but there is still this niggle that blind belief in one's abilities is like giving a child a box of matches... Could go dangerously wrong.... ?
However i recommend strongly reading if you can or i guess in this age a youtube synopsis is possibly as good...
Enjoy
 
Losthobos,
I don't have 50 minutes to spare right away but I'll certainly listen to the clip sometime tonight.
The introduction sounded very promising ?
Thanks for sharing the clip!??
 
Losthobos,
I haven't read the book, but maybe you should listen to the video after all.
From about 16 minutes it may have some relevant advice concerning the issues you've described in your original post.?
Just a thought?
 
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