When Muscle Memory Takes Over

[Randy Stein]

Recently I moved. Moving is not fun. In fact it's exhausting.

On top of that I had some gigs already scheduled and picked up four more dates. I shouldn't complain. 

I moved only 28 miles from where I was previously. With assistance I took two days to do so. Two days after moving I had a 3 hour gig. I was fall down tired. I realized halfway into the first set my ability to look at chord charts were useless. So I just trusted my familiarity with the music and the musicality of my band mates. Muscle memory took over and I can't say I didn't make a wrong note here and there but I had a competent performance. 

I slept like a baby that night.

 

[Cathasach]

Sometimes when I'm aty.most exhausted, and occasionally when I'm a bit drunk, the muscle memory takes over and I play my best.

[Clive Thorne]

1 hour ago, Cathasach said:

Sometimes when I'm aty.most exhausted, and occasionally when I'm a bit drunk, the muscle memory takes over and I play my best.

Is this a bit like being able to drive better when you've had a few?

 

[Anglo-Irishman]

Hmmm..

As a folkie, I find that the only place where chord charts are any use in in the practice room. By the time you get the piece on stage, either you have the chords off by memory, or you know the tune so well that you can improvise the chords.

With classical musicians, it's different. In my church choir, singing Bach, Mozart or Mendelssohn, I'm in "classical" mode, and need my reading glasses to know where I am and what comes next.

Cheers,

john

[Robin Madge]

The real muscle memory experience is when you are in a session on day four of a festival and you wonder "Who is playing that realy nice harmony?" and you look down and realise that it is yourself.

 

Robin

[Roger Hare]

On 10/10/2024 at 2:37 PM, Clive Thorne said:

Is this a bit like being able to drive better when you've had a few?

Drifting slightly off-topic, I must say that when I used to go sailing in France on a regular basis, I always found  that my otherwise mediocre French improved enormously after a couple of 'ballons de rouge'🙂.

Edited October 11, 2024 by Roger Hare

[Clive Thorne]

3 hours ago, Roger Hare said:

Drifting slightly off-topic, I must say that when I used to go sailing in France on a regular basis, i always found  that my otherwise mediocre French improved enormously after a couple of 'ballons de rouge'🙂.

Same here Roger. The alcohol certainly reduces the inhibitions so you tend to go for it. I think it comes out better after a few, but haven't actually asked anyone that I'm trying to converse with!

[wunks]

Reminds me of an old song I just wrote:  " A ship in a bottle an' a glass full o' gin, and me old concertina made a leather an' tin, haul in for the weather and we'll set sail ag'in ........"

[malcolm clapp]

I was once told at a folk club by an audience member that the more he had to drink the better my concertina playing sounded.... Rightly or wrongly, I shouted him another beer.

[John Wild]

12 hours ago, malcolm clapp said:

I was once told at a folk club by an audience member that the more he had to drink the better my concertina playing sounded.... Rightly or wrongly, I shouted him another beer.

A few pints of somerset cider greatly improve my singing!!!🙂

[Cathasach]

On 10/11/2024 at 2:29 AM, Roger Hare said:

Drifting slightly off-topic, I must say that when I used to go sailing in France on a regular basis, I always found  that my otherwise mediocre French improved enormously after a couple of 'ballons de rouge'🙂.

They've done studies showing this to be true. You really can speak and understand better when you're drinking, most likely bc you're not afraid of getting it wrong. I wouldn't be surprised if there were something similar for those of us with less skill at an instrument.

[SIMON GABRIELOW]

I do not myself believe in the muscle memory theory except to say that it a skill normally developed over hours of practice, in any art form, which enables abilities to then become so naturally engrained into the individuals whole persona, and that is the aim one hopes to achieve; that your art becomes engrained as part of your complete personality.