Playing In Your Mind

[Alan Day]

Many of you know I play my anglo by ear and most tunes for session playing I follow my usual route for playing tunes,learn the tune and then add chords or accompaniment that I think fits .On the rare occassion I sit down and learn a tune to play duet style with full chords as written.On this occasion I am learning a tune arranged by Iris Bishop and I will post the result for you all to hear.I am really enjoying myself and finding new chords is always a suprise and delight.I learn the tune from the music and add the chords as per the arrangement and work out air ,direction etc.When I can play the whole tune I then try to remember it all without using the music and put it and the new chords to memory.This is not easy but with time and considerable playing of the tune over and over again,it gets rammed into my brain.(and unfortunatly my wife`s).I find at some point in this process I can actually play the tune full chords in my mind.I can practice the tune driving on the motorway or more annoyingly at about three in the morning if I happen to wake up.I also make playing mistakes, which I then correct all in my mind. I cannot be the only person who can do this and I suspect most by ear players can also do a bit of mind playing,but how about the music readers, is this happening to you?

Or am I ready for being carted away,or just a lie down on the couch

Al

[stuart estell]

Or am I ready for being carted away,or just a lie down on the couch

It all sounds fairly familiar to me - some of my best practice, particularly piano practice, is done without an instrument in my hands.

[JimLucas]

...some of my best practice, particularly piano practice, is done without an instrument in my hands.

Don't you mean "under" your hands?

 

I'm trying to picture you playing a piano while holding it "in your hands" like a concertina.

[stuart estell]

...some of my best practice, particularly piano practice, is done without an instrument in my hands.

Don't you mean "under" your hands?

 

I'm trying to picture you playing a piano while holding it "in your hands" like a concertina.

Yes, even with a neck-strap it's a bit heavy.

[dbowers]

But with proper, ergonomically-correct handles....

 

[Alan Day]

How are your foot pedals operated?

Al

[Robert Booth]

Yup, many's the time I've been busted by the wife, asking why I'm just staring off into space, wriggling my fingers.

Medication has been suggested.

[Daniel Bradbury]

I too find myself driving along the highway tapping out tunes on the steering wheel. I actually spent some time forcing myself to play an imaginary concertina. It was a struggle at first, particularly imagining the bellows direction, but well worth the effort.

 

Dan

[ldpaulson]

Anytime you can get the tune lodged in your brain, it's a big help in playing any instrument. If you really know the tune -- and can audible it (hum or sing) without error -- then you're on the way to being able to play it. You can't really play what you don't know.

 

This was a big help in learning "Rakes of Mallow." I never spent time with the melody, but for some reason, it got stuck out of the blue, wouldn't come out and when I sat down to play it (on mandolin), it was halfway decent.

 

ldp

[Aldon]

I can (and do) do that for guitar, ukulele, whistle, flute, etc.

 

I haven't tried it on the English concertina (I mostly read on EC), and I don't play Anglo concertina enough to be able to do something like that.

 

Very interesting thread .....

 

Aldon

[JoachimDelp]

Al,

I take yoir comments as a lesson. Always learning from you.

In any case I am not so far away to come to the ppoint where you are.

I do not referring to your plñaying skill. There I doubt that ever I can arrive.

 

Waiting for listening and enjoying your new tune.

 

If I would not understand that your are in love with music and your concertinas, I would ask you are worried about Alzheimer ?

 

In any case it should be a good training for your brains and it shuld help to prevent it.

As I always knew, the Concertina is recommendable for many reasons !!

 

I wait for your tune.

 

Thank you !

Joachim

[Pete Dickey]

Well you all know what is meant by playing "Air Guitar", why not "Air Concertina". It would also give another reason to call it a wind instrument.

 

Pete

[Guest]

Rest easy Alan, you are not alone

 

I find myself doing this often on the train, or at other odd moments.

 

I also find this time of "virtual practice" very useful when I am under stress and need to focus on something else (ie. when I'm at the dentist ).

 

Although I do find that some tunes tend to "jump" into the fingers and the brain easier than others. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to it...

 

Have a great day

Morgana

Edited February 26, 2004 by Morgana

[RustyBits]

Sounds just like me. I swear that I'm wearing button holes into my steering wheel! An yes, the annoying 3 in the morning thing often happens. If you ever figure out how to turn off the nocturnal muic, PLEASE let me know. Last week I played Country Gardens, a Morris tune, 3 nights in a row!

 

I've always had that problem, at least now I have the concertina to let some of the tunes out of my head during the day.

 

I don't read music. . . I put it up on the piano and have to say "Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge" to figure out the notes.

 

Lisa

Edited February 26, 2004 by Lisa Wirth

[JimLucas]

Well you all know what is meant by playing "Air Guitar", why not "Air Concertina".

Ah, but wasn't the original concept one step further? Not "air" concertina, but "mind" concertina.

Try doing it without wiggling your fingers and flapping your arms.

[stuart estell]

Ah, but wasn't the original concept one step further? Not "air" concertina, but "mind" concertina.

Try doing it without wiggling your fingers and flapping your arms.

You flap your arms while playing Jim? Isn't that rather dangerous in high-wind situations?

[JimLucas]

Ah, but wasn't the original concept one step further?  Not "air" concertina, but "mind" concertina.

Try doing it without wiggling your fingers and flapping your arms.

You flap your arms while playing Jim? Isn't that rather dangerous in high-wind situations?

Oh, no. In high wind situations I hold my arms steady and just soar, letting the wind blow through the reeds. A bit difficult with an anglo, I must admit, because I have to keep flipping over for the "bellows" changes. It's enough to make even an experieinced skydiver lose track of which way is up!

[stuart estell]

In high wind situations I hold my arms steady and just soar, letting the wind blow through the reeds. A bit difficult with an anglo, I must admit, because I have to keep flipping over for the "bellows" changes. It's enough to make even an experieinced skydiver lose track of which way is up!

If you were playing an Aeola, presumably that would make it an Aeolian Aeola.

 

Going back to the original subject, I find mental non-instrument practice best while walking - I wonder if it has anything to do with the body being physically engaged in doing something rhythmic and repetitive of its own allowing the brain the space to do the other. Perhaps.