LDT Posted December 8, 2008 Share Posted December 8, 2008 There was a powercut last night. Fortunately my laptop was fully charged (will put up the recording I made tomorrow...couldn't find my usb dongle in the dark)....but maybe it was the authentic atmosphere (you can't see much in candlelight can you?) but I sat there for two hours practicing away...managed to find the buttons better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RatFace Posted December 8, 2008 Share Posted December 8, 2008 There was a powercut last night. Fortunately my laptop was fully charged (will put up the recording I made tomorrow...couldn't find my usb dongle in the dark)....but maybe it was the authentic atmosphere (you can't see much in candlelight can you?) but I sat there for two hours practicing away...managed to find the buttons better. CPE Bach (2nd son of the famous Bach) wrote an "Essay on the True Art of Playing Keyboard Instruments" in which he advocates practising in the dark. I first tried this a few years ago, and used to do it a lot, when playing the cello - either by making the room dark or closing my eyes (safer in terms of not tripping up afterwards and squashing the cello!). I found it quite amazing - the lack of visual distractions helps you focus totally on the sound and feel of playing the music. Well worth doing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris Posted December 8, 2008 Share Posted December 8, 2008 Hi I usually sing with my eyes shut, I also play concertina with my eyes shut (unless I'm trying to read music-doesn't work in braile) I do find that opening my eyes and seeing pain on the audiences' faces distracting but whilst I can play guitar with my eyes shut I do generally keep them open just for instrumentals. One of the drawbacks to playing with closed eyes is that if you move when playing you can end up facing away from the audience- happened to one of our group members- she ended up facing the wall to her left chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anglo-Irishman Posted December 8, 2008 Share Posted December 8, 2008 There was a powercut last night. ....but maybe it was the authentic atmosphere (you can't see much in candlelight can you?) but I sat there for two hours practicing away...managed to find the buttons better. O, yes! My favourite way of waiting for the power to come on again! I work at a PC, so a power cut gives me a break from work. And I can find my instruments - all of them acoustic - in the dark, too. Concertina and autoharp are easy to play during a power cut - you can't really see what you're doing anyway, even with electric light. Playing up the neck of the banjo blind is more of a challenge, but I suppose, according to CPE Bach, it's better for me By the way, how did CPE hit on the idea? They didn't have power cuts in his day, did they? I really pity the folks who only play electric guitar or keyboard Cheers, John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LDT Posted December 8, 2008 Author Share Posted December 8, 2008 There was a powercut last night. ....but maybe it was the authentic atmosphere (you can't see much in candlelight can you?) but I sat there for two hours practicing away...managed to find the buttons better. O, yes! My favourite way of waiting for the power to come on again! I work at a PC, so a power cut gives me a break from work. And I can find my instruments - all of them acoustic - in the dark, too. Concertina and autoharp are easy to play during a power cut - you can't really see what you're doing anyway, even with electric light. Playing up the neck of the banjo blind is more of a challenge, but I suppose, according to CPE Bach, it's better for me By the way, how did CPE hit on the idea? They didn't have power cuts in his day, did they? I really pity the folks who only play electric guitar or keyboard Cheers, John my brother decided to compete with me on music front he other room. He was in the dining room...me in the living room...each getting louder trying to drown each other out...him with the music he likes and me with the tunes I like. Don't think the neighbours appreciated it at 9pm... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RatFace Posted December 8, 2008 Share Posted December 8, 2008 By the way, how did CPE hit on the idea? They didn't have power cuts in his day, did they? Life in those days was just one long power cut... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimLucas Posted December 8, 2008 Share Posted December 8, 2008 ...the lack of visual distractions helps you focus totally on the sound and feel of playing the music. Well worth doing. For me it's deeper than just a lack of distractions that are visual. It's also the distraction of trying to be visual. In a completely dark room, I can find my way about much more readily if I close my eyes, even though I can see absolutely nothing with them open. I presume that's because when my eyes are open, my brain is still trying to see, even though it can't. But when my eyes are closed, it doesn't distract itself by trying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdms Posted December 8, 2008 Share Posted December 8, 2008 Life in those days was just one long power cut... There were power cuts all over the place where I grew up--but they were cleared strips of land where Potomac Edison ran high-voltage lines over the Blue Ridge and Appalachian Mountains in the Shenandoah Valley. Power outages (also known as "the electricity went out last night") were, fortunately, less common... This example of "two nations separated by a common language" has been brought to you by jdms (Joshua Mackay-Smith, late of Virginia and now of Massachusetts) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael sam wild Posted December 8, 2008 Share Posted December 8, 2008 There was a powercut last night. Fortunately my laptop was fully charged (will put up the recording I made tomorrow...couldn't find my usb dongle in the dark Couldn't recognise my USB Dongle if it stared me in the face at my age! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirge Posted December 8, 2008 Share Posted December 8, 2008 By the way, how did CPE hit on the idea? They didn't have power cuts in his day, did they? Life in those days was just one long power cut... He was probably in one of those straitened periods composers went through and had had to choose between a meal or candles. I sometimes play the concertina in the dark, usually because evening has drawn in while I was playing and I can't be bothered to turn the light on. There really is something rather nice about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Drinkwater Posted December 8, 2008 Share Posted December 8, 2008 The 17th century Irish harpist Turlough O'Carolan was blind, yet he managed to compose and play some wonderful tunes. Modern musicians who are blind, include the late Ray Charles, who sadly died in 2004, and singer Stevie Wonder. Since I never look at the buttons on my concertina while I am playing, anyway, I can play just as easily with my eyes open or shut. I do find it sometimes more relaxing to play with my eyes shut when I am practising. Like some other C.net players have posted, I find I can concentrate better. Now, here's something you can try at home, the success of which will depend on whether your eyes are open or shut. Try balancing on one leg with both eyes open. It should be fairly easy, especially for anyone who has done yoga and you may be able to maintain your posture for some minutes with a bit of minor wobbling. Now, try again and, this time, once you have got your balance, close your eyes and see how long you can stand still. Despite being able to maintain a very good balance on one leg with my eyes open, I begin to wobble and keel over within seconds when my eyes are shut. You can also try playing the concertina standing on one leg with your eyes open. I find it doesn't lend any improvement to my playing, however! Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hereward Posted December 8, 2008 Share Posted December 8, 2008 The 17th century Irish harpist Turlough O'Carolan was blind, yet he managed to compose and play some wonderful tunes. Modern musicians who are blind, include the late Ray Charles, who sadly died in 2004, and singer Stevie Wonder. Since I never look at the buttons on my concertina while I am playing, anyway, I can play just as easily with my eyes open or shut. I do find it sometimes more relaxing to play with my eyes shut when I am practising. Like some other C.net players have posted, I find I can concentrate better. Now, here's something you can try at home, the success of which will depend on whether your eyes are open or shut. Try balancing on one leg with both eyes open. It should be fairly easy, especially for anyone who has done yoga and you may be able to maintain your posture for some minutes with a bit of minor wobbling. Now, try again and, this time, once you have got your balance, close your eyes and see how long you can stand still. Despite being able to maintain a very good balance on one leg with my eyes open, I begin to wobble and keel over within seconds when my eyes are shut. You can also try playing the concertina standing on one leg with your eyes open. I find it doesn't lend any improvement to my playing, however! Chris There is a great quote from Stevie Wonder. He was asked how he felt about the possible disadvantages of being blind to which he replied, 'It could be worse, I could be black'. Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon H Posted December 8, 2008 Share Posted December 8, 2008 I just tried an hour practice - eyes closed nearly the whole time. Most, most pleasurable, I felt very connected to the instrument and to the music. Lots fewer mistakes, more expression and enjoyed every moment. I'll do that more often. Thanks. Its little tips like that that make this such a good place to come. Simon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
groeswenphil Posted December 8, 2008 Share Posted December 8, 2008 Playing in the dark!!!! Years and years and years ago when there were still wolves in Wales, I was driving home. There was a power-cut. Miners' strike.....1970s? In those days I used to park my car in an old converted cinema. It had a huge sliding door. So.......stopped by the sliding door, got out, slid the door open........drove car in. Got out of car, shut huge sliding door. Got back into car and parked it in my usual place. Stopped engine, turned off lights. Immediately struck blind. Started walking towards the small door beside the huge sliding door, working on memory alone. Suddenly HUGE SOUND !!!!!!!!! Bach Toccata and Fuge in D Minor. Heart missed several beats. Evidentially it was the next door neighbour....he got bored in the power cut and cam in to play the old cinema organ. Incidentally........I don't think I'm too far off topic because it was actually a harmonium......with bellows and reeds. Phil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiddlehead Fern Posted December 9, 2008 Share Posted December 9, 2008 Playing in the dark or in limited light is perfectly fine, I don't generally need to see what I'm doing anyway. An amusing time that comes to mind was when I was sitting around idly playing my fiddle at my grandparents house. Mom and Grandma were chatting and not really paying me much heed which was perfectly fine to me, untill all of a sudden Grandma says in a shosked voice, "she's got her eyes closed!" Of course, the effect of this statement caused my eyes to fly open and the notes that had heretofore been pouring nonchalantly out of the instrument to come to an abrupt halt. "How do you see what you're doing?" She asked incredulously. "I don't." was the reply. "I just know where my fingers are supposed to go, I guess." she sat for a few minutes and stared at me. 'Do it again. Play something with your eyes closed." (I did) "Oh. That's amazing." She then continued her conversation with Mom. Well! I didn't know I was amazing! The same sort of thing happened when I showed her my concertina. After admiring it for a few moments I was asked to play. I sat down and started on a tune. After finishing, she clapped politely and said that she liked how it sounded, etc., but how in the world could I see the buttons, as I was staring rather vaguely into space? Another explanation ensued, after all, the buttons all look the same anyway! I get more confused when I try to look than when I don't. I generally end up staring at my shoes with an odd expression on my face...my violin teacher is constantly telling me to smile because I look like I'm not enjoying myself in the least (I am) and that the faces I make when I hit a wrong note are amusing but unnecessary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Stout Posted December 9, 2008 Share Posted December 9, 2008 I'll add my candle light story-- the first time I played for English Country Dancing was a night when we had invited several friends over to do some dancing in our living room (to recorded music). After everyone arrived we had a power failure due to a storm, so we lit the candles and I got out my fiddle. It was a lot of fun. When playing in a session I find I might as well have my eyes closed-- it's too dark to see anything anyway. Also-- I can't see the buttons when I'm playing concertina. It's all by feel. I think you'd need eyes like a hammerhead shark to play by looking at the ends! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pastlifeasakite Posted December 9, 2008 Share Posted December 9, 2008 a word of warning regarding this subject someone (who i tend to trust) once said everytime you light a cigarette with a candle a sailor will not return from sea. so if you feel compelled to smoke while playing by candlelight, please refrain from lighting up with you light source. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LDT Posted December 9, 2008 Author Share Posted December 9, 2008 http://www.soundlantern.com/UpdatedSoundPa...4&Path=null above link to the recording...only got one bit wrong when my finger slipped. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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