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 In this last of this four-part series, let's talk about your playing!
If you're not content in your music, consider that you might be trying to play stuff you're not ready for yet. Even a beginner performance, with proper preparation and mindfulness, can bring joy to the player as well as the listener. Don't let overly complicated arrangements, techniques, and ideas keep you from playing from the heart. Don't let your desire to be a fancy player get in the way of passionate, honest music. There's a great joy in expressing the music we all have inside. As the months and years pass, it's easy to unknowingly build up dams that slow or stop the flow of creativity. I sometimes get comments like, "I'll never be as good as you." I don't agree. You'll never be just like me, but you can enjoy the music just as much as I do. While pursuing complexity is exciting and sometimes necessary, it should never come at the expense of sincere artistic expression. Don't put the cart before the horse. I believe the constant yearning and aspiration can be a good thing only if you're centered on the joy of playing and sharing your music. When I'm in the zone, like I have been lately, I'm not experiencing anxiety because of lack of preparation. I'm able to concentrate on a deep level without regard to all the distractions inside and outside my head. I'm really not thinking much at all. I'm just playing and enjoying it. Time somehow stands still and flies by at the same time. I'm glad I'm back to the joy of things. It's one of the most rewarding things I've ever been part of. My first years of college, I was always in the zone when I played but not in a sustainable way. I focused on music to the exclusion of many important things. It's not sustainable. It's destructive. Examples of this in pop culture abound. I'm now trying to play in the zone in a sustainable way. The balance comes in being responsible with everything God has put in my lap. I want to be in the zone as a husband, a father, a friend, a business person, and an athlete. I want to keep the flow moving with anything that truly needs my attention. When I'm flowing with these things, everyone my life touches benefits. It's not just about the music anymore. |