Being Away From Your Instrument

Subject: Being Away From Your Instrument
From: Little Neophyte
Date: 15 May 00 - 09:26 AM

Recently I took a little holiday to visit some friends in northern Ontario. Although I brought my banjo and was looking forward to playing tunes in the woods I soon realized where I was, who I was with and what we were doing wasn't the best situation for playing my banjo.
I found it kind of painful at times. I wanted to play some music yet it wasn't appropriate.
No one said anything, I just knew.
So a week went by and I hardly played my banjo at all.
Looking back, I now realized it would have been best not to struggle with the situation, just to let it go and 'go with the flow'.
I was so worried I'd fall behind in my progress. Yet I think the break did me some good.
It is kind of like being away from the person you love, when you come back you appreciate them that much more.

Little Neo

Subject: RE: Being Away From Your Instrument
From: Peter T.
Date: 15 May 00 - 09:39 AM

Not to pry, Little Neo, but what kind of situation could you be in in the Northern Woods where the banjo wouldn't be appropriate? There is a lot of space up there! I don't mean to joke -- I have begun to wrestle with the implications of inflicting my practicing on friends of mine in similar situations later in the summer. I have basically assumed that they would be amused, and slowly be sucked in to singing some songs, and eventually learning some. But maybe I should think about being more circumspect -- certainly if there was a funeral in the offing.
Was it fear of bears? They are attracted to banjos you know....(joke)
yours, Peter T.

Subject: RE: Being Away From Your Instrument
From: Little Neophyte
Date: 15 May 00 - 09:55 AM

I was helping a friend of mine who is a native medicine woman. People come to see her for many reasons. While I was there visiting, she was conducting some fasts as part of a Vision Quest.
Lots of sacred, traditional native stuff going on.
Sacred medicines, sacred fires, drumming and pipe offerings. All of which would have been affected by the playing of a foreign instrument.
These people came to see my friend for a true native approach to healing their issues.
I came to be as helping hand, cook and water girl.

Although I found the tipi to have interesting acoustics, I felt after a few tunes, it was time to put my banjo away and allow these people who had come to see my good friend the experience for which they had come.

Does this make better sense now Peter?

Little Neo

Subject: RE: Being Away From Your Instrument
From: Mooh
Date: 15 May 00 - 10:06 AM

In a previous life (and occupation)it seems, I had to attend conventions and conferences and courses and such that kept me from playing, and I resented it deeply. I never go away for more than a day without an instrument now, and I am much more at peace with myself and the world. A break from one or another instrument sometimes gets rid of mental blocks I suppose, but I can't do without all instruments for long. Sometimes anticipation heightens the return to playing. I once spent an entire summer in northern Ontario (Armstrong) and wrote alot of songs, but I had time on my hands and wasn't beholden to others.

Play in your head, fantasize about it, it's the next best thing to being there.

Peace, Mooh.

Subject: RE: Being Away From Your Instrument
From: black walnut
Date: 15 May 00 - 10:08 AM

i'm not peter, but it makes perfect sense to me.

i'm often away from my harp. it's not a subtle instrument to strum away on in the corner of a tent, like a banjo! and our family cottage is on an island without road or electricity....it's hard to take more than one light~weight instrument into the loaded boat....

i find it very frustrating to not be able to play my full orchestra of instruments when i finally have long periods of time to do so. coming back to them is frustrating again, because i'm back to the busy routine of life with work and kids, in which instruments too often take the back seat....

~black walnut

Subject: RE: Being Away From Your Instrument
From: Peter T.
Date: 15 May 00 - 10:25 AM

Sure Little Neo, I understand -- I have an acquaintance who is an Elder in the reserve near Killarney, and have been on a quest or two in my time. Lots of hot rocks of a different kind!

Your role was obviously complex.

I think now if I was doing a long one I would certainly take my guitar with me. I might not sing a song for the whole time, but just take the time to listen to the instrument in all weathers, at all times of day, learn to hear the notes, to hear music, overtones, find different sounds, silences. I think it is a very powerful meditative tool, and have only begun to explore it. If it is to be an extension of yourself in some way, some outvoicing of your voice....
yours, Peter

Subject: RE: Being Away From Your Instrument
From: Wesley S
Date: 15 May 00 - 10:28 AM

I almost wonder if my guitars feel like I've been unfaithful since I've spent so much time trying to improve my mandolin skills. So I try to give them some quality if not quanity time.

Perhaps if you find yourself in a similar situation again it would be a good time to try to memorize or write some new song lyrics or study some music theory?

Subject: RE: Being Away From Your Instrument
From: Little Neophyte
Date: 15 May 00 - 12:32 PM

What I forgot to do what bring my mute.
Rick has developed this mute that goes on the bridge and it creates a quieting of the strings into a harp like, delicate melodic sound.
If I had remembered my mute I could have easily snuck away, sat on a rock near the water and done exactly what Peter had suggested. I would have used my banjo as a meditative tool.
I like how you put that Peter.......
"listening to the instrument in all weathers, at all times of day, learn to hear the notes, to hear music, overtones, find different sounds, silences."
"some outvoicing of my voice....

Oh well, next time I guess

Little Neo

Subject: RE: Being Away From Your Instrument
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 15 May 00 - 12:50 PM

First instrument you've got is your body, for clapping and beating time; second is your voice for singing.

Subject: RE: Being Away From Your Instrument
From: Whistle Stop
Date: 15 May 00 - 01:19 PM

Little Neo, recalling another current thread, I wonder if that mute would make the banjo a sexier instrument?

Subject: RE: Being Away From Your Instrument
From: Little Neophyte
Date: 15 May 00 - 01:42 PM

Well ya know Whistle Stop, depends who you were trying to attract.
Although I do love the gently sound created by the mute, sometimes it feels restraining like a chastity harness.

Little Neo

Subject: RE: Being Away From Your Instrument
From: Jim the Bart
Date: 15 May 00 - 02:14 PM

"To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under heaven" - and I know I probably didn't get the quote quite right, but it is the thought that counts. And as impossible as it may seem, there are times that are not right for musicalizing.
Whenever I don't get a chance to play for a while I remember something that Mason Williams wrote and I stumbled across many years ago. He said that his guitar playing had gotten better because he had been working on his "self". He said "it's a cheap trick, but it works."
Undoubtedly, there is a certain fall off in technique when you don't practice every day. I think it was John McLaughlin who said that if he doesn't practice for one day he notices it, if he doesn't practice for two days other guitarists notice it, and if he doesn't practice for three days everyone notices it. Fortunately, there is so much more to making music than simply technique. I often find that improving your understanding of a song often happens when you can't "play" it. Thinking my way through a song or an arrangement is often much more effective than trying things out with an instrument in my hand. Sometimes, if I think long and hard enough about a song, once I pick up a guitar and actually play it the song flows out like water. It's like Mooh said, practice in your head. It is a cheap trick, and it does work.

Bartholomew (butchering the quotes right and left)

Subject: RE: Being Away From Your Instrument
From: Peter Kasin
Date: 15 May 00 - 02:32 PM

Little Neophyte -

I know just how you feel. First of all, you are to be congratulated for having the sensitivity to see a situation as inapropriate for playing your music. Not everyone has that. Secondly, yes, there's alot to be said for leaving your instrument for a short while and coming back to it. It can and sometimes does play a positive role in one's musical development. I have found myself more relaxed and fresh coming back to it, and have found that I could play it with an improved technique that I couldn't do before. It's very much like a human relationship, too, for the reason you gave.

Subject: RE: Being Away From Your Instrument
From: Kim C
Date: 15 May 00 - 03:34 PM

I have fiddle withdrawal if I'm away too long but it doesn't seem to affect much IF I try to get in a few minutes practice whenever I can. Even 10-15 minutes is helpful and will adjust my attitude for me!