I am back here with another āmindā question and its simply about how to think about what I am doing on guitar while playing something. And yesā¦ I am overthinking it again.
I got few tracks in my pocket that I can play without thinking about finger picking and chord changes. Hands are doing it automaticallyā¦ I dont even know names of some chord, my fingers just go for that, because I got that in memory.
Is it good to play like this? Is it sustainable?
The āsongā I am talking about is below. When I pick guitar every day this is first what I playā¦ without focus. Sometimes I make mistakes of course, but maybe inā¦ first run? But overall I dont have to think about chords, finger pick, flick ofā¦
I just wonder if I am not making bad habit with this playing, because I dont āunderstandā or dont know what I am doing but I am doing it on auto and it works. Of course I was slowly learning this by tabs, but I can remember it now.
I would like to tell also when I finish this one I can jump to another fingerstyle pattern with different chords and its working tooā¦ but I feel like I go just automode and I dont have to put much effort. Its strange to describe it.
I am Grade 2 Module 12 and thinking like this still follows me. Because when I see something for first time I tell myself I cant play it and its not possible. After some time I can play it and it feels like ānot enoughā for me anymore. Head is really bad enemy.
How do you THINK in your head while playing something you know?
Ultimately the end goal for any song is essentially to be able to play it without thinking Iād say so itās not necessarily a bad thing. Equally thereās plenty of good musicians who know very little theory and thereās the adage of it sounds good then it is good.
When Iām playing I need to be thinking about playing or thatās when I lose my place in a song and miss a chord change. Iām not necessarily thinking about where my fingers need to go anymore but always listening for bum notes and if Iām keeping good time with the backing track.
The thing about mistakes is that we all make them but you should be aware of them in case youāre making the same mistake because it will become habit.
For me playing guitar is the escape. Itās when Iām not thinking about work or things around the house that need doing. If I give my playing my entire focus then afterwards whatever was on my mind has gone. If I donāt give my guitar my focus then I play badly and thatās an extra thing on my mind! I do some meditation and maybe that helps, Iām not sure. In a nutshell, meditation is about focusing on something, getting distracted, realising youāre distracted and returning to the focus again and again. To be clear Iām not trying to push meditation onto anyone, just observing the parallel between it and my guitar practice
Not sure if any of that answers the question but itās how my practice goes.
@mattswain thanks for your reply. Its really hard to answer on my thoughts, so I think your answer is good.
Its like I am not ignoring music or instrumentā¦ I am really enjoying the music which goes from guitar while I am playing this and because its so automaticall I can really slow it down or make fasterā¦ and feel it different. But playing it more like with feel than thinking about technics at allā¦
I can see why its good but still can see why it is not.
Playing songs from memory is great however you must be careful and not play by routine. There is a risk that you are not listening to what youāre playing. However well you know any piece you, as much as any audience if not more, must listen carefully to your every performance; hear the light and shade, the staccato and legato, the loud the quiet. If youāre unaware of what youāre playing youāll miss opportunities for variations and improvements that add colour to performances. If yhouāre not listening itās probably not worth anyone elseās attention.
In my coaching sessions, I try to find ways fo students to achieve that.
Being able to do that, you free up ābrain powerā to focus on singing, decorations, etc.
Many have a long struggle trying to achieve āauto-modeā.
The pitfall is to remain there and consider it a ādone dealā.
Having the auto pilot part is great but donāt forget to develop it furher, add embellishments, passing notes, etc. Build in layers on your foundation.
@beejay56 You got point and I hope I am not in stat state that āI dont really knowā stucked in routine. Because if I play only routine I would still play D to A chord in first gradeā¦ I think I just enjoy something new that I learned few days without taking anything that new, because I dont feel that progress here. But yesterday I started new fingerstyle pattern by Marco Cirillo and I almost got it in my fingers, now I need to practice but I understand concept and fingers are doing what they should. So I got still āwillā to learn more and somehow it works.
I am just fighting my head again and again because my learning style is a little bit āpunkā. I cant stay too long by strict routine, because I just dont wanna do it like that. It works, somehow.
I overcame rut that I had few months ago, but sometimes I got back thinking like this topic - not thinking about guitar quiting at all. I cant imagine I would go home and guitar wont be there ready to be picked by me.
@LievenDV Thank you Lieven. I dont know how to describe itā¦ but maybe there is difference between what you really want in your head. I dont focus to catch this automode at all. It just happen by itself. Maybe if I think about that I would not be able to achieve that.
I was little bit lost about who to follow in fingerstyle and now I think I found my way - its Paul Davids and Marco Cirillo and even I am in the beginning now I can see how different they play and I know I will try to take best of both of them.
Great post there, I am looking forward to see other comments as well.
I am able to achieve a somewhat auto-mode with songs I know how to play and sing, but sure I always listen and immidiately notice when I make a mistake. But I am not able to play from memory, saddly I still need my chord book for most songs. Lyrics I remember and strumming patern also but sometimes I just add different strumm here and there based on current feeling.
But just yesterday I was doing a song I know and played/sing for a whileā¦ but this time I was really focusing on strumming dynamics and going for the ālouderā downstrumm on beat 2 and 4, and that wasnāt easy at all. In fact I was struggling quite a lot altough the song itself was on auto-mode since at least few months. It kind of surprised me, I tought it would be easier
@bk2 I think its really important to go on even when you make buzz or hit different string. Just naturally solve it with āgo onā without breaking pattern and playing under your hand. I know its much easier to write it than do so in real playingā¦
I think changing pattern how you feel or like is great part of playing any musicā¦ because you can make it your own interpretation and not 100% copy. It really depends what is your goal.
