| Re: I need help...
this approach cures this problem for me nearly everytime it comes up, and when you are in school it WILL come up as the other posters have stated.
1. learn to visualize yourself as the only "arrbitor" (SP) of your worth as a player if only for the 20 to 30 minutes it takes to do the rest of this. Reason being is that in school other peoples judgments take on a more important light than they often need. Although important, they are not the final word!
2. Take 20 to 30 minutes to practice anything you want BUT DON'T THINK OF IT AS PRACTICE. You are just playing. Play a beautiful melody. I always gravitate toward Danny Boy... I dig that one. Play it in an easy key, slur it, try to make your sound pretty, and whatever you do.....DON'T WORRY ABOUT HOW GOOD YOU THINK IT IS!
3. Improvise on the melody a little bit. It matters not whether you know anything about improvising, just that you are CREATING MUSIC from your mind. The whole theory on my pary being that CREATION IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING ONE CAN DO IN MUSIC. Creating something will give you a sense of value and excitement about your playing and will spur you to want to practice more because your desire to constantly express something musically will take over instead of that urge to "play perfectly"
4. repeat every day for at least a couple of weeks.
Next - Learn to take it easy on yourself. Whatever your friends think is usually meaningless unless you've robbed a bank or killed someone. If you had the good sense to express how you feel here and listen to others try to help, I'm sure you're a good person!
In the end just remember this....music school is nice, but creating music from your heart is way way better. Music school can certainly help you do that, but in the end it's just between you and whatever power you're into.
You'll get better as a player on your own time table and no one regardless of how eminent they think they may be, can tell you what that time table should be. Next time someone gives you grief about where you "should be" just tell them this it works for me everytime ....
"Yeah...uh cool....BUT, I was just thinking that empathy and kindness might be the best way to go instead of the largely meaningless rant you've been on....sorry just thinking being a good person...." "Thanks though"
Keep your chin up dude! Your skin will get thicker, your playing WILL get stronger, and you WILL reach your dreams....just trust me on that one for now...
Peace
Matt |