Author Archives: Jen

Admiring your handiwork

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Is there any more satisfying feeling than letting out a beautiful harmony?

Admiring your handiworkWhen you’re beginning it will be the satisfaction of actually playing the single note – the right note at the right time.  Even better if you used the finger you intended and the note that sounded wasn’t a complete surprise! *

As you become more experienced and more practiced, you add more notes to the harmony, but that joy of the sound doesn’t really dim.

And all of that would be great…if there was only one harmony note or chord required.  But inevitably, the arranger had other ideas and puts a long succession of harmony notes together.

And that’s when the hitch enters the git-along!

The more surprised and delighted you are by the notes hanging in the air, sparkling and glistening like a goldfish in Fairy Dust, the more likely you will be captivated.  And why shouldn’t you be?  After all – goldfish!  Fairy Dust!  Delight!  You did good – your handiwork is admirable.

But that pesky arranger…now you’re expected to do it again.  Probably in a different place on the harp.  With another finger.  And probably at the same time as some melody note!  And again. And again. And again.  Measure after measure.  And then…the repeat! 

Are they mad?!

Sadly, bringing the tune out means you have not really got time to admire your handiwork at the same time you are delivering one admirable handiwork after another.  So unfair!

One of the mysteries you get to unlock relatively early in your journey is this sublimation and accumulation of little joys for a big burst of delight at the end of the piece.

What?   Ok, here’s the translation, sans waxing lyrical –

When you are playing, once you have closed for that note (or chord) –

Move along! 

Get where you are going next!

There’s nothing to see here! **

Because there is a next chord and the one after that, etc. ad nauseum. 

This needs to be practiced – this moving from one beautifully executed thing to another. Because if you think about playing a tune like it is a puzzle to put together, or a problem to solved, or a recipe to follow – your brain needs to sequence through the information – left hand here, right hand place and play – now left hand, back to right hand, and on again.

As soon as you play the left hand, your brain drops thinking about that harmony and that left hand like a hot potato and rushes on to the next thing (probably a melody note or whatever comes next in the sequence).  And it doesn’t think about the left hand again until it must!

All in all, no big deal – you do this all the time.  It’s called serial processing.  But what’s happened?  Well, you played the left hand note (or chord).  You’ve closed beautifully (right?).  And you left it there hanging over the soundboard.    So now, it’s later and time to get to the left hand on again.  AND IT’S NOWHERE NEAR WHERE YOU NEED IT!!!  Because you left it there, hovering over the sound board, handiwork to be admired. 

So, how to fix this?  Well – you practice!  Practice moving while you have the time, and train your brain to process in a controlled serial fashion.

To start with, SLOW DOWN.  Serial processing means you’re dealing with one thing at a time.  You might think you’re a multitasker, but nope, it only looks like it.  For highly practiced activities you can switch rapidly between them but that’s not multitasking. If you’re not well practiced at moving, you will need additional time to think about it and then make it happen. 

LOOK AT THE INTERFACES.  This is how I think of the timing – it is the interface between the left hand playing, the right hand playing, the melody, the harmony, and time.  Getting all of these to line up is tricky, especially at first.  Start by finding where they all touch each other – this is a good place to start. 

LOOK FOR THE HOLES. This is where no notes are being played in either hand – this helps form a scaffolding for your thinking and makes a good movement time!

SLOW DOWN.  Don’t ask me how I know you’ve already sped up!

MAKE THE SHIFT.  As you begin to play, think ahead.  Play slowly enough that you can think.  Once you’ve placed, you don’t need to think about where your fingers are.  And if, as soon as you play, you move to the next place and get your fingers on to the next shape, then you don’t have think about it again until the next time!  This is one of the things that more experienced players are better at…. because they have more practice and they have learned to think ahead.

See what we did there?  We shifted moving and placing further forward in our thinking sequence rather than letting the notes come at us like a fusillade.  But you do need to practice thinking like that.  The sequence becomes play –> move –> place –> play –> etc.  Lather. Rinse. Repeat.

All of this is predicated on your already having learned the melody enough to being to add the harmony.  This is also equally applicable to either hand and to reading or playing by rote.  It does take practice.  And it is totally worth the time to avoid feeling rushed and unconfident.  And once you master this, you can focus on other things that will improve your musicality. 

Have you really learned how to move along rather than admiring your handiwork so you can get where you need to be next?  Do you have other strategies?  Let me know in the comments!

* Sometimes you tell me that you feel like I am speaking directly to you.  That’s because…I am!  No matter where you are on your journey, the difference between us is likely just time and focus.  I was a beginner at one point – an adult who struggled with making time to practice, showing up for lessons embarrassed that I hadn’t had enough practice because I was busy doing other things, but willing to take the lash (which, of course, never came, because I had wonderful, cherishing teachers who gently corrected my technique and repertoire and encouraged me to become the harp player I wanted to be).  I thought it would be easier.  I love playing my harp.  I was afraid of a lot of things – playing in public, music I hadn’t learned yet, embarrassing myself, not getting better, failing – the usual stuff.  And I remember it like it was yesterday – because it was (figuratively).  I share my thoughts here so that you can learn from my mistakes…and go on to make your own spectacular mistakes that I hope you’ll share with me!  We’re all learning – I’m just willing to talk about it! 😉

** We’re talking about the left hand/harmony but this is also applicable and just as important in the right hand/melody.

Don’t be Vanilla

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Don't be vanillaPeople often tell me that all Celtic music sounds the same – the Irish tunes, the Scottish tunes, the Welsh, the Galician, the Breton ones too.  When I started playing the harp, I agreed – I couldn’t tell them apart.  The only way I could be sure was that the tunes on Great Highland Bagpipe were Scottish (probably). 

Over time, and with the help of great teachers, I learned to listen.  And over time, by listening, the sounds and styles of the music become less opaque (even to me and I don’t listen very well).  Those sounds and stylistic elements that arise from the music reflect the different, but related, cultures. 

These idiomatic elements are really interesting (especially if you’re nerdy!).  I’m always curious about how people define themselves and the things they create to define their groups.  If you grow up inside a group, you may not even be able to detect the “fence” that defines that group, but you know where that fence is.  And if you are interested, you can not only begin to see the fence, you can even learn what it is made of.

The idiomatic elements are the fence and are everywhere throughout the music.  These elements help define the music.  So studying these (or at a minimum, observing them) can help level up your musicianship.  And if you think this only applies to Celtic music, think again.  Every genre of music reflects a set of idioms.  Whether it’s classical, Top 40, hip hop, Scandinavian, medieval, reggae, whatever – the idioms make the music identifiable (and classifiable). 

Now, while it is possible to make “vanilla” music, most of us would probably rather not.  We want our Irish tunes to sound Irish.  We want the Baroque tunes to sound like it’s the 17th century not the 19th.   Frankly, it can be a little embarrassing to play a tune like it came from somewhere (or somewhen) else – even when you know that to the listener it’s all just “pretty music” – because then it is vanilla!

Just now I’m working on three very distinct projects that definitely need to be presented in their own idioms.  One is really comfortable to me, but the other two are “stretch” projects.  Stretching is exciting and fun…and intimidating.  I don’t know these two stretch idioms so I’m listening to music I’m not used to – seeking to find those elements that are part of the idiomatic fence.  Those are the things I’ll need to incorporate into my music – not just to make the projects work but also to make the output more authentic.

Listening to new music is sort of like developing a crush.  You have to pay really close attention to everything – what is that drum line?  How is that loop built?  Is that a saxophone?  Like a new crush, you find reasons to spend time together with the music.  In that time, nothing is as lustrous or compelling.    And like a crush, the infatuation wanes (usually to the delight of those around you!).   All those things that were so fascinating become a bit ho-hum or tarnished.  Reason returns.  And with that, a new clarity – the idioms may not still be sparkly, but they are revealed and now useful and ready to be incorporated into working projects!  You have found the fence!

So, what are you listening for when you’re trying to get your head around a new idiom?  Here are some ideas:

  • Rhythm – how do they mark time?  Where is the beat? Where is the pulse? What happens in the rhythm – especially the bass and the drum lines?  Are there counters and if so, where, and how?  What’s the time signature or meter?
  • Harmonies – does the tune use a chord progression you expect?  Or does it surprise you? How does the harmony move? Is there a harmony?
  • Melody – How does the melody move? What kinds of intervals are used?  Is it “catchy”? Is it complex or simple?  What drew you to it in the first place?  What kept you coming back?
  • Setting and arrangement – what instruments captured your attention?  What about the arrangement is compelling?  What can you copy or replicate on the harp and what needs to be replaced (and how)?  Will the harp arrangement “scratch the itch” created by the original arrangement?

Once you’ve noticed these things, then you can compare and contrast with your usual music.  You will likely frame this as “difference” between what you know and what you’re learning.  All this will help you find the “fence”.   Then you can incorporate elements – and keep from being vanilla!

Just think what that can mean for your new music!  More – think about what this can all mean for your existing repertoire!   What can you do with this?  How will you stray from vanilla?  Let me know in the comments!

Faster! Faster?

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OSAS is this week so I’ll be looking forward to your comments but might be a little slower to respond.  Hope you join us, if not this summer, next year when we should all be together again!

Before you start reading, you might want to have a cup of tea (or coffee) to hand.  We’re being serious this week.

Time – it seems so simple but the more you think about it, the more incongruous it seems to become.  But as musicians, time is our bread and butter.  So you’d think we would understand it.  As I listen to people talk about it, though, I’m fairly sure we don’t.

What is she talking about this time?  Time – or more appropriately, time signatures.

I think this topic can be challenging to talk about.  Like so many elements of formal theory, when you read the dry text, it is quite complicated.  And when it’s time to introduce the concepts to new students, well – there are a lot of concepts and frankly, I seem to make a mash of it every time.  The top number, the bottom number, the relationship of the two.  The big numbers, the small numbers.  The math of all the notes.

It really can make you dizzy.

Time SignaturesAnd it’s clear that the topic is complex because I hear people say funny things…not that they mean to be funny.  But sometimes, people come out with the musical equivalent of “I want to be a veterinarian because I love children!” *

Take, for instance the relationship between time signature and tempo.  I shake my head when time and tempo become conflated. Because, honestly, one has absolutely nothing to do with the other.

The time signature is also called the meter signature.  This is because it tells you how you’re measuring and what you’re looking for.

Let’s look at everyone’s favorite – 4/4.  We know, practically by rote – we’re measuring in quarter notes and there are four in each measure.  But does that tell us how fast?  Nope.  The tune could be a reel (fast) or a strathspey (a little slower).  It could be Sam Smith’s I’m Not the One (a ballad at 80 bpm) or Scorpions’ Rock You Like a Hurricane (124 bpm) or Aretha Franklin’s Think (at 220!).  All the same time signature but clearly really different tempos and tunes.

What about 6/8?  Same thing – we have slow tunes in 6/8 like Skye Boat Song (at about 70 bpm) but we also have jigs in 6/8 (at 116 or so).  And if you’re so inclined, Queen’s We Are the Champions (at 95 bpm) or Blondie’s Call Me (at 142 bpm).

So, the time signature tells you how you’re measuring (from the number on the bottom – 4 means we’re using quarter notes, 8 means eighth notes, 2 means half notes, etc.) and how many beats appear in each measure (the number on the top which can be just about anything, but there are some usual suspects like 2, 3, 4, 6, 9, 12, but others are possible).

So, the time signature really only tells you how to portion out the time, not how big or small the slices should be.  Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that a 6/8 tune will be twice as fast as a tune in 3 / 4.  They are different but not necessarily faster.  Similarly, even though a tune in 2/4 might feel like a runaway train, it is not necessarily faster than a tune in 4/4. 

With that sorted out, another time we can talk about how beats differ from pulses.  And we can also save how to know how fast to play a particular piece.  Do you sometimes get sucked into conflating meter and tempo?  Let me know in the comments how time signature trips you up!

* Slight modification to the song lyric by Julie Brown www.juliebrown.com/

World Music Day

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It’s World Music Day (21 June)! 

Ok, like a lot of Hallmark Card holidays, it is also made up by some organization.  But who cares?!?  It’s a holiday to celebrate music!  What’s not to like?

According to the organizers, “World Music Day celebrates music in all its forms and the impact it’s had on the world and the human spirit.”  I cannot make this stuff up: https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/music-day/

World Music Day was started in France by the Ministry of Culture (if that’s not already taken, it would be an excellent band name). Apparently, again according to the organizers, on this day all music should be free to everyone (rather than paid tickets) (you can tell a bunch of bureaucrats thought this up and didn’t ask any musicians about it!).

Check out their website http://makemusicday.org/

And in the Hallmark holiday spirit – I’d like to give you your first World Music Day greeting card:

If you’re not sure why I chose those funny names – Aoide is the muse of song and her sister Melete is the muse of practice!  And if you are not sure how to celebrate – enroll in the Ohio Scottish Arts School – it’s next week!

How are you going to celebrate World Music Day?  I’m giving a concert assuming the weather holds.  Let me know what you’re going to do!

What could be scarier?

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What could be scarier than a meteoroid headed for your house?

Music theory.

Dun dun duhhhhhhh…

Few things can scare a musician more than mentioning theory.

Well, to be fair, theory is kinda terrifying.  It’s a bunch of inscrutable rules that no one really needs, right?

Um, no. 

First, let’s define music theory.  Because I am finding that many people believe that music theory is all about reading music. 

Um, no. (I promise I won’t write that again in this post!)

Theory is the rules of music.  It is the grammar if you will.  Music theory is about music.  Listening to it, making it, enjoying it, identifying it (especially identifying that it is music as it is different from other sounds).  You know music when you hear it.

Music theory geniusYou don’t have to be a genius to understand theory!

Theory is actually quite helpful.  And I think it gets a bad rap.  When I was studying piano, every week we did a major scale and its concomitant exercises (arpeggios, inversions, etc.).  Later we moved on to the minor scales.  We never did theory.  I was always assured that I’d study it later.  Sneaky – I was learning theory in practical form, learning the rules as I went.  Best of all, I never felt a thing – no pain at all!

I’ll try to be just as gentle with you.  Don’t freak out – just like you speak your native language, and you know (mostly) the rules for speaking the language, you already know (mostly) the rules for music.  If you didn’t know the rules, you’d never have to make the “wrong-note-lemon-face”.  Why?  Because if you didn’t know the rules, you wouldn’t know that you made a mistake and then you wouldn’t need to make the pucker puss.

Are you convinced yet?    

You should be, because nothing I have said so far has

a-n-y-t-h-i-n-g

to do with reading or writing. When you speak a language, you don’t have to be literate to be fluent.  So too, with music.  And frankly, while reading and writing are certainly helpful, we existed for millennia relying on spoken word and learning by rote – so, reading and writing, while helpful are not, in and of themselves, necessary.

So, I think we have established that you probably already know your theory.  But here’s a little test – if you hear something (anything – Tallis, Bach, Chopin, Rachmaninoff, Britten, Muhly, BTS), do you recognize it as music?  Of course you do, because you know the underlying rules*.

In other words, you know your theory!  I hope you’re convinced now.  Because it is that understanding of these rules that helps you be a good musician!  No need to be scared!

However, that’s not the end of the story.  Because to continue to be a good musician you want to be able to not just parrot back specific frequencies.  You want to be able to understand what you’ve got, think critically about it, and leave at least a frisson of yourself there.  

The basic bones of theory are going to be melody and rhythm stitched together with harmony. 

  • Melody is the thing.  It’s what matters.  It’s what you hum when you’re thinking of a catchy tune.  I say it’s “the thing” because it really is the center – the song, the thread, the butterfly you follow.
  • Rhythm (from the Greek “to flow”) is what happens over time.  This isn’t as complicated as it seems – you already know that music comes out over time.  If all the music came at once it would sound like a door slamming!  Rhythm is how we express the serial part of sound (which can be music, speech, or other noises).  And…
  • Harmony – the thing we stress over when we play!  Harmony is when we have more than one sound going at a time.  Harmony is how we express our hope that the sounds go together in a pleasing manner!

Any of this a surprise to you?  I told you that you already knew theory!

Like just about any subject, theory can get…quite complex.  After all, we use theory words to be able to articulate the rules when we want to communicate with someone else.  Or when we want to document our own thinking (either to share with others or to help us remember).   Having the words and symbols may also help us think differently about what we already know and help us to learn more than we currently know.  Finally, just like some people jot thoughts while reading, we can do the same while we’re playing, composing, and improvising.  And to do those things, you do need to have some understanding of the basics and the vocabulary.  

We can talk about more complicated things (including reading and writing) another time.  For now, does this make sense? Do you feel like you have a strong theory background?  Or do you run and hide when someone starts talking about theory?  Or were you hoping that, as a trad musician, it wouldn’t ever matter?  In the comments, let me know where you are – and we’ll take a stab at ensuring we are all solid on theory.

* if you’re making snide remarks in your head that I included some random modern pop group – stop it, you know it’s still music even if you’re too old for it (I am too!)

Since you asked…

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I had planned to blather on about theory this week, but let’s hold that for next week, shall we?  This week I wanted to follow up on a question from last week.  I’m delighted that you enjoyed the video as much as I did! 

One of you asked if there was sheet music for the great ensemble arrangement of America the Beautiful those amazing harpists are playing in the video. (I’m always so delighted that you actually read my blog that I’ll usually do just about anything to answer your questions!) 

So, I used my super-sleuthing skills to contact the military harpists to email them to ask if they would share the arrangement (ok, I looked them up in the American Harp Society Directory).

Two amazing things happened from this – first, I met a bunch of super delightful harpists that I didn’t know before!  They were, to a one, so warm and wonderful.  They responded quickly and were incredibly gracious.  And they are all located near me (Yea!!) except for Megan Sesma from the US Coast Guard who is in New London CT (which is a convenient train station if you’re going to compete at the Scotland CT Highland Games, btw). 

Second, from them I learned a little bit about this music.  For those of you who might not have seen my other posts (on Facedegram), the sheet music is available from Vanderbilt Music*.  It was arranged by Daniel Burton for six harps.  But perhaps more interesting and exciting – it was commissioned by the American Harp Society and these six military harpists!

Now a clarification.  While the Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and Army are part of the Department of Defense, the Coast Guard is is actually part of the Department of Homeland Security.  Even so, the Coast Guard is the oldest continuous sea service of the country.

And the last little bit of update.  After the video was completed, Chief Musician Emily Dickson retired from the Navy and Madeline Jarzembak has been selected to be the principal harpist with the United States Navy Band. Welcome aboard Madeline!  In the email discussion, the military harpists mentioned that they are not currently planning to do another video together (and hopefully we’ll all be off video and IRL sooner than later!), so revel in this unique experience.  And watch for them – military bands perform all over the country and they may be near you soon!

Thank you so much for your questions and comments.  And for the opportunity to answer them!  I am consistently struck by how diverse, interesting, warm, and welcoming our very small harp community can be.  Keep asking away!  I l-o-v-e finding answers, meeting people, learning more – and getting to share it with you!   

 

* As usual, I’m not clever enough to have affiliate links – this is just to make it easier for you to find it!

Memorial Day 2021

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Memorial Day is the day we remember and honor those military members who have died while serving.  Serving to keep us safe and free and often blissfully unaware of the evils that walk the earth.

To honor the sacrifices of our fallen, one thing we must do is make good use of the days they have made possible for us.  We are free to celebrate and enjoy and this includes celebrating with the music we make.

One of the most important parts of the military services is the music of the Service Bands.  I wasn’t a musician when I was in the Navy and I have unceremoniously pinched this from the US Navy Band YouTube channel.  I hadn’t seen it before, possibly lost in the flurry of covid-eos that came out over the last 15 months.

Many don’t know that the US military employs more full-time musicians than any other employer in the world.  They’ll be busy working this holiday weekend – but you can enjoy the harpists of the US military including counterclockwise from bottom right – US Navy Musician Chief Emily Dickson, US Coast Guard Chief Musician Megan Sesma (the USCG’s first harpist!), US Marine Corps Band (The President’s Own) Master Gunnery Sergeant Karen Grimsey, US Air Force Concert Band’s Technical Sergeant Greta Asgeirsson, US Army Field Band’s Staff Sargent Grace Bauson, and US Army Band (Pershing’s Own) Sergeant First Class Nadia Pessoa.

To all our military musicians (but especially for our military harpists!) –

Thank you for your service!

US Military HarpistsThe video is here – it’s a beautiful listen…and a great opportunity to explore some excellent arrangement ideas.

I hope you have a wonderful day celebrating your unofficial start of summer while honoring those forever in the sun.

Perfect – It was so much better at home

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As a teacher, one of the funniest things you hear in lessons is,

“It was so much better at home!”

It’s funny because we have all uttered those words as a student at some point.  Of course, at this point in time, it’s especially funny because… we’re in zoom lessons – you ARE at home!

This does speak to an important point – it’s easy to be comfortable and low key about everything when you’re home, by yourself, doing your thing practicing or playing for yourself and it’s Perfect. 

PerfectBut it is completely different and more difficult when the situation changes and you’re in a lesson (or your family is actively listening, or you have a visitor who begs you to play for them, or the window is open and the neighbors might hear).

Back to the lesson – isn’t making mistakes in a lesson precisely the place you want to make an error?  Why do we always fret when we make a mistake in a lesson?

  • We’re afraid our teacher will be unimpressed with our work effort for the week, or we’re embarrassed because we think all the other students were perfect.  
  • We feel like we haven’t practiced as much as we should have and so we are unimpressed with our own work effort for the week.
  • We have set some arbitrary schedule for ourselves and we haven’t met it.  As in, “I learned Katie Bairdie in a week, so I should only need a week to be able to play the harp solo from Lucia di Lammermoor!”  Maybe that’s a bit unrealistic?
  • We didn’t set aside the time to practice and so we know we’re not as prepared as we would have preferred to have been for the lesson.

Does making mistakes in lessons matter?  YES – but maybe not for the reason you think.  Your teacher does not expect you to play perfectly (and if your teacher does expect you to play everything perfectly, you might want to find someone else to work with).

What do you learn from mistakes?  LOADS

First, repeat after me – each “error” in a lesson is a learning opportunity…AND a teaching opportunity!

  • You learn where the music in your head is a little thin.  When you’re practicing you get through it just fine but add just a smidgen of stress (now that you know your teacher is listening and your performance anxiety kicks in) and the veneer of “knowing it cold” may dissolve to “barely hanging on”.  That helps highlight where you should focus as you continue to practice the music.
  • You get a different point of view.  I used to have a student who always answered the question, “How did your exercises go this week?” with, “Perfect!”.  Hmmm, maybe not so much.  Sometimes you get a different perspective, or a calibration of your perspective.  And that tweak to your perspective allows you to practice better and possibly to learn more.
  • You get feedback.  It is frustrating when you keep hitting the wrong string or can’t preplace fast enough or just can’t remember the phrase.  But your teacher will see all that from a different angle – and give you insight into what you are doing (and/or not doing) and what you might do get around the issue.
  • You get to learn from your teacher’s experience.  One thing you can be sure of – your teacher has more experience than you do, both at playing well…and at making mistakes!   The point of the lesson is not only to share that experience but to pass it down to you.  It gives you a chance to learn about hard won gains so you can go on to make other, better errors!

Each time you make a mistake in your lesson, you have PERFECT opportunity to learn.  In addition, you present a teaching opportunity for your teacher.  And as you learn, what you can learn shapes and grows what you will be able to learn next.  And frankly, as a teacher, I kinda live for that moment when it’s clear that you “got it”!  I think all teachers feel that way.  Some are exuberant about it, some are sotto about it, but the thrill of seeing that light bulb go on is central to teaching.

So, as you look forward to your next lesson, I challenge you to predict which mistake you might make, why you’ll make it, and what you think you will learn from it.  And you know that Practice Journal I’m always going on about?  Those are the sort of thing you might consider jotting down in there.

You stand on the shoulders of those who came before you so you can see over the wall, not so you can be on the top of the pile!  What mistakes will you make in your next lesson?  I’m looking forward to hearing about it – let me know!

Be Brave

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Being creative is a risky business. 

Every time you sit to your harp, you are taking a risk.

Why do you think there are so few musicians (relatively) in the world?  Or even more broadly, so few artists in the world?  Because being a creative requires a lot of bravery.  And we know that bravery is uncommon.

You probably never really think about being brave, but if you meet people as a musician and performer, it is something you hear from others –

“I don’t know how you can be so brave to get on stage – I could never do that!”

“Wow – how did you learn to play the harp?  I don’t think I could – I don’t have any talent.”

Sometimes you don’t know you’re being courageous, but every time you make music, you’re flexing your creativity and your bravery!  Maybe you don’t always feel brave.  That’s ok – as long as you keep on making.

Be Brave

How are we brave?

1. We show up! It seems like such a minor thing, but there’s no dragon to slay if you don’t go to the den.  When you sit at your harp (the den), you’re going to create (the dragon).

2. We keep going. One path of courage is to keep going, even when your heart is in your mouth and you can barely breathe from the anxiety of doing.  Especially if you’re worried that what you make may not be good enough or if what you’re making won’t even come to be (you, know – if you fail).

3. We put on a game face – like the commercial says, “never let ‘em see you sweat!”

4. We keep on going on. Even when nothing works, we try again and again and again and again and again and again…

Why are we brave?  Well, first off, being creative means you’re never really on solid ground and that’s kinda scary.  Nothing is set in stone.  There is no right.  But we creatives are often the kind of people who get off on that shifting foundation (maybe just a little).   A little uncertainty can be a wild ride!  One of my favorite t-shirts says,

“If you’re not living on the edge,                                             you’re taking up too much room!”

Ok, really, it is hard to be brave – especially day after day.  So, how do we do it?   

1. Fake it. Yup, pretend.  Put on your game face and do the thing.  Write a composition.  Develop that improv.  Interpret that piece like you feel it.

2. Name the monster – like anything that goes bump in the night, simply saying the names of your fears – out loud – diminishes their intimidation factor. The names are usually short – embarrassment, fear of failure, fear of success.  When you say it out loud, its ridiculousness becomes apparent as it shrinks back to its appropriate size and you can laugh.

3. Keep good company. I was fortunate to have a demonstration.  It was seeing my all-time harp hero have a really bad day on stage – mistakes all over the place…and a serene facial expression.  Lesson learned?  Fear faced down + audience ignorant and happy = successful brave performance.

4. Breathe.  Yup, breathing makes everything a little easier.  Especially anything that requires thinking.  Breathing also helps ameliorate anxiety.  Being clear headed can only help when you’re scared.  So, take a breath, feel your fear recede (if only just a little bit), and forge ahead.

5. Say yes.  Just do it.  Dragging your feet won’t make it any easier.

6. Don’t take yourself too seriously. We’re making nusic, it’s not Rocket Surgery.  No one’s going to die if you compose a poorly constructed phrase!  Cities don’t go dark because you’re improv isn’t ready for prime time yet.  Lighten up and enjoy making your music. 

7. Perspiration.  The Great One (Wayne Gretzky, not Salzedo) said it best –   

You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take. 

And you’ll probably miss a high percentage of the shots you do take – do it anyway – take the shot.   Do the work, face the fear, enjoy the reward.

8. Be good to you – no matter how much you push yourself, be aware of when you’re about to go too far. My rule of thumb – if it’s too mean to say it to your best friend, then don’t say it to yourself.  And don’t be your own horrible stage mother.  Don’t expect from yourself something you know you’re not ready to do.  Be brave, not unkind or stupid.

9. Practice. Of course – my solution to everything!  You’ll find it’s easier to brave if you practice doing it.  And the more you practice, the easier it is.

10. Put on your cape. Even if just in your head – be your own harp hero.  Be proud of all the notes you have saved from a future of never having been heard and enjoyed!  You’re not just brave, you’re a superhero!

Did you know that you’re brave?  If not, do you know now?  Do you do any of these things?  How are you brave?  Do you have other ways of being brave (you know I’m always looking for more new ways to do things!)?  Let me know in the comments!